Cornelius Returns With The Aptly-Titled "Mellow Waves"

It's been 11 years since internationally-acclaimed musician Keigo Oyamada released an album under the name Cornelius. In that time he's worked on countless collaborative projects with musicians all over the world, but Cornelius would always be there waiting for his triumphant return to the spotlight. Enter: Mellow Waves.

Mellow Waves is the perfect title, as is made apparent right from the start. Opener Anata ga Irunara is one of Oyamada's first real forays into love song territory, and it's a beautiful yet minimal ballad. The album never really picks up in tempo in any major way, something which fans of his masterpiece Fantasma might be a bit disappointed by. Oyamada is still keen on experimentation though. Take track six for example, Helix / Spiral; among the shimmering percussion is a meandering Daft Punk-esque vocoder lead. Surfing on Mind Wave Part 2 (part one being on the Ghost in the Shell: Arise OST Oyamada composed) is a unstructured ambient piece combining lush strings, field recording, and gentle bell-like synths.

I think one of the hardest things to come to terms with on Mellow Waves is that you aren't going to come across any of the loud, wild experimentation Cornelius is probably best-known for. There is no Star Fruits, Surf Rider Here, or New Music Machine. Instead, Mellow Waves is a meticulous slow burn. It's a subtle album, stripped-back but full of character if you give it a chance. There's a lot of experimentation in time signatures, a lot of grooves that are just slightly off-kilter.  It's a beautiful album in its own right. Gone are the eclectic eccentricities of Shibuya-kei, the looming walls of feedback and reverb, and the funky art rock. Mellow Waves shows Cornelius at his most exploratory, his most introspective. It's a wonderful album for hardcore fans and newcomers alike.

-Justin

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Mellow Waves

1. Anata ga Irunara
2. Itsu ka / Doko ka
3. Mirai no Hito e
4. Surfing on Mind Wave, Part 2
5. Yume no Naka de
   
6. Helix / Spiral
7. Mellow Yellow Feel
8. The Spell of a Vanishing Loveliness
9. The Rain Song
10. Crépuscule

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