After using ton of samples, Keigo Oyamada has been cutting through amounts of heavy information. Finally, he has arrived at simple, minimal melodies and a universal love on his first proper album in 11 years, “Mellow Waves”.
From Tokyo to everywhere, Keigo Oyamada a.k.a. Cornelius keeps making great electronic music. In recent years, he has also been working on various other recordings.
For example, female voices overdubbing project salyu × salyu’s album “s(o)un(d)beams” or his produce work compilation “Constellations Of Music“. Since 2014, he has played as a member of electronic band METAFIVE with TOWA TEI, Yukihiro Takahashi (YMO) and more.
With this great career behind him, Cornelius’ new LP “Mellow Waves” turns out more song-oriented, with a sparser sound. His songs’ tricky tempos give us strange feelings, particularly on “Sometime / Someplace”, the second single off the new LP.
Throughout the album, there is a “swaying” atmosphere with tremolo guitar effects. First cut off this LP, titled “If You’re Here”, is of course sung by himself, but his friend musician Shintaro Sakamoto wrote the lyrics.
It is just coincidence that Shintaro is the former singer and guitarist of rock band called Yurayura Teikoku – or “Swaying” Empire. Anyway, his lyrics suit Cornelius’ new song very naturally.
“Just watching you makes my heart ache. I don’t know why.
Watching you move, my heart somehow begins pounding. I don’t know why.
If you’re here, this world is not so bad for me.”
“Just your smile makes me happy. I don’t know why.
Hearing your voice, I become restless. I don’t know why.
If you’re not here, this world turns monochrome.”
“Can’t you see? Someone is talking about you again.
Everybody loves you.”
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