artist: Brain Ballet country of origin: Japan style(s): Ambient, minimalism, environmental essential releases: Aquarium Of The Deep Sea (2003, Magnanimous Records)

If in the techno age you think "minimal" and "melody" are not natural musical allies here's proof to the contrary. From Brain Ballet (obscure Japanese composer Hidemasa Kondo) comes this beautifully understated album of environmental ambience in the tradition of Eno's more tonal works. Aquarium Of The Deep Sea is Kondo's impressionistic tone poem of spaces both beneath the ocean and high above it. The title track incorporates submarine pings into its carefully measured phrases. "Universe" and "Gravity" are deep space hymns in the vein of Michael Stearns most cosmic music, if somewhat more minimal. "I.S.S." evokes an alien underwater world beautifully, its sense of awe created by synthesised chorales that echo Alan Silvestri's soundtrack to the underwater thriller The Abyss. Kondo's music rarely belies his Japanese origins and it doesn't need to. That said, the plucked stings of the kantong are used to good effect on "Ambient Ring" and overall the album does have that Japanese sense of poise, calm and respect for silence

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