Maybe it’s not so odd that former_airline, aka Masaki Kubo, has decided
to equate science and pornography, two things that on the surface don’t seem to
have much in common. There does seem to be a nexus point where the human
response to the result of each subject intersects, and it’s actually not a
terrible stretch to deduce the common denominator. If we look at one of the
points of science – betterment of conditions of existence for humankind – we
can conclude that forward thinkers have our best interests at heart for both
survival and comfort, the utopian
endpoint where balance is achieved between scientific discovery and levels of
happiness. Progress begets beneficial improvement across the board, and reaping
the benefits of science can only increase those chemicals in the human body
that hit the pleasure centers of the brain. Pornography, or sexual activity of
any kind, pretty much does the same thing, except instead of progress it’s
really just about getting off.
That said, the music of former_airline doesn’t necessarily hover much
around the common perception of pornography; rather, it takes a more analytical
approach, for the most part, and resembles that of scientific exploration by
way of experimental electronics fused with psych, drone, krautrock, shoegaze,
and even pop. Although the quick gratification of early tracks like the MIDI
waveform freak funk of “In the Error World” or the twitchy, giddy electro-pop
of “Facing the Wall” might initially seem like pleasurable experiences for
pleasure’s sake, a look under the hood reveals a precision in composition
that’s less the strict embodiment of headlong enjoyment than it is a calculated
construction for maximum gratification. That said, though, even the clinical
kraut passages of “Gate” and the subdued meditation of “What the Ocean Said” contain
enough propulsive endorphins to keep your attention transfixed.
Maybe the point is that former_airline is charting the movement of science
and pornography toward some sort of asexual combination where procreation is
stripped of sexuality, becoming more a robotic method of preserving the
species. Or maybe the idea is to inject a little bit of fun into the serious
process of improving life on this planet. Or, even further, maybe
former_airline is simply trying to manufacture an extended climax through the
scientific method, an attempt he’s certainly succeeded at with closer “Spinning
Dreams with Angel Wings,” a glossy Neu!-indebted treat that stretches its high
for over eight minutes. At any rate, regardless of the outcome, the gist is
that it’s harmless to have a little fun in the face of serious endeavors, and Our Fantasies bears that out to its
furthest extent.
--Ryan Masteller
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