Album of the Day: Sigh’s Imaginary Sonicscape
I’ve often described Japan’s Sigh as the metal equivalent of a mad scientist — and no album of theirs better bolsters my argument than 2001’s Imaginary Sonicscape, an album so gloriously weird I have to pinch myself when listening to it to make sure I’m not dreaming.
In fact, at the risk of coming off as an arrogant prick, I’m going to quote my own review of The End Records’ 2009 reissue of the album, because, well… I don’t think I’ll ever be able to describe the album any more accurately than I did then:
“Imaginary Sonicscape is, at it’s base, a classically influenced album, deeply rooted in NWOBHM and straight up classic rock – but there’s also b-movie sci-fi keyboards and orchestral sections that seem tailor made for a Sergio Leone film and hip-hop beats and breakdancing music and at least one song that is entirely concert hall-style piano music and laser noises and robot voices and Jazz sax and and a keyboard solo to lay down by the fire and make love to and… in fact I’m pretty sure that ‘Nietzschean Conspiracy’ is just the sound of two robots fucking.”
Does Sigh mastermind Mirai Kawashima ingest massive quantities of hallucinogenics? Does he have a chemical imbalance? Was he dropped on his head as a baby? I have no idea. It’s hard to fathom the mind that comes up with this shit… but I’m glad it exists!
If you’ve never listened to Sigh’s Imaginary Sonicscape before, now is a great time to do so. If you HAVE listened to the album before… now is a great time to do so again! Crank it:
