This is 1st album of RiLF formed by the members of Anoice, matryoshka and their some friends.

= Ricco Label

In poetry's pre-Romantic era, the avoidance of experimentation was considered a mark of genius; to be considered a great writer, one had to master existing forms. Adhering strictly to structure showed discipline and skill; reinventing the wheel demonstrated a lack of restraint. The downside of this approach, besides the obvious lack of experimentation, was that it produced nothing explicitly bad, just waves of the exceedingly mediocre. It’s easy to see parallels in modern composition. RiLF provides the rare exception, calling on a whole smattering of intimately familiar elements, but combining them with such grace and precision that the end result is as exciting and fascinating as an entirely new product.

It’s incredibly easy to draw a direct family tree for RiLF’s sound—Sigur Ros’s ghostly falsetto (sung here by a female), Boards of Canada’s hazy analog electronica, Ghastly City Sleep’s weightless shoegaze. However, unlike many of these “band equations” where influence x plus influence y is significantly less interesting than what the formula might imply, Ferris Wheel combines the best of the best with stunning effortlessness. “Roller Coaster,” for example, aptly blends every pleasant-sounding genre trope imaginable into a sublime whole: grandiose strings, electronic beats, ethereal vocals, far-off guitar wailing and a subtly shifting, consistently alluring structure.

RiLF also gracefully sidesteps one-dimensionality by toying with its modus operandi in each new song. “Ocean” features most of the aforementioned elements but dials back the intensity, sounding both entirely fresh and soothingly familiar. “Pray for Piano” puts vocals in the backseat in order to emphasize a dramatic build-up. The dreamy instrumental, “Interlude”, spotlights a beautifully voiced electric guitar; even when the band draws back further, the interest level remains high. Some songs stand out, and any can stand alone, but the album's overall flow and atmosphere are magnificent.

First and foremost, RiLF have written an album. Ferris Wheel is so well-conceived that even the ironically upbeat and propulsive “So Sad”, which deviates from the established vibe, folds neatly into the proceedings. The clever track order here works exceedingly well, as the similar-sounding tracks are placed on opposite ends, making them feel more “new” than logic would dictate.

Normally it would be a bit terrifying to admit that almost every sound on this album can be traced back to an obvious influence, and even typing this feels a bit strange in face of the final rating. Yet Ferris Wheel is sublime in every sense of the word: it’s much bigger than the sum of its parts and is so beautifully executed that any nitpicking is instantly snuffed. RiLF has learned from its influences rather than attempted to emulate them. It’s a subtle distinction, but it’s what elevates the great from the overwhelmingly average.

= Calvin Young / The Silent Ballet

RiLF is Tokyo based alternative band formed by the members of Anoice, matryoshka and some friends at the beginning of 2010. The members are Takahiro Kido, Takahiro Matsue, calu, Yuki Murata, Jyunko Tabira, Utaka Fujiwara, and Aki. After releasing debut EP “era.ep” for only their Live under the name of “Ricco Label and Friends” on April, they changed the band name into RiLF. And RiLF have just made our 1st album “Ferris Wheel” now, and will release it on September 8th from Ricco Label.

RiLF official website▶www.rilf.info