Search - Shugo Tokumaru :: L.S.T. [Special Edition]

A majestic slice of contemporary psychedelia

David Alston | Chapel Hill, NC, USA | 10/28/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Shugo Tokumaru emerged from the Japanese indie-pop group Gellers (he is still a member) a few years back, launching a seemingly low-profile side, solo career with the first of three discs - this one, LST, is the 2nd of three.



Touring and great press have gathered a significant fanbase in Japan; with only spotty distribution (and with very little international touring thus far) outside of Japan, all three discs have also begun to steadily generate a following internationally, which speaks to their rather dramatic level of quality.



LST features a densely layered mosaic of shape-shifting pop, generally inclined towards the psychedelic, but also filled with other stylistic intricacies, with some Eastern and Western folk influences, and perhaps some ambient interests also well-reflected throughout. I'd throw out some lofty praise - Tokumaru's interest in textures and idiosyncratic ambient sounds recalls Eno, his very fine-tuned studio craft recalls Todd Rundgren, his love of ornate harmonies and lavish pop constructs recalls Brian Wilson, and his tendency towards psych whimsy (not overdone) evokes Syd Barrett. I don't think that Tokumaru hits those heights always, and the rush of ideas being expressed in his detailed and densely constructed songs seems - at times - almost overwhelming. But there is a real thrill of discovery in listening to his intricate and often very surprising psychedelic pop constructs.



Tokumaru does update his many varied influences with a number of contemporary ideas (the range of instruments being used on this presumably one-man recording job is vast and impressive, including the likes of banjo, shamisen, mandolin and musical saw, along with more trad rock intrumentation), and based on the sound of this disc (along with the other two), he's well on his way towards a potentially spectacular career.



Very highly recommended.



-David Alston"