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31/1/2021 0 Comments

Chihei Hatakeyama - void XXII (White Paddy Mountain)

WHAT THE COVER LOOKS LIKE:

WHAT WE SAY:

Japanese ambient hero Chihei Hatakeyama has beamed his first 2021 transmission into this world through his own White Paddy Mountain portal, & as you would expect it's the perfect lazy Sunday soundtrack.

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Void 22 is the latest in the Void series, which has previously been released digitally and on CDR, and the first in the Void series to be released on CD. This is the second album in the Chinese history series, following the previous album "Autumn Breeze", which was inspired by the achievements of Zhuge Liang in "the Three Kingdoms: A Historical Novel". This film was heavily inspired by the writings of Miyazaki Ichisada (mainly related to Chinese history), which dynamically portrayed the joys, sorrows and foolishness of human beings, which is also relevant to today's difficult world with the coronavirus. Therefore, this album contains many melodic pieces based on the writings of Miyazaki Ichisada and the situation of contemporary society.

The songs have been selected from recordings made in 2020 and have been composed to sound like the soundtrack to a fictional film. Some of the tracks have been recorded on cassette tape and then re-processed, so that the lo-fi textures and hiss of the sound become part of the sound.

『Void XXII』はこれまでデジタルやCDRでリリースされてきたVoidシリーズの最新作で今回はvoidシリーズとしては始めてCDとしてリリースされる。三国志の諸葛亮孔明の事績からインスピレーションを受けて制作された前作『Autumn Breeze』に続く中国史シリーズの２作目となっている。今作では主に宮崎市定の著作（主に中国史関係）から多大なるインスピレーションを受けたものになっていて、そこにはダイナミックに人間の喜怒哀楽や愚かしさなどが描かれており、このコロナウィルスで困難な現代社会にも通じるものがあった。そこで今作ではこの宮崎市定の著作や現代社会の状況を受けメロコリンックなものが多く収録されている。

収録曲は2020年に録音された曲からセレクトされており、全体として架空の映画のサウンドトラックとして響くように構成した。またいくつかの曲ではカセットテープに録音し、それをまた加工するという試みもなされていてサウンドのローファイな質感やヒスノイズなどもサウンドの一部となって響くようになっている。

Credits:
cover photo by jack garland

all songs recorded during May 2020 to October 2020
edited and mixed during May 2020 to January 2021
all music written, mixed and mastered by Chihei Hatakeyama

www.chihei.org
chihei-mastering.com

IF YOU LIKE THAT YOU'LL PROBABLY LIKE THIS:

Slow Ambient playlist: https://sdz.sh/nYQmuR (Smartlink to the playlist on Apple Music, Deezer, Soundcloud, Youtube and Spotify)

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30/1/2021 0 Comments

Various Artists - Water For The Town v.3 (Smartbomb Oakland)

WHAT THE COVER LOOKS LIKE:

WHAT WE SAY:

If you want a taste of the Oakland underground then head straight to this killer compilation from SMART BOMB. A great collection of cultured, underground beats & deep thoughts from this collective joining the dots between creativity & activism.

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Release show tickets here: smartbomboakland.bandcamp.com/merch/water-for-the-town-v-3-release-show-special

WATER FOR THE TOWN v3 continues the SMARTBOMB project series which amplifies voices from our creative community universe while raising funds & awareness for various grassroots organizations providing groundwork in helping the houseless population in Oakland. Through this project we strive to further bridge gaps between our cultural/artistic movements and the grassroots political movements/community programs which coexist during this era of growth and change.

cover art by Wardell McNeal

mastered by Pat Mesiti-Miller

curated & compiled by Asonic Garcia

all proceeds of this Album are being donated to:

THE VILLAGE IN OAKLAND:
The Village began as a grassroots movement in December of 2016, creating autonomous encampments on public and private land in Oakland, and providing the basic needs and rights of housing, food, provisions, healing, and dignity to those who have been displaced by gentrification . A diversity of tactics is necessary to reach our goals in the current political, economic and historic moment: . direct action and policy reform; adverse possession and purchasing lands; reparations and self-determination; services for the unsheltered and self-governance of the unsheltered. Learn more at thevillageinoakland.org.

