Suzuki: Not the Motorcyle

It is the middle of one of my very long Thursdays (I leave the house at 6 a.m. and won't get home until 9:30 p.m.), and what I really want is a soak in a hot tub --- I've been cold all day, and my feet are like ice --- a massage, a facial scrub, a professional shampoo and deep conditioner, and some aromatherapy. Oh, and let's throw in some kind of warm dessert. But I'll settle for some music by Tosca. I actually closed my eyes, crossed my legs in meditation style in my office chair, and kind of swayed my body and did some deep breathing for a few minutes, and I feel a little better. Next, it's off to the snack machine. :>) Here is the Daily OM Music review of the CD, and for music samples, go to:http://www.amazon.com/Suzuki-Tosca/dp/B00004KDDZJanuary 18, 2007SuzukiTosca 1999"Don’t be afraid to slip into the robes pictured on the cover of Tosca’s blissed-out second album, Suzuki, and melt into the closest reclining device. Although the record threatens to float away at any minute, this is downtempo music at its most relaxing and meditative. It was created by the duo of Richard Dorfmeister (of the seminal downtempo group Kruder and Dorfmeister) and Rupert Huber. Though it would be just as comfortable in the swanky caverns that stretch through the underground lounges of the late ‘90s, Suzuki belongs in your home, ready to soothe you when you’re not quite ready to go to bed after returning from a long night out.The title track sets the mood early. An echoing intro gives way to the shimmering synths and a breathless beat fills the space with intrigue. This is dark, sexy music, but it’s also warm and comforting, with human voices peppered throughout the mix. "Honey" is just how you would imagine it would be—slowly creeping down the sides of the steady beat that accompanies it. "I want my honey," the vocal croons, as Tosca smoothly rearranges the sample. Each track slides into the next, one dream after another in a waking state. Occasionally the artful and technically proficient production really impresses, like the multi-track rhythm on "Ocean Beat" that seems impossible to deconstruct. But more often, the record washes over you like a cosmic ballet played out in slow motion.The second half of the record seems to know where the listener is headed, and after the stylish beats that began the journey, the final songs hover back into the atmosphere. By the final track, the slickly ambient outro "Pearl Off," the record is positively floating, moving around the production with faint whispers and soft piano touches. It’s the end of the night, and Tosca is lulling you into contentedness with a final, soft gesture. Take a deep breath, and relax for a moment. Then, put it on again."