A postrock outfit of four members (Jason Anderson, Alex Bundy, Adam Forkner, and Franz Prichard) playing epic, expansive music. Save the occasional use of electronics (Bundy), the equipment is conventional for rock music, with reverberant and chiming guitar lines that sweep in and out in resonant waves. Their sound is not unlike that of Mogwai or even The Doors, having some element of psychedelia and swirling keyboards in their music. Indeed, they are sometimes categorised as being a space-rock group and their Japanese name translates to "dream beats". Drummer Anderson serves as the rhythmic member in this bass-less band, using a minimum of cymbals and snare to drive the music and avoiding syncopated fills altogether. Each piece is wonderfully lengthy (averaging about ten minutes each) and makes nice contemporary fare for the retired emo junkie.


discography
• Auspicious Winds (2000, K Records)
• Yume Bitsu (Ba Da Bing!)

source: AMG All Music Guide (Heather Phares)

Sometimes there is music where it doesn't matter that a lot of it sounds the same. There are some conceptual directions that do not tire of variant exploration of improvisational nature; places where the end of music draws near, and the expression of a single creative force energy surpasses the collective egos of its members. Yume Bitsu aim to discover the Vessyl, a place of cognitive locking and artistic expression akin to the Gleaming the Cube metaphor of Mr. Christian Slater. Yume Bitsu decorates their music with incredible waves of guitar sloshed through a coterie of electronic effects.

Adam Forkner and Franz Prichard got together in 1995 at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, OR. And after obviously journeying through many psychedelic voyages with thier instruments in hand, founded Yume Bitsu to be pursuant of the vibe. They developed philsophical and narrational background for the musical sphere they inhabit (see Vessyl) and set out to express it, detailing tales of the city in the clouds, Drystyn and their own meeting of their future selves, the Mothmen. Later they joined up with keyboardist Alex Bundy (Planetarium Music) and Jason Anderson (Wolf Colonel) on drums.

And if this all seems high concept to you, well--it is. That is unavoidable. But it (to me) never comes out as geeky as it may sound. The musical universe is well laid out, and sound. It is like really good writing, where every word and formulation there-of produce this cumulative effect. Adam Forkner, Alex Bundy, and members from Landing join together and from a second tier of Yume Bitsu existence, the Surface of Eceon. Their band name was told to a member in a dream/psychdelic state. They later found out Yume in Japanese is dreams and they still to this day are seeking the meaning of Bitsu, though they theorize it to be beats.

They have released a few albums:

  1. giant surface music falling to earth like jewels from the sky (1998/Ba Da Bing Records) : in my opinion their best.
  2. Yume Bitsu (2000/Ba Da Bing)
  3. Auspicous Winds (2001/K Records)
  4. The Golden Vessyl of Sound (2002/K Records)

Yume Bitsu is the name of their second, self-titled album. It begins with a warm wash of progressive synthesizer, and heavily reverbed guitars tinkling in delay and tonic, wrapping around the drone like breading on a corn dog, evolving Team Yume to a point of drum interference as the melody and forward momentum stabilize from the cosmic ether.

The next song has intricate patterns and a more delicate but driven melody: I Wait For You. Vocals become present, though washed over by recursive echo effects, and the drums drive it ever forward, the guitars becoming more intricately layered and the trip factor is turned up 23.

I wait for you
to come to me
I need you now to follow me.
Destroy me and you
Destroy you
Destroy you
Again, like on giant surface musical falling to earth like jewels from the sky, even the darkest of lyrics are sung with an assuredness that things are going to be ok.

Yume Bitsu often engage themselves in more ambient pieces, what they call the "surface music." This album has two such pieces, Surface I and Surface II. Both wander without the aid of percussion, the synthesizer playing a more prominent role in guidng the forward minimalist direction. It is like floating through cloud-filled skies towards the city of Drystynn.

The crown of this album may be Truth. A slow, but deeply felt song that takes its time but hits these peaks that explode in emotion and alternative forms of communication. It is the kind of jamming apex that deserves the word "awesome" in its full application. An expression of the true meanings of agape.

Like amputees
we wander aimlessly
and nothing sets us free
and nothing sets us free
if twins could not be

It's truth
and that's what it has to be
but will it ever be?
enough to set you free?
enough to set you free?
enough to set you free?

enough to set you free
from kings that clip your wings.

After Surface II plays out and we journey to the next plane, a pulsating beat begins, accompanied by a swirling appregiated synth, as The Frigid, Frigid, Frigid Body of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg begins. This song is dark, cold. The guitars are mostly played in the lower registers, but the cerebral bliss factor is high. Underneath the grinding, the drums begins and a dedicated organ taps out decisive bass notes that set the sound chord progressions that the entire eighteen-and-a-half minute song will follow. This is Yume Bitsu collectively stretching to become more than their fleshy bodies, their pesky, neurotic minds:

It's so cold
in medical
forever into works of wonder
and every year
of every planet's
we're controlling
who you are under
the city in the sky.

the city in the sky.
it's so cold
and it's so clean
and it's so cold
and it's so quick
and it's so cold

While all of Yume Bitsu's output is worthwhile, this album has a lasting value that Auspicous Winds lacks. It ties with The Golden Vessyl of Sound for their second-best. There are so many incredible elements to this release and it is difficult to use words to describe what they've set out to accomplish here. They use their own so sparingly.

Seek this out if you are a fan of space jam, post-rock or anything of the sort. Chances are if you like two or more of these bands, this'll be up your alley: Godspeed you black emperor!, Sigur Ros, Tortoise, Tarentel, Landing, Mogwai, Radiohead, Spacemen 3, Spirtualized, Grateful Dead...

I highly recommend taking a trip to the city in the clouds.

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.