AMG Review of Air Curtain

Rob Theakston
All Music Guide

Keiichi Sugimoto is better known for his work under the guises of Minamo and Fonica, but this time around he's adopted a new moniker to present an album that is somewhat signature, yet totally different than his normal production style. The warmth and subtly of the aforementioned monikers are still there, but these compositions are designed to evolve over a longer period of time; slowly shimmering and unfolding continuously around melancholic melodies. All the while, gentle notes and feedback swells run freely around; keeping in the time with 12k label owner Taylor Deupree's ever-evolving inclination towards guitar-based compositions. There's nearly a complete absence of rhythm; mere suggestions of it only being implied by the patterns of high end frequency shrills, the occasional foray into the lower registers of bass notes or the nudge of a soft, muffled kick drum. Unlike most 12k releases, this is an album that is engaging whether actively listening or simply putting it on as background music. This may be a hindrance for some, but others who have been dawdling about how to invest in these new forms of music may find this the right release to familiarize themselves with this particular style.