Shotpeen release a collection of previously unreleased works by New York based Japanese composer Izumi Kuremoto. The music on this release dates from between 1993 and 2012 and is split across three discs (a 5.1 surround DVD and two CDs).

Disc one opens with the 25 min, 32 sec 'Opening'. If you're a Star Trek fan, you'll probably be reminded of Klingon Opera here. The vocals and instruments clash so often that it's hard not to spend most of your time wincing. It took me three attempts to actually be able to listen to it all the way through. Needless to say, it's not an experience I'd like to live through again.

But fear not. 'Venus' is much more gentle on the ears. Yes, there's still discordant elements, but there's much to enjoy here - but it's still not that interesting.

The second disc contains the three part 'Three Movements for Harp and Strings' which, to be perfectly honest I felt was rather soulless, and the three part 'Late Chrysanthemums'... and by now I'm starting to think Kuremoto is a bit of a one trick pony. "Let's make that stringed instrument sound out of tune"; "Hey, wouldn't it be cool if we got this instrument to sound like a five year old was playing it?"

While fans of "arts for arts sake" modern classical music might rub their chins, try to look like they're deep in thought and declare Kuremoto a "bloody genius", I just thought his music was devoid of any emotion. If I didn't know better I'd have thought an AI had produced it as part of a science experiment.

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Darren Rea