 |
|||
| Please click on the song title to listen to a 1-minute sample. | |||
 Spiral Dream / KALO InterMusic IM-001 MUSEA FGBG 4543.AR |
1 | Dharani | 4:03 |
| 2 | A Voice In Blue | 6:00 | |
| 3 | Forest Fairies | 4:48 | |
| 4 | Sunset | 3:43 | |
| 5 | Eternity | 3:30 | |
| 6 | Land Of Spirits | 5:58 | |
| 7 | Rerakamuy | 5:16 | |
| 8 | Into Existence | 3:39 | |
| 9 | To The Memory of A Person | 4:18 | |
| 10 | Sensitive Air | 4:37 | |
| 11 | Gleam | 6:24 | |
| 12 | Spiral Dream | 6:02 | |
| Sound sample quality reduced to ensure fast downloads | |||
| Masahiro Uemura : Guitars, Keyboards, Programmings Miori Naritomi : Vocals (track 2,7,12) Produced by KALO All Compositions and Arrangements : Masahiro Uemura Lyrics : Masahiro Uemura (track 2,12) Miori Naritomi (track 7) Executive Producer : Hiroshi Masuda (POSEIDON) Recorded at Black Cats Studio, Yamanashi (2001-2003) Mixed at Black Cats Studio, D-Sound (track 1) Mixed by Masahiro Uemura, Dani (track 1) Mastered at D-Sound, Tokyo Mastering Engineer : Dani Cover CG : Masahiro Uemura Photo : Tomoyasu Hazaki Copyright ©＆℗ 2004 KALO |
|||
|
|
|||
| Reviews |
|---|
| PROGGNOSIS | ( U.S.A. ) | ||
| DBSilver Published on: 22 Apr 2004 Can an album be too beautifully symphonic? If this is possible - Kalo are a defining example. The debut album "Sprial Dreams" is about as symphonically melodic as music can be. The guitar work is absolutely incredible in it's beauty and sonority. The vocals of Miori Naritomi are the equal of the best in the rich history of symphonic progressive women. On these qualities alone - I can place this among the most pretty symphonic prog albums I have ever heard. There is a rub however. The beauty is relentless - and all is so gentle that there are few if any moments filled with musical tension and release. The result is that this album has the body of a New Age recording. That is - it is not filling - and can leave the listener hungry. What a very strange way to react to an album. On half a dozen listens I call this a beautiful symphonic progressive album with great guitar work and wonderful female vocals while on the other hand I also find it to be to lacking in passion. After playing this album I always want to put on something with more bite. Magdalena and Vangelis sprinkled with perhaps a touch of Renaissance serve as good reference points for this album. There are some specific highlights - A Voice In Blue and Sunsets and all of Spiral Dreams is in fact a great album to play - (I have been and continue to play it often). When track 8 is reached Into Existensce delivers a fusion like track that gives the listener a break from all the sugar and to a lesser extent so does the progressive track Sensitive Air. Without reservations I can comfortably recommend it to symphonic progressive fans and I would certainly consider it to be among the best debut releases by a band for this (or most any) year. Fans will no doubt find that Kalo's Spriral Dream is worth the investment. |
|||
| Maya Published on: 23 Apr 2004 If you are searching for your favourite dream in 'paradise valley'; then Sprial Dreams offered by Kalo may fill your needs. Spiral Dreams is a deeply symphonic and completely romantic work by this Japanese band which I have listened to this many times with the same result - the more i play it the more i find it awesome in its pure untouched romance. Kalo's debut CD could not have a better title than Spiral Dreams. This is music that is easy to understand, never pressured or forced, just highly melodic searching the top of pureness. I honestly thought my off-the-wall musical tastes wouldn't take to such a 'pure' album as I am more oriented to weird and dissonant sounds, but Kalo's album is killin' me softly everytime i play it. Spiral Dreams gives me a nice feeling of peace and tranquility and I cannot agree with DBSilver's view that the music leaves the listener hungry. In fact I feel just the opposite. I have to take half an hour break before putting something else on in order not to ruin that delicatefeeling this CD causes me to feel. |
|||
