The Breakdown
Since the beginning of humanity, man has always wondered about what lies beyond the Stars. The relevance to what and who we are, but also what we will eventually become and where we need to go. And to exercise our minds for such possibilities, the storytelling of impossible adventures can help us with understanding how we might manage and exist in such alternative existences and in the least case, stretch our minds to become open and free. In various theoretical possibilities of what could happen if one might physically enter through a Black Hole, Jeff Mills designs conceptual examples for what could happen to Time and Space.
Jun Togawa was asked to participate by Jeff Mills. She is a vocalist representing Japanese New Wave, and her emotional songs have an unparalleled impact and continue to break down generational barriers. Not only has she released space music such as „Rise‘‘ (Yapoos), but she also has many songs with sci-fi themes.
For “Contradiction” and “Hole” Jun added the vocals to the rhythm originally composed by Jeff Mills, and the final synth pad added by Shinichi Yamaguchi was edited by Jeff Mills. On „Contradiction“ (Long Radio Mix), he included a guitar similar to the style of Rock´n`Roll legend Bo Diddley, which is masterfully played by Kazuhide Yamaji of the current Yapoos.
“The Trip” began about leaving Planet Earth and searching the cosmos for a new locations to live. Now, at 23 years later, we are entering a new chapter of the project where we encounter The Black Hole “Black Hole”. A black hole is a celestial object whose gravity is so strong that no information leaks out, so it was impossible to observe it, and it was only a theoretical existence, but its location was identified for the first time in 2011. The latest research shows that it rotates on its own axis. Black holes are physically contradictory entities that are difficult to imagine, but what Jeff Mills is trying to deal with in “The Trip” also overlaps with singularity, which is the beginning or possible end of time and space. Displayed in 5 theoretical scenarios of what could happen after entering through the Black Hole and exiting on the other side. (Excerpts Liner Notes by Itaru W. Mita)
Verdict: If there is one musician that could orchestrate such a project, that would be Jeff MIlls. Immersive music that undoubtedly takes you on a ‘Trip‘. A master at work, with each track wonderfully crafted, that not only captivates musically but emotionally. The Vinyl release holds the Narrative of a journey into the unknown, the musical imagining of venturing through a black hole, while on the digital release, we are treated to three more outer-world excursion on the theme, plus a cool guitar led groover, which while stepping away from the cosmic realm when placed in juxtaposition to the rest of the album, it is still a solid track. Grab a Vinyl copy for the immersive trip, and the digital for the extra goodies.
Track List:
01./ A1 Entering The Black Hole
02. /B2 Contradiction featuring Jun Togawa (Silent Shadow Mix)
03. Beyond The Event Horizon
04. /A2 Time In The Abstract
05. /D2 Hole featuring Jun Togawa
06. /C1 When Time Stops
07. No Escape
08. Contradiction featuring Jun Togawa (Long Radio Mix)
09. /C2 Time Reflective
10. /B1 Wandering
11. Hole featuring Jun Togawa (White Hole Mix)
Check Out: Track 09. /C2 Time Reflective
Album Credits
Program, synthesizer: Jeff Mills, Vocals: Jun Togawa, Keyboard (Hole): Shinichi Yamaguchi, Edited, Mixed and Produced by: Jeff Mills, Mastering by: Steve Kovacs, Vocal recording engineer: Jiro Takita, recorded at Flamingo Studio, Tokyo, Lyric melodies by Lion Mary (Contradiction) and Shinichi Yamaguchi (Hole), Black hole image by Colo (Cosmic Lab)
Available now: https://www.axisrecords.com/product/jeff-mills-the-trip-enter-the-black-hole/
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