Linda Bjalla
Ambient / Classical / Experimental Saitama, Japan |
Billboard
The Artist
Linda Bjalla is the solo musical identity of Izumi Suzuki from Japan who lists her primary instruments as: piano, voice, glockenspiel, melodica. Izumi's main web presence is her simply styled personal website, where she makes frequent announcements on her work. She also has an extensive MySpace network at the time of this review - May 2008 - comprising over 600 friends and is now developing her Virb presence.
All of her web space is a pleasure to visit. They are as economical as a zen garden with lots of white space and simple understated typography and perfectly complements her musical style.
The EP
Lost in the Forest is both a musical work and a hand crafted artefact of simple beauty. Enclosed in a tactile, crackley cellophane bag, each cover has been hand stamped with iconic children's storybook imagery. An owl, a magical tree, a rabbit. And each is uniquely, a touch that communicates the passion and sensitivity that Izumi brings to her work.
Lost in the Forest is the encapsulation of an idealised childhood - of stories from Hans Christian Anderson or The Brothers Grimm read by nightlight at bedtime. It moved me deeply - it is an island of calm away from the unforgiving pressures of adulthood; a sweet-sorrow reflection on mortality. To evoke the positive things as do these four simple pieces takes a rare sensitivity. To place the work in a collection of four is percisely the right choice. The EP is soon over - it works it's magic and then, in the afterglow there is a time for quiet reflection. This is not a work to be consumed, rather it is a fragile, magical gift for stimulating memory and should be used sparingly, when the need is there for that connection with the past.
Commentary of the tracks individually is superfluous. Nothing more can be added to distillation evoked by the four titles:
Kiss Thumbelina
Forest at Night
Ring of Earth
Another World at the End of the Tunnel
Blog - see all 2
Download Melting Snow for free (First come, first served) Jun 10
Hello friends!
I uploaded "Melting Snow" on Amie Street.
You can download it for free at the moment (First come, first served).
Please visit Amie Street as soon as possible!! :)
Stats
plays today - 0
all-time plays - 113
profile views - 661
Comments - see all 11
new music up 'broken ballerina' drop by hope your well
posted May 13
Thank you for the lovely comment, your music is really beautiful. I especially like 'Forest at Night'.
posted Apr 20
Clicking this will take you to "The Secret Diary of Steve Ballmer"! or check out the ZuneCast, here.
posted Apr 17
Ohayou. Ha ? Nihongo no font ga display dekine ?! Nanja sorya ?! A- gomen, kakikata ga nanka kowai jan w. "Itai no itai no, tondeke ! Genki ? Saitama ha dou ? Natsukashii . . Nihon ni zettai modoritai . ." tte kaita. Neko no shashin arigatou ! Collaboration tanoshimi. Ki wo tsuketete. D.
posted Mar 27
Hi Izumi :) I feel absolutely touched and thankful with your kind words and so truly happy that my music has such an effect to you :) I have also been listening to your wonderful works constantly the last days and I am so beautifully bewitched and stunned! :) Thank you for the fantastic picture as well! Take care my great friend and have a beautiful weekend! Until soon, Chris
posted Mar 22
:) :) :)
posted Mar 22
Izumi - thanks for commenting my Virb. I have listened to your wonderful haunting music - an intersection of moods that evoke the best of Cluster, Wim Mertens and Colleen - my favourite artists! with best wishes Alan
posted Mar 17
Very very very nice! I'm waiting for more songs, ok? Luca
posted Dec 8
hello Izumi. good to see friends in here! yoroshiku onegaishimasu yo!
posted Dec 6
you have a Gold-Heart Linda...
....i will come back in the land of MySpace soon.......but the fire need to burn....inside me....
....but i will..
.....Merci with heart.
.
.
posted Dec 5
Ding Ding Chavez says:
Thanks for the add it is very much appreciated. Nice sounds here - can we get download these tracks from somewhere?
posted Jun 9