The glisteningly experimental synth driven record Leicester based C-Beem feels like a pleasant assault on the senses. Inspired by the region it draws its title from, Tales from Tono has an air of mystique about it, a shroud of mystery, and a mist of sensory bliss. Tono is an ancient Japanese village where magic, dreams, beauty and terror mingle within the island’s rich store of folk and fairy tales. Directly inspired by Kunio Yanagita’s 1910 book publication, ‘The Legends of Tono’, the record draws from an array of 80s influences to piece together a five track record that’s filled with bits of rock, pop, dance, and a kerfuffle of it all.
The magic of the record for me comes out most resplendently in the more hypnotic melodies. Perhaps best exemplified in the EP’s second piece, the instrumental ‘Far Away Village’, C-Beem is able to exude so much emotion and sensory unravelling of a culture and space purely through just simple beats and instrumental overlaying. There isn’t a word that needs to be had, it would just reduce the effect that the piece has. The beauty of the soundscape almost allows you to visualise an entire landscape that Tono would be. There’s also a surprisingly diverse collection of genres and styles that C-Beem uses on the record. The more mystically serene Far Away Village is followed by a more futuristic and dance driven ‘Bow To The Kappa’.
An experimental adventure that’s bound to have you inspired to search for your own adventure.