Mayumi Kojima’s child-like voice could be an acquired taste – her voice is in the same delicate range as Chara’s, so if you like your jazz vocals to be lush and broad-sounding, parts of Arabesque might disappoint you – on “Kuroneko no Chachacha” Kojima sounds like she could be twelve years old. Even if Kojima’s vocals aren’t immediately your cup of tea, it’s worth giving this EP a listen though, as she delivers a sense of whimsy that few artists can muster.
The title track, “Arabesque” is slinky and satisfying, with Kojima’s voice deftly maneuvering along a supple melody line. Upright bass and a warm set of drums drive the track, with a tremolo guitar creeping up to create a serpentine tension. “Kuroneko no Chachacha” has some of the same tension, but eschews slinkyness in favour of a bouncy marching rhythm.
Through it’s four tracks, Arabesque’s arrangements more and more minimal, ultimately leading to “Placer D’amor”, a solo piano and vocal track. Kojima harmonizes with herself on this song in a style that fills my head with memories of Christmas caroling at my elementary school. It’s actually very poignant, capturing sweetness without resorting to saccharine.
Kojima’s playful side dominates much of this release. In fact, this album could do very well as a children’s album – not the Raffi Banana-phone variety but rather with the same strengths as something like Nada Surf’s Meow Meow Lullaby (no offense Raffi, but Banana-phone drives me crazy). There is great musicianship on this album, it’s just used to create something simple and innocent sounding.
Arabesque is not a meaty or ambitious release, and it’s not perfect by any means, but its whimsical playfulness is a welcome addition to Kojima’s catalogue. Her new full length album is coming out in the new year, and I’ll certainly be picking it up promptly once it’s released.
Arabesque is available for download from HearJapan.com
Mayumi Kojima Official Website
Video: “Arabesque”
