Cinema - Mindscape (2004)

The third and final album from this Japanese band.

The band was a sextet on this album with a lineup of viola, violin, drums, synths, bass, ocarina and female vocals. The vocals are in English although they sounds Japanese to me.

Cinema was formed by the Fromage members after the splitup of that band. I reviewed their second album, the 2000 album Into The State Of Flux some days ago. You can read the review here.

I am not a great fan of Into The State Of Flux and was not really looking forward to review Mindscape. I was in for a surprise.......

Cinema is again providing us with Japanese symphonic vocals. Hiromo Fjimoto's vocals is a bit thin and shrieking. But there is also a lot of soprano in her vocals. I think they are far better on this album than on the Into The State Of Flux album.

That may have something to do with the music on this one hour long album. We are dealing with some really pastoral symphonic prog here with lots of viola and violins. There is no guitars as the viola and violin has taken it's place.

The end result is a very pleasing album with a couple of very good songs to boot too. I am very surprised about what my ears are telling my brain here. And it is good news all around. I am by no means a big fan of Japanese symphonic prog. But this album has got my attention. Check it out !

3.5 points