4/5
Water Studies
Music is art, plain and simple, simple and plain. You only have to see sound and hear time with the late, great Ryuichi Sakamoto to feel this. Earlier this year, another artist inspired by the legendary likes of him, Ami Kusakari, released her inspired instrumental, and stunning solo set, 'Garden Studies' to rave reviews. Taking us back to the beauty and nature of life, soil to seed. This atmospheric album played in the white fog, of an exhibition like entrance to the epic, back-to-back, K-Arena 'Sakanaquarium' concerts with this bass player's band, Sakanaction, concluding their tour of the rising sun in August.
Kyoka, also, needs no introduction. The first female artist signed to the iconic experimental German label, Raster-Noton (now Raster Media and NOTON), splits her time between Switzerland, Berlin and her native Japan. The eclectic sound and installation artist, DJ, field recorder and electric producer knows music and sound to the notes she devotes. Exploring and experimenting, the whole soundscape with a purists touch. Records like 'Is (Is Superpowered), 'iSH' and 'SH' will take you further...and higher. Using synths, equalizers and MIDI pads, Kyoka not only brings echos and reverbs of her signature sound, but also the amazing art itself, as the movie that played behind her and Ami was composed by Kyoka, herself. All for a personal and profound passion project that is "inspired by motion picture blindness". All through the flow of water and our own human perceptions in this compelling communication from Kyoka and Kusakari.
Together, the perfect pairing offered a stunning set, incredible, inspired and absolutely beautiful. All for the tenth MUTEK JP festival, from Montreal, Canada, to Tokyo, Japan. Playing in Spotify's O-East venue in the heart of Shibuya, just a few corners from the crossing. But through these neon streams, audible art took you on a path more meaningful and moving than all that. All for a three-day festival that also included the electronic music and digital creativity likes of Alex Vlair, Atsushi Kobayashi, BunBun, and many, many more. This tech cultural-exchange in the form of music celebrated it's tenth anniversary in Japan with a special showcase, and Kyoka and Ami were at the heart of it, headlining the final day. From Kyoka's heartfelt introduction to her work, and songs like 'Susurrus' and 'Shush', to Kusakari giving us her 'Garden Studies' (including 'Sound Of A Pier', 'RainFalls' and an extended version of 'Ginkgo Tree') in all their beautiful blooms, this left us all in attendance wondering what it would be like if this dynamic duo gave us an actual album. But this perfect performance was much more than that. Floating through the depths of our subconscious and resonating with us in layers. Sensory, physically and mentally. It contained multitudes. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
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