Takao Stealth

“Stealth” is certainly an apt title for this disarming collection of crypto-New Age. From its opening, one might be forgiven for assuming that what follows is a tableau of digital disruption, and noise in one of its less offensive iterations.
However, Takao instead presents a rich and detailed tapestry of compositions that take New Age affectations, fashioning them into something far grander. There’s a penchant for the naïve, the more garish of digital instruments in the vein of James Ferraro – but importantly, Takao steers away from submitting to gestures themselves naïve or garish, opting instead to focus attention to a more nuanced, delicate style.
Indeed, a more intrinsic tradition to posit “Stealth” as an inheritor of would be the Impressionism of Debussy, or even Satie, with Takao’s approach drawing light and composure from his instruments at their most bare and unadorned. Ever so pleasing and atmospheric, “Stealth” is remarkably affecting in its subtlety. (Nico Niquo)

All tracks composed and produced by Takao

Mastered by Takuto Kuratani (Ruv Bytes)
Cover art by Ginji Kimura
Special thanks: Cristel Bereder, Shuta Hasunuma, Kazumichi Komatsu, Keisuke Koyano, Nico Niquo, Nobuyuki Sakuma (CVN/AVYSS)
(c)＆(p) 2018 EM Records