Ichiko Aoba settled down during the International Tour 2022 at her appearance in the Barbican Milton Court Concert Hall from the local 12 Ensemble accompany. An exquisite live recording now provides evidence of this.
It is a bit surprising that the liner notes expressly emphasize how you can hear practically every sound in the hall because of the reverent silence. After all, the audience is a factor that, in terms of production technology, is almost completely eliminated from the equation Ichiko Aoba With 12 Ensemble (Live at Milton Court) was taken.
Which unfortunately is a bit detrimental to the mood on the one hand, and on the other hand also some transitions between the songs (especially from the lively Sagu Palm’s Song to the exemplary intimate, simply a bit magical still life Red Silence) seems a bit abrupt. Perhaps this circumstance can be clarified by looking at the corresponding set list of September 3, 2022: something seems to have been readjusted for the digital sound document of the performance.
Of course, this hardly detracts from the really impressive elegance of the recording. The Japanese and the Londoner 12 Ensemble complement each other in a way that is as subtle as it is fulfilling, absolutely dreamlike, walking gently through an ethereal beauty that is unreal warm and quiet like the perfect symbiosis of Aoba’s graceful guitar playing, her once once more grandiose voice and the always magical ones, which often recede into the room String arrangements that set accents have an effect.
The ensemble and Aoba are absolutely committed to each other, while displaying a modest, enduring reserve. Straight Kirinakijima has perhaps never sounded more beautiful than here, while also being as picturesque as it is cinematographic Luminescent Creatures captivates, right amulet retains a playful curiosity, although the musicians seem to have come close to perfection.
By the way, the finale belongs to Aoba alone on the piano, and especially in He even did you think you can really hear a pin drop and feel a crackling closeness that gets under your skin, as if the 33-year-old were once once more doing magic right next to you for no one else. After Bunkamura-Show is followed by the next essential live release of the exceptional phenomenon.
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