The second album by the Japanese production team of Kazumasa Yoshioka and Seiichi Kyoda as
Uttara-Kuru combines acoustic traditional Japanese music with Western synth pop, producing somewhat jarring results. This is an album that can feature a koto solo on one track ("First Image"), and not long after introduce a synth pop dance track reminiscent of
Depeche Mode ("Our Life"). The result is definitely eclectic, but it's hard to imagine a listener who could enjoy the various styles equally. The album comes packaged with incense sticks intended to enhance the listening experience. ~ William Ruhlmann