Shinsekai yori (From the New World)

Stuck in a loop

(please note that it's a spoiler-free review)

We love fantasizing about the future of humanity, shaking our fists at the stars and anticipating amazing discoveries. Through oceans of blood and suffering, we keep pushing forward, always so hopeful about a better tomorrow. The faith we have in ourselves seesms in fact justified, as we can easily trace the progress made throughout history. Humanity has become more civilized, open-minded, peaceful. And even though there's still a lot of room for improvement, our achievements to date give us a firm conviction that we're on the right track... but are we, really? What if it's all just a lie we keep repeating, a convenient platitude that keeps us going? What if deep down in your heart, nothing has changed, ever?

We all have gone through that kind of story at least once in our lives. A story that you get hooked on gradually rather than from the get go, one that you don't necessarily enjoy as much as some more accessible ones. And yet it leaves a mark on your soul that won't ever fade away. Shinsekai Yori is definitely one of those. Set one thousand years in the future, the story of this anime bears no resemblance to any sci-fi futuristic settings I have seen so far. Some would expect a highly developed, space-faring civilization, others would settle for a singularity-based vision of human evolution or even a post-apocalyptic dystopia. That's where the series has already broken with convention and it only breaks more of it later on. There's almost no advanced technology in the anime whatsoever, except for electricity (very scarce) and some rudimentary accessories, and yet it doesn't seem post-apocalyptic. The closest reference for the world depicted in Shinsekai Yori would be the pre-medieval Japan seen through a utopian filter. If I were to classify the story in any way, I'd say it's a modern psychological fantasy, as it doesn't dabble in hard science and instead draws on an elegant concept of cantus. Telekinesis (on the molecular level), for this is what the term refers to, is handled with much care and insight in Shinsekai Yori. It's not just a superpower, it's a potent yet dangerous ability that can lead its user to almost godlike achievements, but also to unspeakable atrocities. The biggest of which is to be revealed in the last episode.

The aura of mystery and menace pervades the story long before it unveils any of its dark secrets. The animation, even though technically inferior to some high-profile productions, boasts a stunningly beautiful artistic design. Accompanied by equally effective soundtrack, as eclectic as the anime itself, Shinsekai yori is a thrilling and unsettling ride through a bitter-sweet utopia. It's all the more effective due to the profoundly allegoric character of the series. It is an elegant and painful critique not only of the caste-based society, government and blind faith people have in it, but also of the unspeakable evil that lies dormant in all of us. If only for the unprecedented setting and concept, the anime is worth watching. If, however, you keep a constant lookout for ambitious productions that venture where no other does, Shinsekai Yori is an absolute must-see.

KAYO DOT - Hubardo

A lonely Poet and the Eye of Leviathan

Are you proud of yourself, Toby Driver? Are you satisfied with having me as your eternal and devoted follower, speechless in the face of Hubardo's grandeur? If these questions were ever to reach Toby, I imagine the answer to them as follows: "Yes, we did it, we have transmuted the gleaming stone that fell from the moonless sky. Essence and forms blossomed beautifully from the eye of Leviathan and merged into this ever morphing sculpture of sounds. You can almost see it once you close your eyes, open your heart and let the ear follow the chisel."

In a way, Hubardo encompasses everything that Toby Driver has ever done with maudlin of the Well, Kayo Dot and Tartar Lamb, but in fact it is so much more. It's an individual, conceptual work and while it obviously sounds like something made by Kayo Dot, it is more adventurous, dense and technical than anything they've done before. To be completely honest, it's impossible to describe an album with total playing time of almost 100 minutes, that flows like a poem and stirs the soul with whole range of emotions. A record that stupefies with passionate outbursts of experimental extremity, seamlessly evolving into haunting chamber rock passages or krautrock psychedelia. I can't even fathom out how avant-garde jazz and fusion, chamber post-rock, experimental black metal and psychedelic rock can be so beautifully blended together and yet stay so consistent. More than that, Hubardo reaches and goes beyond any horizons; it crushes boundaries and escapes any classification except for one: Art that comes to existence out of pure need of creation itself; need to channel the ephemeral creative fire into an immortal work. And, as if that weren't enough, the album boasts some of the most intriguing ambiance and lyrics I've ever encountered. Ah, so much could be said about this surreal, otherworldly atmosphere and creative freedom. Freedom so moving and spontaneous, despite the staggering complexity of the music it gave birth to.

Hubardo, the seventh album by the avant-chamber-rock/experimental metal band Kayo Dot, is the ultimate evidence that music is boundless. It's one of those rare pieces of art that are so unique and passion driven, that any attempt to analyze and deconstruct it backfires on the reviewer. Even though you may stay indifferent to the beauty of Hubardo, you can't deny its singularity and sheer compositional genius of Kayo Dot. As far as I am concerned, I'm so deep in love with this wondrous album, that I feel ashamed by the very fact of publishing this review. A review that will not do Hubardo enough justice.