[.ca] Cloudy Cloudy Calculator

Cute Blippy Piddling:
Not exactly an inspired album but if you are a fan of oddball Japanese electronica and abstract pop , it is a nice CD and worthwhile getting just for her cute cover of Telstar. Takako Minekawa's Cloudy Cloud Calculator is playful and girlie in a typical Japanese way. The album has a do-it-yourself attitude to making unconventional pop music and sounds like funny technopop with Mickey Mouse as a DJ. For more diverse Japanese blippy piddling check out releases by Hoahio , After Dinner , Otomo Yoshihide , Yagi Michiyo , Ikue Mori , Sachiko M and Haco . If you want an introduction to more conventional Japanese "power pop" check out Shonen Knife , The 5-6-7-8s and Puffy Amiyumi.

This is some madphonk yo!:
I like synths, I like numbers, i like playing air calculator through a MU-TRON III....if u agree just buy this cd... namean?????

Something new, something amazing:
I recently got sick of electronic music, because other than from a few of my favorite artists, nothing really sounded different to me. So I started exploring a mysterious corner of electronica, called "abstract". My first find was Takako Minekawa, and I knew I had finally found something new and unique to listen to. Finally I found something electronic, yet missing most of the genre's prerequisite endless repetitive beats, spaced-out futuristic dronings, and mysterious, tired-sounding female vocals, and other things that I've grown tired of. Instead, this cd is unlike anything I've ever heard, and because of that, I fell in love with it. The topics presented are all simple ideas (cats, clouds, colors, etc.), but explained in interesting ways through both lyrics and instruments, to bring all sorts of life to them. I never thought a song about the number 47 could be so entertaining, and now I'm convinced that 47 is indeed "a magical number" \ofrom Kangaroo Pocket Calculator\c. We also get a chance to live a day from the perspective of a cat \oCat House\c, and through quotes of famous scientists, learn a little about why clouds are white \oCloud Cuckoo Land\c. These songs are soothing, entertaining, and most importantly, unique. I highly recommend this album to anyone else who's grown tired of everything sounding the same.

Pretty Synth Fizz:
I always get the feeling when listening to Takako Minekawa that she has more studio time than ideas. She can certainly write a good, engaging song when she wants to. Cat House is a great poppy number. Kraftpark (Micro Trip Edit) is a chugging little homage to Kraftwerk's Autobahn. The title track is swell too. Most of the CD, however, is given over to "experimental" noodling. I've heard much more daring experimentation than Minekawa's, so most of these songs just come off as boring.

47 a magical number, indeed.:
The first listen through this CD, I started to become dissapointed in my purchase after the first couple songs. But then, something happened; I heard Kangaroo Pocket Calculator. There it dawned upon me, as Minekawa led her stunning musical debate on just why the number 47 was so wonderful, that this woman was udderly genius. You see, when I was visiting Japan several months ago, I was somewhat forced to go to various temples in Kyoto which were each very geared to tourists. However, there was a woman there. She was wearing a pink sweater, and she was taking pictures of moss. She didnt care about any silly temples, she had just come to this place to take pictures of moss. Takako is that woman, and therefore I love her.

• Micro Mini Cool
• Milk Rock - Takako Minekawa, Seiichi Yamamoto
• Phonobaloon Song
• Cat House
• Cloud Chips
• Kraftpark (micro trip edit)
• Kangaroo Pocket Calculator
• Black Forest
• International Velvet
• Cloud Cuckoo Land
• Telstar