Miho Hatori: A break in the clouds

Miho Hatori appeared in the Steel Press promo box a long time ago, when all we knew was cold and shadows. luckily, that day I was feeling optimistic, feeling I should make more of an effort to listen to all the bullshit we get sent, as some of it may turn out good. This one time, one and only time mind, it turned out good.

Ecdysis was released on Rykodisc last year, with some truly terrible artwork (above). It's quite patchy, making use of a hotch-potch batch of instruments with no connecting thread. It does, however, have this truly lovely stand-out track, "Barracuda", which I need to post before the sun goes in again and it gets all inappropriate.

Hatori's voice sweeps shallow and soft, tarnished with a strong accent. But don't get me wrong, this isn't some sort of insipid Beach Party job. The club-style organ is jaunty - off the mark, and the maracas and flashes of brass (listen carefully) in the back all sound as if played by some smooth-ass guys who dropped in from a tiki party. There's little bits of harmonica or something; some of those crazy wooden percussion instruments you get in primary school. It all adds up to something really catchy, floating along all top-heavy - hardly there without the plastic um-pa of that organ - it gets me every time.

Miho Hatori - Barracuda