Japan's Niwa used to be known as Choukoku No Niwa, and you might
know that name from a split release entitled More Echoes,
Touching Air Landscape they shared with AQ-faves Boris a while back.
We'd been wondering ever since what had happened to the mysterious
Choukoku No Niwa, whose psychedelic tribal Amon Duulish thwump made
their half of that split every bit as good as that of Boris.
What we know know, is that they shortened their name and recently
released this new album, a 69 minute spaced-out trance-bliss trip
of ocean-deep, fx-laden psych rock with gently pulsing rhythms,
some drifting female vocals, and much dubby droning. Real nice,
stoned groove, a little bit slick perhaps but certainly well-produced.
And don't get the wrong idea from the Boris connection -- this is ain't
a bit heavy, not at all. Plenty of bass, yes, definitely super mellow --
that's even a song title here: "Mellow", a reggaefied number halfway
through the disc. Other song titles like "Warm Rain", "Sunset Swell" and
"Moon Flower" should to give you an idea of the laid-back, hippyish vibe
that this floats along upon. It's kinda like Hanadensha meets Circle or
Salvatore, or zoned out Boredoms on the beach...