Kayo Dot has been puzzlingly referred to as "symphonic-metal-prog."  That's puzzling mostly because of the total lack of metal, at least on this Blue Lambency Downward, their third release.  Instead, Blue Lambency drifts and swells, as Toby Driver's voice seems to toss and sway above it all.  That, however, is part of a bigger problem - his vocal melodies are strangely amelodic, and he sounds as though he's just cresting the waves, directionless.  Much of the album sounds that way, too.  It's one thing to experiment with space, texture and sound, but it's another to do so without any sense of direction or any kind of hook (be it melodic, rhythmic, musical, or just a damned change of volume).  There are some interesting hooks, though, courtesy of some woodwinds and violinist Mia Matsumiya, whose momentary additions are far more interesting than most of Driver's parts.  In the end, the album isn't bad.  It's simply not as interesting as something this interesting should be.  If that makes sense...

By James Hayashi-Tennant
Dec 25, 2008