Takahiro Chiba, the one man band that is Slowly Minute, has crafted his own brand of electronic music. The instruments are organic with only a hint of glitchy warbling, yet the sounds are chopped up, rearranged, and taped back together, giving it a uniquely electronic flavor. Short guitar phrases are looped, making way for awkward drum patches, lush chimes, and high pitched female vocals. This basic template permeates the entire album, making the hour long running length fairly exhausting. Chiba's affinity with off beat, disjointed drum segments is equally insistent, showing up in just about every song. Such recurring elements unify Tomorrow World as much as they hold it back. Rarely does a track stand out from its counterparts, with each section seeming like a direct continuation of the one before it. Taken individually, the songs are often interesting and well executed, yet they consistently build around a central idea, rarely straying too far away from its core. Essentially, Tomorrow World could have been compressed into a single ten minute cut, and the only noticeable difference would be its length. While my comments may seem predominantly negative, Tomorrow World is still enjoyable, despite the sameness. The sounds are playful and, yes, at times childlike in their simplicity. The contributing vocals of Aki Tsuyuko do well at holding your attention, working best when they are in the fore. If Chiba would condense his ideas and focus on structure, he would have an excellent album on his hands. But I'm just projecting my ideals on what's already come and gone. It sounds like a lot of fun was had with these recordings, and if the label is correct, Chiba is only getting started.
1. The Song of the Sun in Autumn's Holiday - Where Are You Now...? I'm Under...
2. A Constellation and Shooting Stars
3. Light of People and the Song of the Earth
4. Minutes Made! - A Design Is Not a Form -
5. I Will Go Somewhere? I Will Go Where...
6. The Green Atelier Which Withered. - My Room Which Is in Nobody... -
7. Little Bird
8. Those Who Sing a Prayer. -Heartful Melody-
9. The Warm Song in December
10. Icecream Summer - If You Hand Icecream, A Girl's Excitement Will Stop -
11. Happy Birth & Sweet Blue - Today Is a Birthday of Those Who Love..
12. It's the Girl Who Goes to Do Some Shopping - A Mischievous Favorite..
13. Good-Bye! Wonderful Spring Days (Chummy Voice Mix)
14. Micro Cassettes - Many Melancholies Are Stuffed into a Microcassettes
15. - A Lost Poem -
16. Minutes End! - A "Beauty" Is Not a Form
17. Tomorrow World'
18. The Song of an Excursion - Furthermore the Recreation a Small Bird...
More about: Slowly Minute
