Point

And now for something completely different...'Point' is the long-awaited (it’s true) new release from Japan’s most innovative and respected musician, Cornelius, a.k.a. Keigo Oyamada. It is a heartbreaking work of staggering genius that forges a very different path from his 1998 US debut 'Fantasma.' Where 'Fantasma' was an exaggerated media collage that deconstructed the history of pop and reassembled it into a breathtaking tangle of sound, 'Point' is altogether more atmospheric, involving mood-driven soundscapes. Rather than cramming all his influences onto one record, 'Point' shows Keigo taking a more organic, personal approach to his art; he tells us he approached 'Fantasma' like a 5th grader -- all cut & paste -- but approached this one like a grandpa, where everything has to have meaning and relate to each other. Cornelius takes his inspiration from the world around him (not always musical), creating a dizzying environmental sound. The same musical influences are still there, but toned down and mutated into a more cohesive and mature album.