Ars Nova
Transi

"Transi," a 1994 album, is the second effort by the Japanese female trio Ars Nova. Graphically, the album features a cover that's both macabre and grotesque (with a skeleton seemingly reciting poetic verses...) and, by scrolling through the tracklist, we can note the presence of only 6 tracks totaling just over 40 minutes (as was typical for old LPs). Moving to the more purely musical aspects, it's worth mentioning that, being a "power trio" (Keiko Kumagai on keyboards, Kyoko Kanazawa on bass, Akiko Takahashi on drums), the main influence on Ars Nova is obviously by EL&P.

The tracks, in fact, are often energetic and lively, with the talented Keiko pounding away on the ebony and ivory keys of her thousand keyboards, imitating her more illustrious and older English colleague. But the "dynamic trio" is not the only source of inspiration for the spirited Keiko (who, it should be noted, is the composer of all the tracks) as among her influences there must have also been that dark and somewhat unsettling '70s Italian progressive scene, with its major exponents being Balletto di Bronzo and Goblin: just listen, in this regard, to "Phantom," a brief introductory track that seems to emerge from the B side of a Simonetti soundtrack (obviously for a Dario Argento film...) or the long title track that begins with a macabre organ and horror movie sound effects until Emerson's ghost starts to hover over the rest of the piece in an alternation of adrenaline-pumping parts and more relaxed ones.

So, what verdict can be given on this "Transi"? Like the subsequent "The Goddess of Darkness" and "The Book of the Dead," it is certainly not a bad album, on the contrary, but if we compare the compositional abilities (not technical aspects...) of Keiko Kumagai with those, for example, of Par Lindh, another keyboardist who is heavily inspired by Keith Emerson, then the limitations of the Japanese artist are ruthlessly highlighted. The blonde Swedish Emerson emulator has been capable, in the Par Lindh Project albums, of gifting us genuine prog masterpieces characterized by extraordinary melodies and rich and refined arrangements that don't just rely on his keyboards but also include the use of winds, guitars, or full chamber orchestras (listen, in this regard, to "Gothic Impressions," with the extraordinary mega-suite "The Cathedral" or that short gem "Gunnlev's Round"). In Ars Nova's music, on the other hand, the ideas are far fewer, and it's practically impossible to find one of those melodies that imprint themselves in the mind to linger there. The three Japanese women indeed possess much instrumental technique and are content with that, mostly stepping on the virtuosity pedal, resulting in avalanches of notes that, after listening, leave something only in the mind but certainly not in the heart of the listener.