MARCONI UNION - TOKYO (CD by Bine Music) "We wanted to produce an album that had a hi-tech ambience, the combination of this sound with our ongoing fascination in city life, conjured up images of the Tokyo we had seen in films, books and TV. This record isn't about creating 'authentic' Japanese music, or faithfully documenting the actual city which neither of us have visited. It is just us trying to capture a sense of our imaginary Tokyo", Marconi Union writes. That is true. If I wouldn't know this and somebody made me guess which city was depicted here, sonically, I don't think I would have come up with Tokyo. And probably its hard to see which city then. I'd rather would think of more empty, spacious and rural parts of the world. I never heard of Marconi Union, who exist since 2003 and have had various releases since then. Like with much of the music released by Bine Music, ambience and rhythm (or rhythm and ambience, if you prefer that order) plays a big role here. Warm glitchy rhythms, processed guitars tinkling away and deep atmospheric sound textures play an all important role in the seven pieces. Utterly relaxing music, taping your feet while listening to this, while you sit back and do nothing, read book or walk through the woods while Marconi Union play on your headphones. That relaxing mood is hard to find in a city like Tokyo, well, at least not in the some of the better known parts such as Akihabara, which gave name to one of the pieces. Nice music, no surprises, ambient dance music that is well produced. (FdW) Address: http://www.binemusic.com