Plutonic Rainbows

Firstly, before I get to talking about this album in detail, what is with that title? Yes, it does sound like one of those new-age compilation discs that were everywhere in the early 90s. The kind of stuff you could order from mail-order catalogues or via the home-shopping channels.

However, that's where the comparisons end because this is a thoughtful, sobering meditation on mental illness. The music itself is something of a small departure for the artist, (Marc Dall) who doesn't impose so much rhythmic structure this time around. The album opens with 'Response To Stimuli' with dark, reverberating chords. It's a good introduction to the pieces that follow. The album features cold, crystalline keyboards and in other places such as on the beautiful 'On A Level' warm, billowing chords that work nicely against each other. There is also more than a nod to the Scottish band, Boards of Canada. Some of the pieces on this album have a kind of transient, haunting quality that the group are known for. 'Research Network' has a flutey opening that leads on to what seems like a gorgeous Roland D50 (think Clannad on their 1989 album, 'Atlantic Realm'). There are also hints of late 1980's Tangerine Dream - well at least it feels like that for me. In fact, listening to this album over and over, I'm reminded of TD, Steve Roach and BOC. Your mileage may vary. It's all beautiful, heady stuff.

I guess if I could best describe this album it would be to say that it has a fragmented, blurred feel that is totally engrossing.

The production and sound quality on 'The Composite Moods Collection, Volume 1' are excellent and I have no trouble at all recommending it to fans of ambient electronic music. It's my favourite album of the year so far.

Just a shame about that title.

You can order physical or digital copies at their bandcamp page. I'd also urge you to check out other titles from their label, 'Blackest Ever Black'.

Tomorrow is my last full week of work here in Japan. There are some things still to sort out. I also need to look again at my visa shortly. This week I will spend most of the time getting my resume edited and sending out application letters. I'm sad that Japan is nearly over but the reality is that this time it was nowhere near the experience I previously enjoyed when I lived in Osaka for five years.

Maybe it is life's way of telling me I need to forget about what was and to move ahead to the future and to what might be.

Today is the 5th anniversary of the Tohoku earthquake. It was the most powerful earthquake to ever hit Japan and the fourth most powerful earthquake in the world since modern record-keeping began in 1900.

I was working here at the time and I remember the day and those that followed. It was a terrible time and five years on, the country is still trying to find a way to deal with both the financial (and more importantly), the psychological damage.

It's nearly Friday again. This weekend I will be parcelling up some of the stuff I have bought while over here. Next week is the last five days of work. It's going very quickly now.

This month, I am reading the following books. They have all been on my list for a while now.

• Loren Eiseley - The Invisible Pyramid
• Nicholas Carr - The Shallows
• Ray Bradbury - A Graveyard for Lunatics
• Stephen Gregory - The Cormorant

Got some writing stuff done today. A nice bottle of Loewe Pour Homme also arrived. It's a vintage and hard to find so I am very pleased. I managed to find it for a good price, especially when compared to eBay.

BBC Scotland reports:

JK Rowling spent two hours at the library on Saturday, taking part in a book group that was discussing her novel The Cuckoo's Calling.

Senior library assistant Stewart Bain had invited the author to attend the group over Twitter the previous day - but never expected her to come.

Mr Bain said everyone in the group was "gobsmacked" to see her.

"It really was quite unbelievable. We'd heard a rumour earlier that she had arrived in Orkney and then all of a sudden she was there," he said.

"I think it's fantastic that she came all the way here to see us and shows the level of support and passion that she has for her readers."

The Saturday Slaughters book group was discussing JK Rowling's 2013 crime novel which was written under her pseudonym Robert Galbraith.

Wish she would come and visit our library.

I only have two weeks of school left. Hard to believe. I will not miss getting up at six in the morning, that's for sure. I have found the travelling every day to be quite difficult. It effectively adds three hours onto the day.

Two more compact discs today:

• Black Sabbath - Never Say Die (PHCR-2053)
• A Clockwork Orange (38XP-69)

I've been lucky with this last title. That's the second 'target' copy. It's a pretty rare disc.

An overcast day. Some more compact discs to pick up tonight.

Apparently there has been a biscuit shortage in the UK according to the BBC:

Storms Desmond and Eva left swathes of Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire under water, causing widespread personal pain and huge economic cost.

They also submerged Carlisle's McVitie's factory ovens, halting production of custard creams, bourbons, ginger nuts and table water biscuits.

Biscuits started disappearing from shop shelves. A nation which had looked on in sympathetic disbelief began to feel the crisis bite closer to home.

Dire circumstances demand a restorative cup of tea and a cup of tea demands a biscuit.

Carlisle artist Lydia Leith, now living in London, knew something was dreadfully wrong when she came home for Christmas and the usual "sweet sugary scented" aroma from the factory was noticeable by its absence.

She said it was "very upsetting".

Not sure how much of a crisis this really is. There are plenty more brands to choose from.

House of Cards Season 4 has proved a lot more enjoyable than series 3. As I expected, Douglas Stamper has proved to be the most interesting character once again. There is something very elusive and enigmatic about the cold, quiet character played by Michael Kelly.