After nearly two years of work the cinematically transcendent debut full
length from Anoice is finally available. Anoice is the first group on
Important to be signed off of a demo. In fact, this album is essentially
that very demo with few studio touch ups and a mastering job courtesy of
Jeff Lipton @ Peerless Audio in Boston (Magnetic Fields/Flaming Lips).
Lots more information can be found on the Important website including
photos/mp3's etc. And in case you're interested in writing this up you'll
find some more info below.
Thanks!
John & Important
Let's get this straight immediately. Anoice is not another instumental
group with strong rock tendencies and an armchair association with
classical music. Unlike numerous contemporaries which they will
undoubtedly be compared to, their goal is not to follow the trends and
make the soft/loud/soft/loud juxtapositions in every song, but to
carefully craft each song with a strong attention to melody, solid
accompaniment, and courteous counterpoint. One of the remarkable
qualities of Anoice is that they truly work as a group, with members who
aren't afraid to remain quiet while others play. Through meticulous
composition Anoice has achieved an unrivaled quality.
While the band isn't intentionally attempting to be cinematic, the
recordings achieve something breathtaking and emotive: imagine the
Rachel's scoring a film by Ang Lee. Anoice's music is anthemic and rich
while being introspective and personal. Each track is preceeded by brief
and dense ambient tracks to clense the audio palate much like ginger in
your sushi boat.
Anoice are a six-piece group based in Tokyo. The band was formed
in January, 2004 by members Ricco (guitar/keyboards) and Taku
(guitars and mandolin), who were soon joined by Yuki (piano), Utaka (viola), Matsu
(bass), and Yossy (drums).While each member cites different musical
influences, it's fairly evenly split between rock (think My Bloody
Valentine meets King Crimson), classical and modern composers (Perhaps
Debussy and Shostakovitch writing together after drinking heavily from
Phillip Glass), jazz and electronic ( Autechre meets Mum maybe?).
Combining all of these influences with their obvious Japanese heritage
Anoice has created an album with an emotional arc, climaxing
magnificently as it ends and leaves the listener determined to press play
once again.
Pronounced "a noyce," the name comes from the Celtic word for "now"
(Anois). Remmings is their debut release and contains four named songs
and five unnamed songs. Cover art by Non Format. Mastering by Jeff Lipton
(Flaming Lips, Magnetic Fields)
"With guitars, bass, viola, keyboards and drums, the six Anoice succeed to
create incredible atmospheres between Sigur Ros, Arvo part and Rachel's."
Rockerilla (Italy)
“Even when all of them are going at it hammer and tongs they act more like an
orchestra with each player adding their own element to the melody. Anoice hit
all the blissful and joyous emotions and only rarely dip into melancholy like
most bands of the same ilk. “ Brainwashed
"Anoice have produced something entirely different and original, a mature record
of great beauty and attention to detail that rises above any clichés and should by
all accounts establish them as one of the leading artists today. "
Rockarolla (UK)
"Anoice Remmings (Important) This Tokyo-based sextet make some really sublime
instrumental music. Monumental and subtly nuanced; they all allow plenty of room
for each other. Mixing guitars, programming, viola, bass, piano, drums, mandolin,
and synthesizer, into the nine varied sonic excursions presented here. Mesmerizing
soundtracks to nonexistant films that bloom in the center of your mind. Ranging from
very small and soft spoken, to toweringly grand and vast. Some pieces have the feel
of chamber music renditions of Mogwai or Spacemen 3 songs; others feel like an
accurate aural description of loneliness."
Dream Magazine
"I was sold this record on the promise that Anoice are “like Rachel’s…but they rock…”
But isn’t that Godspeed? Well, no because whereas Godspeed dangle you worringly
over a cliff for the duration of an album, Anoice frequently drop you, pick you up again
and occasionally even make you float. What’s more, there’s often more of a rhythmic
framework here. The bass isn’t afraid to groove, the drums do ‘Bolero’ behind the
cascades of passionate viola and hammered piano. Anoice, in fact, are as adept at
approaching the rock/classical thing from the rock end as the classical end, which gives
them more than one string to their bow and potentially makes for some celestial live performances.
In places, they sound like an instrumental Arcade Fire. In others – particularly the incredibly
beautiful tracks 5 - 8 – they sound as good as any living film composer worth his salt.
If track 6 (Liange) doesn’t astound you, you are a glacier.
There’s a readymade market for evocative, anthemic, cinematic stuff like this, of course, be
it on the bill of All Tomorrow’s Parties or soundtracking some intense French film noir,
with Emanuelle Beart running down the steps of la Basilique du Sacre Coeur in torrential
rain. Even so, Anoice have that something special that could elevate them even beyond that.
This is not a group, as such. These people are modern composers. "
Glen Johnson - Piano Magic
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