Takaakira "Taka" Goto has been building dense, dramatic post-rock epics as part of the band
Mono since the late '90s, but his solo work is significantly more restrained. Following
Classical Punk and Echoes Under the Beauty, a 2016 release under
Goto's own name that combined elegiac strings with dissonant drums and had lower production values than a typical
Mono release, the artist began a different project titled
Behind the Shadow Drops. Here, he embraces dark trip-hop elements, with slow, evenly paced electronic beats framing the songs more often than thundering drums. There's also more of a modern classical influence, with strings taking greater presence than guitars on much of the album. The compositions tend to slowly build in cycles, slightly increasing the suspense at steady increments. Some selections have a slightly tense industrial edge to them, with "Utopia" (and its reprise) steeped in grinding distortion and
John Carpenter-like synth pulsations providing the heartbeat of "Positive Shadow, Negative Light." The guitars are clean and atmospheric, and while they do provide the melodies for pieces like "Ether," they're spare and wistful rather than overwhelmingly intense.
Goto's work as
Behind the Shadow Drops is nowhere near as gargantuan as
Mono, but it's still highly expressive even as it seems more disciplined. ~ Paul Simpson
