As a band, Esprit D’Air have been knocking about for nearly a decade now as the band blend J-Rock, prog metal and the new rock genre into something that has started gathering some momentum with the release of their latest album ‘Oceans’.
Now, Kai has been a highly acclaimed solo musician in the UK since 2016 the virtuoso has been performing everything from guitars and drums, through vocals and electronics. ‘Oceans’ is a theatrical Japanese pictorial and conceptual piece of work. Creating abstract, sometimes soothing cinematic drama by entering a realm where every aspect is covered. Furthermore, it embodies just enough experimental and rock sound to leave you wanting more. Yes, the lyrics are mainly delivered in Japanese, but there is a mesmerising quality to this which creates memorability as the tonality and vibe carry the listener through a rather meaty album of 20 songs. Moreover, these tracks are given an extra bit of kick with some guest appearances from Ryo Kinoshita of Crystal Lake and Ben Christo from Sisters of Mercy help out on a few songs and their contributions are an added and welcomed add on.
‘Oceans’ is commercially pleasing and serves as a good start and an introduction to the band. The track ‘Leviathan’ is a real monster; it fits perfectly both in title and album cover whilst the Shirobon remix is an added little treat. This genre of music could easily be the ‘next big thing’ as it is easy to disappear down the Baby Metal rabbit hole online as beneath this veneer are a plethora of bands to discover and Esprit D’Air are up there with the best as ‘Oceans’ is a spectacular, cultural rock arch to explore the J metal world.
