Australia’s own Kotadama releases their debut CD entitled Dichtomy in 2011. The band consists of 2 brothers: Chris & Evan Brown.

The CD kicks things off with “Destinations” a warm & inviting intro piece that delivers driving rock rhythm against driving rock rhythms, & rich melodic foundation that peaks & valleys its way through to emotional fruition. Track 2 “Three Simple Words” shifts gears a bit with mesmerizing intro, eventually lending itself to catchy rock crescendo delivering inviting strings, catchy piano & thought provoking lyrical content. Track 3 “Yesterday” delivers yet another impressive track with its slow moving solitary intro, eventually lending itself into an impressive heart felt ballad. The CD makes a good first impression delivering 3 compelling tracks in a row. This music is rather hard to pigeonhole. I would classify this music as Experimental, Alternative, Progressive, Rock with brief splashes on Power Pop & Melodic Pop. Despite this it's quite amazing how refined Kotadama’s sound is. I especially like the theatrical element of this production - very dynamic, progressive, & melodic. Note for note, song for song it will definitely keep you entertained lifting your spirits without even trying. The CD flows extremely well song to song & note for note. There are also lush layers of melodic instrumentation & sonic touches sprinkled everywhere. This is the strong suit of this production & its obvious Kotadama has put allot of time crafting this production. Clearly these brothers are capable composers & the vocals fit this style of music perfectly – passionate, heartfelt & warm. From heartfelt “See You Tonight”, to passionate “Standing at your Side” to mesmerizing “Endure” & the rocking title track this CD has something for just about everyone. The CD ends with Time & Tide the perfect finale statement for a CD of this caliber.

It’s hard to find any noticeable weaknesses with this production. I did however notice a lack of vocal harmonies which could have mixed things up vocal a little better. At times the CD sounds a bit repetitive overall & comes across as sounding extremely sonic & overly saturated. I’m also not crazy about the drum tones – sounding overly electronic & thuddy lacking solid acoustics. .

From start to finish Dichotomy by Kotadama is a strong musical statement. The music is highly melodic, polished & packed with powerful emotions & passion. The writing creativity of these 2 brothers is a force to reckoned with – we should keep our eye on them.