This is the third album by Osamu Kitajima, one of Japan's most prolific artists from the ethno rock, world music and progressive department. You can certainly not divide all the mentioned stylistic aspects from each other for they were all incorporated in a homogenious sound and complex arrangements. It is the same with his other albums like „Benzaiten“ and or his fourth „Masterless Samurai“; traditional Japanese music meets Western jazzrock and progressive sounds to form a new style unheard by most people in Western countries at the time. Osamu Kitajima easily plays with elements of reggae and funk, fusion jazz and colorful pop while staying true to his Japanese roots with bits and pieces of traditional melodies and the use of old Asiatic instruments…

Another very good record from this Asian musician. The music is a graceful, crystal clean and dynamic oriental New Age. Not really floating and not linear at all. The music is pure source of natural energy. The tracks are definitely more acoustic than electric. The songs are rather loaded: classical strings arrangements, Asian string instruments (exotic harp among others), woodwind instruments, modern keyboards and beat, exotic percussions. It has some elements from Andreas Vollenweider and Checkfield, put into an Asian style. The music is delightful and colorful.

As the title suggests, Japanese music explorer Osamu Kitajima takes the listener beyond the known on a musical voyage into new territory where his compositions are a synthesis of Western electronics and ambient dance rhythms, tempered by the wisdom of ancient Japanese traditions. "Beyond The Circle" is music that is as energizing as it is spiritual and melodic.