Izioq's latest assembly of fantasy, carefree and innocent video game alike music comes to us in two halves, a twenty eight track record split by a four track "Game Jam". Its the sixth full length and the first to potentially aim in a new direction however upon many listens it becomes quite clear that this release is an assortment of ideas and short compositions with no overall objective of theme beyond the usual carefree wonder of childhood Izioq aims to, and succeeds, in capturing with his melodies.
The majority of songs here are instrumental loops with several variations of melody from the lead. None of the songs surpass three minutes and tend to linger around ninety seconds. As a result there is very little progression or musical events at hand but rather moments of atmosphere captured by a small ensemble of luscious lullaby sounds to indulge with. In its first half we have more of the traditional style at work however strong influences of Nobuo Uematsu can be heard in a handful of places, to much delight of course. The middle "Game Jam" section is where the experimentation starts. Quirkier sounds and samples come into play, sequenced drums adjoin and beyond it the second half loosens up with songs like "Chop Chop" bringing a Jazz Hop vibe thanks to a sampled beat and "Organ Doctor" goofs around with a fast thudding baselines and quirky electronic melodies on top.
This second half looses me somewhat as the tracks tend to jump around from one to the next, the instruments, tone and vibes shuffle from one song to the next, dispelling atmosphere. As an album experience this doesn't amount to much more than a snug collection of compositions however the first half does have a lot more consistency that flows well. I hope this experimentation can lead to a more cohesive direction for Izioq as there are many interesting ideas on display here.
Favorite Tracks: Unagi Loneliness, Lost Marbles, Mare E Sole, Past Is Serious, Organ Doctor
Rating: 5/10