C-Beem – Tales from Tono (2022)
C-Beem has taken us through metaphors in ‘Tumbleweed in Tinseltown’, only to shoot us into space and bring us back with the grounded single ‘Angel Hill’. He is now inviting us on a journey into misty beauty and magic terror with his EP, Tales from Tono. Inspired by the ancient Japanese village of Tono, he taps into the island’s rich folk and fairy tales, while touching on the 1910 book by Kunio Yanagita ‘The Legends of Tono’.
Packing the sparks of magic into his synth and keyboard drive sound, he easily transports us out of our daily lives and into something truly magnificent. There is an experimental touch to the track, adding to the mysticism that has been artfully woven into each note. Combining ancient stories with modern tones, he has created an EP that is quite the listening experience.
‘Those Hills’ opens the EP with a misty sound that increases with a sense of grandeur. It is like you are on a misty lake and the island slowly reveals itself as the fog dissipates. The percussion adds to the sense of wonder, while the synths bring a slightly retro edge to the track. The vocals push you forward toward the growing island and draw your eyes to the beauty of the hills being unveiled. The lyrics have a storytelling vibe to them and make you feel like you are listening to the opening chapter of a book. The small instrumental section shimmers with light that further enhances the mysticism of the track, while setting the tone for the rest of the EP.
‘Far Away Village’ is an instrumental track that delicately plucks at your senses to grab your attention. The light and bright tones that open the track have an ancient undertone that draws you into historic folk movements. Beneath these notes is a wash of sound that sweeps around your ankles, while the beats slam from a distance. It is a wonderful single that mesmerises you and has you relaxing into the layered sound. As the track progresses, there is a feeling of it building to something as the warbling lines enter. Some traditional folk instrumentation adds to the majesty of the track, while relaxing your muscles with their beauty. You can’t help but imagine rolling hills with low-hanging clouds reaching out as far as you can see as you listen to this song.
The beats that open ‘Bow to the Kappa’ have a darker edge to them, that is countered by the glittering cascade of electronic notes. The pulse that enters meets the beats, getting your heart racing and pushing you forward into the vintage synths. The vocals bring another retro hit as they push against your shoulders. There is a really great push to the vocal delivery that mimics shouted orders that temper the paced forward momentum of the music. Later in the track, the music takes on a jittery feeling as the higher levels shiver as they lead you back into the opening beats. The vocals further their marching vibes at this time, making your feet tap to their movement.
‘Mayoiga (Phantom House)’ uses some interesting notes to get your attention before washing your senses with a gentle melodic line. This line is like the breaking of dawn and the filling of your lungs with the fresh morning air. Peaceful and relaxing, the music perfectly sets the stage for the vocals that whisper a traditional folk adventure into your ears. The gentle whisper of his performance turns into an earthier folk movement that brings the blaze of fire and the search for something deeper to the track. While a generally soft single, it is extremely addictive as you get seriously lost in the story it has to tell. There is a slight change in the melody later in the track that adds a wonderful texture to the sound. Between the storytelling lyrics, captivating vocals and enveloping melody, you will be hopelessly caught by the track.
The EP comes to a close with ‘Oshirasama (Star-Crossed Lovers)’ which uses a contrast of rich tones and electronic pulses. The vocals have a misty feeling to them as they lightly hover over the music. It feels like the vocals are coming from a distance, carried on the wind, to tease you with their words. The main vocal line offers more solidity, while the melody continues its rather delicate movement. Through the track, C-Beem fills you with the affection of the lovers and the knowledge that it will probably end badly. The softness of the melody turns halfway through the track, losing the hazy vibes and gaining an organic twang. This new movement will have you bopping to the rhythm, while still riding the high of the star-crossed lovers woven into the vocals.
Through the tracks of Tales from Tono, C-Beem transports us to a new world packed with misty synths, magical stories and captivating vocals. Each track tells a different story but carries the majestic mix of synths, instrumentation and storytelling vocals that make his music so enjoyable. There is a softness woven into the track that is tempered by the almost novel-like storytelling flow of the lyrics that are brought to life by his vocals.
Find out more about C-Beem on his Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
