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Taiga - OOIOO
User Score
7.9 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 10 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 10
  3. Negative: 1 out of 10

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  1. ToddW
    Oct 10, 2006
    8
    It's great to hear a member of the Boredoms flexing her creative muscles, considering that band has been essentially stagnant since dropping the ultimate tribal brainmelt that is Vision Creation Newsun. While Taiga is nowhere near as jaw-dropping, it's a whole different beast. Without Eye on board to flail in the foreground, Yoshimi's prowess for all things percussion takes center stage. With songs firmly indebted to free jazz and even prog, you get an album that routinely captivates, but tends to meander more than the recent releases by its maximalist brethren. And, as usual, the cover artwork should preclude any true music fan from downloading or burning the album.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. royf
    Nov 8, 2006
    1
    This is simply put, an annoying record. Images of bare white, bead clad feet kicking up suburban dust while organic apple juiced is served at just the right temperature abound. No one will think any less of you for binning this and admitting that you never actually liked it anyway. This is an irking (spiritual lacing together of genres, my bum) din.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. LeoF
    Nov 18, 2006
    10
    Taiga means big river in japanese and forest in russian, and this is kinda how this album sounds like: raw, organic, powerful. OOIOO's best album yet and one of the best releases of 2006.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  4. matta
    Nov 22, 2006
    7
    Definitely not for all tastes, but there is something incredibly hypnotic and strangely beautiful about this album. In my opinion, this is better than any boredom's album I've heard and even slightly better than the only other OOIOO album I've heard, Gold And Green. If you're feeling adventurous and want something completely different, look no further than this album.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  5. hydrawithears
    Nov 7, 2011
    8
    The title of this album might suggest some cold ambient territory but you could not get more wrong. Think of Hokkaido in winter and four crazy Japanese girls dancing and chanting on the frozen lakeside. Fronted by Yoshimi P-We, OOIOO move on a thin ice of psychedelia, experimental and tribal. All tracks have strange acronym titles, impenetrable to decipher. The brilliant opener UMA would be a primordial hymn from ancient times if it did not end with a power drill sound (more oddly, it is still awesome). UJA is the witch doctor’s lament accompanied by some possessed females and unidentified noises which all of a sudden turns into a dance track. UMO is the polished version of UMA but it’s more intricate and clever. Sailor Senshi on drugs, anyone? Finally, the closing IOA sees the band unwinding in full. Taiga feels like an improvised adventure but as strongly as it speaks to body, it also speaks to mind. It can be difficult at first but, hey, don’t retreat… reload!… Expand
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Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
78 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. Spin
    60
    What's so brilliant about ['Taiga'] is how Yoshimi finds spiritual connections between unlikely genres. [Oct 2006, p.102]
  2. Stylus Magazine
    75
    The language barrier and discord makes the record incomprehensible, but nearly everything is still as intoxicating and entertaining as hell.
    Read full review
  3. Uncut
    80
    Effortlessly ambitious. [Oct 2006, p.119]
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