Cornelius presents salyu x salyu

Beautiful noise. I stand and let the waves of sound wash over me. Some are stronger than others, hitting with a sharp slap. Others gently lap over my tingling skin. I’m mesmerized by her mouth stretching open, her eyes squeezing shut. Can this sound, this beautiful noise really be coming from these four angels? I forget where I am, lost in music, imagining the sea washing into the shore, that sound as the tide pulls back is her breath.

A guitar brings me back to the Jazz Cafe in Camden. Cornelius is peeping cheekily out from under his wide-brimmed hat. Four cute Japanese women own the stage. In their matching dresses and similar dark bobs I feel I’m almost seeing the same woman four times. Instruments litter the stage – bells, kazoos, a small harp, this keyboard with a blow-piece that you can see in the picture below (what is that instrument called?!)…

Salyu and her band captivated me from the moment they stepped on stage. A sound like nothing I’ve heard before. Wow.

Tonight’s music was all written by Keigo Oyamada (aka Cornelius) especially for his project, salyu x salyu, featuring singer and voice actress Salyu, who first stepped into the spotlight in the film All About Lily Chou-Chou (リリイ・シュシュのすべて / Rirī Shushu no Subete). Salyu has the most incredible voice, and that was amplified tonight by her magical harmonies with the three other women on stage.

When I first saw this gig advertised I admit that I didn’t look into Salyu’s work that much. Just knowing that Cornelius was involved gave me enough confidence to know I would enjoy the evening’s music, and I’m glad to say I was right. Every song felt like it had been painted with a glittery Cornelius brush, and each one sparkled.

Here’s are a couple of videos I shot at the gig tonight – with apologies for the quality…

What an amazing night!

For more information about Cornelius, check out his website. Here’s Salyu’s website, and here’s the salyu x salyu website.   The salyu x salyu CD “s(o)un(d)beams” was released in April, and is available to download from iTunes in the UK.