Pacific Moon: New age music by Uttra-Kuru and Naoyuki Onda

Pacific Moon Records is carving its own territory in the heart of a traditionally Eurocentric genre.

Thanks to the careful selection of artists and a skillful blending of Asian musical culture and Western technical innovations, the company is producing an especially enjoyable brand of new age music.

"The emergence of world music is so prevalent that you see many indications that people are embracing traditional music not necessarily of their own culture," Pacific Moon producer Kazumasa Yoshioka says. "We enjoy mixing ethnic flavors with pop sounds. In the world music category, there is plenty of room for us to play with the material and come up with the right recipe, the right blend."

Yoshioka and his partner Seiichi Kyoda have done just that with the founding of Uttara-Kuru. The duo's second CD, "East Wind," blends traditional Japanese folk instruments with modern western synthesizers and orchestration. The result is a hauntingly beautiful soundscape, which pays homage to the tolerance and strength of the people who live in Japans heavy snowfall areas.

Uttara-Kuru has assembled and impressive array of musicians for this album. Many of Japan's acknowledged masters man the traditional folk instruments. Meanwhile, the deft handling of the electronic instruments lends a rich, full-textured background to each song.

The blending of pop and dance with ancient folk tunes is a strangely powerful combination in the hands of Pacific Moon's top talent. From the flashy, up-tempo dance beat of "Winter Dance" to the powerful, stark imagery of "Wings of the Eagle," this CD can easily keep listeners interested in what comes next.

Another new release from Pacific Moon records is Naoyuki Onda's first CD, "Dream."

The Japanese piano virtuoso has created a masterful mood piece with this recording. His hauntingly beautiful melodies, strong chords and liquid sound make Onda an outstanding keyboardist in any culture.

However, when his piano compositions are back with synthesizers and traditional Japanese instruments, the result is a cross-cultural journey that evokes images of sweeping grasslands, endless skies and the power of nature itself.

"I don't want to only be known as a pianist or composer, but as a creator of a world of sound," Onda explains. "That world is not just Japanese or Chinese or American, but more of a utopia found in the heart, perhaps a dreamland."

Onda begins with dreamscape with a soft, slow piece called "Breath of a Grassland" in which piano and percussion carries the song. The next song is "Heartland," another slow, dreamy piece in which the piano is joined by the niko; a stringed lute played with a bow. Full ensemble pieces are also mixed throughout the CD, giving listeners a glimpse of the diversity of contemporary Japanese music.

These Pacific Moon recordings are pure mood music, designed to heighten the listeners' enjoyment and lull them into another world where imagination can take flight with eagles or dance like snowflakes falling into crystal streams. Knowing that, Pacific Moon has gone the extra mile to assure listener's of a tranquil experience. They have built sticks of incense into a special compartment in the CD case. It is a nice touch, which definitely adds to the ambience of the moment.

East Wind and Dream are available at Amazon.