Oh, dearest blood that drips onto the final red candy ready to be swallowed, don't forget to merge with sweat - be sure to make room for a special guest. Now what's the name of the soul? Born in Fujioka, Atsushi "At-chan" Sakurai knows how to make a strong impression. Not somebody to be defeated by mere rain or wind, he is best known for his erotic lyricism and being the lead vocalist for Buck-Tick. I'm at a point in my life where I can easily say he's one of J-Rock's most dashing singers - and his first solo effort right here can support that claim alongside the many albums Sakurai's main band has delivered. Launched in 2004, Ai no Wakusei ('planet of love') is certainly an interesting beast of an album that hardly gets tiresome, especially taking into account the various musicians on board for this record who play a big part concerning its sonically diverse nature; the outing features collaborators like Robin Guthrie from Cocteau Twins fame, J.G. Thirlwell, Jake Cloudchair, and Yasuyuki Okamura among others. A lot of the instrumentation showcased does a nice job making one feel a wide range of emotions, whilst At-chan's performance is rich as anticipated. What Ai no Wakusei lacks in linkage, the 14-song creation makes up for regarding composition choices, vocals, and potent rotation value. Angel's track picks: "I Hate You All," "Smell," "Marchen," "Taiji," "Shingetsu," and "Neko".
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