Until The End Of Time

Trust, Hiroshi Watanabe's third proper album as Kaito, seemed surprisingly hasty and unrefined compared to his first two, Special Life and Hundred Million Light Years. Even "Nothing Could Be More Peaceful" seemed oddly titled, as it lacked the grace and depth of earlier highlights like "Everlasting" and "Hundred Million Light Years." Until the End of Time is something of a retreat, one that recalls the melodic, unhurried neo-trance and emotive techno of what preceded Trust. The majority of the album might sound like retraced steps, but the likes of "Sky Is the Limit," "I'm Leaving Home," and "Run Through the Road in Fog" are too sturdy, stirring, and fresh sounding to disregard. There are a couple curve balls near the end, such as the sparkling disco-funk of "Dear Friends" and the sedate nine-minute finale "Smile," the latter of which would have been at home on City Centre Offices or Morr Music back in 2001, when Watanabe released his first Kaito single.