TAMI, the recently released album from Rock Of Asia, amalgamates instruments from the West with instruments from the East into captivating music with tangs of jazz riding underneath.
The musical project of Nikki Matsumoto, who played professionally in the U.S. for a decade and a half, Rock Of Asia’s TAMI includes the talents of a dazzling group of musicians: Nikki Matsumoto (vocals, biwa, sanshin, guitars, bass, programming, percussion), Yasuhisa Murase (acoustic guitar), Kizen Ohyama (Shakuhachi), and Yuki Ishii (violin).
Encompassing eight tracks, TAMI begins with the title track, an exotic-flavored tune riding a mid-tempo rhythm topped by a soaring violin and Matsumoto’s passionate, evocative vocals. There’s an urgency about the song, imbuing it savors both insistent and slightly portentous. Mounting vocal harmonies give the tune depth and dimension.
Entry points include “Sunbright,” with its twangy instrumentation giving the song folk-billy tangs, yet with definite Eastern tinctures. Simple and stripped-down, the track invites listeners into another sonic world.
Infused with tinges of rock, “Capital In Your Vein” highlights a delicious violin and the gloriously elevated tones of the Shakuhachi, which gives the harmonics a sailplaning texture. Matsumoto struts his voice on this track, injecting the vocals with emotional fervency.
A personal favorite, “Keep Yourself” alive shapes a celebratory ballad to the sheer joy of life. Bright and sparkly, riding a luscious, syncopated rhythm, the tune thrums with unpretentious energy, infecting listeners with the magic of living.
Another favorite because of its tender, poignant sensations, “Stranger In The Homeland” travels on complex layers of instruments, gliding and undulating on filaments of bravura coloration. Matsumoto’s vocals, a bit dark and melancholy, imbue the lyrics with intense yearning timbres.
The beautifully wrought “Tomorrow” ties the album off with elegant splendor. An instrumental piece, the tune gleams with suffusions of luminous, translucent hues. Sensitive aromas combine with nostalgic surfaces to give the tune a synthesis of ornately imaginative patterns.
With TAMI, Rock Of Asia effortlessly melds the East with the West, delivering a steady succession of innovative, charismatic songs.