| Nuno Published on: 31 May 2004 Even if I am not as complimentary about this album as my fellow reviewers in ProGGnosis, still I agree that the debut album by Japanese Kalo is set to satisfy a large fringe of progsters out there, mainly those who rejoice over good Symphonic Art-Rock albums. Spiral Dreams presents us music that spirals around the guitar and keyboard work of Masahiro Uemura. He is well accompanied in the rhythmic section and on the 3 vocalized tracks here, but the music is really set and developed by his guitar soloing (like on track one) and his keyboard efficiency (including lots of Mellotron basing tapestries). The music is tremendously melodic, sometimes achieving a somehow harder status, but without ever leaving a very ear-friendly condition. Bands like Magdalena and very slight hints of Renaissance are to be found here, but the music stands pretty much on its own, making this band a refreshing add in contemporary Japanese progressive scene for if that scene has been most prolific in fusion and (lately) canterburian sounding bands, a good melodic sympho one is nice to complement the wideness ofJapanese Prog. Spiral Dreams by Kalo is, therefore, an album to play when calm is necessary or when you travel with your non-proghead companion, for it does serve as a swell introduction of progressive rock to a non believer. It is neither over pretentious, nor does it present excessive complex arrangements, but complies harmony and melody like not that many prog albums nowadays. |
|||
| Progressive Rock & Progressive Meta |
（ Brazil ） | ||
| Sergio Motta Published on: 06 June 2004 KALO - "Spiral Dream" Love at first listening ! this is the way I truly ought to refer myself toward this thundering surprise coming straight from Japan, that hit me last week, and really freaked me out. The band name is Kalo, and the album, which is its debut calls ‘’Spiral Dream’’. This project was previously accomplished some 20 years ago by the skilful multi-instrumentalist Masahiro Uemura, born in Osaka in the year of 1963, and who began playing the guitars at sixteen ; Also, by the female vocalist Miori Naritomi, among other musicians not mentioned namely. Meanwhile Uemura was actively involved with other two successful bands as IO and Fairy, whose both bands, released an only album each‘’Glass Castle’’ and ‘’Hisperia’’. In 2001 Uemura and Miori Naritomi made up their mind about bringing their sleeping project back to life, and began buckling themselves to it again by re-recording the tracks and also working upon the artwork. Fortunately all this effort resulted in the release of a top-flight album, which sure as shooting I dare to say this album is one of the best releases out in 2004, and I’m sure that I’m not talking through my hat,seen that it has been issued by two renowned record labels, the InterMusic and also Musea; So that really clinches matter. ‘’Spiral Dream’’ consists of twelve wonderful songs, which only three of them are beautifully performed by Miori Naritomi, who is owner of a crystal clear voice, keeping in fact the very same tradition of the several japanese progressive rock bands that brightly use to opt for having a female singer as their leading vocals, and as usual, the vocals are originally enacted in their native language, which sounds fine indeed. The other remaining songs on the album are purely instrumental, featuring a lot of standout symphonic themes, really able to afford unmeasured delight and emotion to every kind of listener that truly appreciates a good quality music, such as that listener, who is more into the piercing compositions that use to go straight to the heart, by giving vent to the most beautiful feelings often held up inside himself. Since I got this album, it has been on for three times over, and this doesn’t only happen because I’m writing a review about it, the album is captivating in fact and also dynamic, making me realize I may go to the most fascinating spots in the world with no restriction at all. The opening song on the album is simply an epic, whose title is‘’Dharani’’ that soon features Uemura’s virtuosity in a clear way; obviously giving the listener a hint of what’s just about to come henceforth. Summing it up, the album is musically magnificent on all aspects, not letting at all any true fan of Progressive Rock music indifferent to it, and I’m sure on the long run that everybody is going to come to the same conclusion as I did, seen that the album is performed brillantly by a grade A quartet. The line-up of Kalo consists of the following musicians: Masahiro Uemura - Guitars, Keyboards & Programming, Yan - Bass, Koro Uemura - Drums & percussion and Miori Naritomi - Vocals. ‘’Spiral Dream’’ is highly recommendable! 06/06/2004 (Comments By Sergio Motta) |
|||
|
|
|||
| Videos |
|---|
| Fantasia of Angels | a vertical video for smartphones | ||
