Vajra
Listening to Vajra is like listening to two very different worlds colliding: the louder than life noise of Keiji Haino crashing against the traditional folk spirit of Kan Mikami. The results, even though they are explosive, never sound haphazard. There is a middle point, a balance which the artists strive for within these group improvisations and I can't say they've ever missed that spot. Overall, the music of Vajra falls into the heavy psych category, but it sounds so often out-of-control and composed at a stream of consciousness that there are no real melodies to base yourself on.
Ring was the first Vajra record I bought and I purchased it simply because I thought the cover art was very beautiful and mystifying. I knew of Keiji Haino, but didn't know he was a member of the group. It was not that easy to get into the music at first, but it definitely grew on me and I soon got the other albums and found others that were easier to enjoy, but remained as wild as Ring. If you are fan of Haino's most notorious rock project Fushitsusha, Vajra is quite similar. Only big difference is Kan Mikami's voice with it's rustic quality, quite different to Haino's yelling. It might take some getting used to, but once that's done, you're on your way!
TusgaruLabel: P.S.F. Records Release: 1995 Format: CD Cat. no: PSFD-62 |
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RingLabel: P.S.F. Records Release: 1996 Format: CD Cat. no: PSFD-77 |
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SichisikiLabel: P.S.F. Records Release: 1997 Format: CD Cat. no: PSFD-88 |
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SravakaLabel: P.S.F. Records Release: 1998 Format: CD Cat. no: PSFD-100 |
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Mandalaキ・『やっと』(Cat Last)Label: P.S.F. Records Release: 2002 Format: CD Cat. no: PSFD-129 |
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LiveLabel: P.S.F. Records Release: 2008 Format: CD Cat. no: PSFD-176 |
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