Direct Donations can go to:
www.paypal.com/paypalme/thevillageinoakland

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IF YOU LIKE THAT YOU'LL PROBABLY LIKE THIS:

Our Slow Hop playlist: https://sdz.sh/rvRbvP (Smartlink to the playlist on Apple Music, Deezer, Soundcloud, Youtube and Spotify)

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29/1/2021 0 Comments

Blundetto - Good Good Dub (Heavenly Sweetness)

WHAT THE COVER LOOKS LIKE:

WHAT WE SAY:

Imagine if King Tubby had taken one too many muscle relaxants after tweaking his back & you'll get an idea of the laid back delights of the new dub version of Blundetto's 2020 LP Good Good Things on Heavenly Sweetness. One for the late night tokers or wake and bakers.

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C’est au prix de plusieurs heures de marche, dans une campagne où personne n’est en mesure de fournir des indications précises sur le lieu, que se détache enfin au loin le studio de Blundetto.

Encore chaud des vapeurs de reggae de Good Good Things, planté aux abords comme un totem, le drapeau Jamaïcain donne une première indication sur les hostilités musicales qui s’y déroulent. La fumée épaisse et odorante, une seconde. Le vrombissement sourd et puissant lève les derniers doutes : si Blundetto s’est retranché ici en co-voiturage avec son
indéfectible binôme créatif Blackjoy c’est afin de faire subir à son dernier album une opération dub à mix ouvert .

Tous n’étaient pas éligibles, Blundetto et Blackjoy n’en ont choisi qu’une poignée.
Dans un labyrinthe de reverb et de delay, avec une foison de filtres branchés dans leurs âmes, sept titres se sont livrés aux expérimentations en toute confiance, car se sachant entre de bonnes mains. Installés à la console de mixage, Blundetto et Blackjoy auront passé de longues heures derrière les rangées de potentiomètres, à s’imprégner des ambiances originales pour les disséquer, les déstructurer, et les remodeler.

Etrangler la guitare et la ramener lentement à la vie, laisser l’arrangement du fond jouer des coudes pour s’imposer devant, permettre aux pompes d’orgue de se retrouver seules avec la basse hypnotique et la batterie au pied massif. Lâcher chacun de leurs effets au feeling de l’écoute, exécuter le remix en temps réel, sans réflexion préalable, dans le respect du cahier des charges des Perry, Tubby et consorts.

Sous l’effet de la révélation de leur seconde personnalité, les morceaux pénètrent et absorbent l’esprit pour le spacialiser, décupler sa dimension, y imprimer une persistance rythmique alors même que le riddim est sur la position mute.

Le rythme et le sens des aiguilles du temps perturbés par les échos des percussions, un voyage qui se perd dans l’immensité sonore créée par le duo. Avec pour seules précautions d’emploi, le port du casque et une écoute le volume en zone déraisonnable.

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28/1/2021 0 Comments

José María Delgado - pasaje (Lillerne Tapes)

WHAT THE COVER LOOKS LIKE:

WHAT WE SAY:

Nice to see that Chi-town force for musical good Lillerne Tapes up & 2021 running with a fine ambient offering from Spain's Jose Maria Delgado. Perfect for assisting with heart rate lowering & metabolic depression during winter hibernation.

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Lillerne is excited to be entering 2021 with a new collection of tunes from Spain’s José María Delgado. After having long appreciated his work under the Boliden moniker (and helping to release 2017’s stunning Backyard), I’m stoked to have Delgado back on the label with brand new material for the new year. pasaje brings a new softness and reflection to Delgado’s already masterful use of timing and melody. There’s a level of patience and a constant attention to the musical space at large—both within the melodies and subtle rhythms, as well as the air and quiet that surrounds. Infinitely listenable, peacefully trancelike spaces in which to exist. José’s music has a way of taking the listener elsewhere for a little while, and pasaje offers that same solace and escape from beginning to end. Edition of 75 professionally duplicated cassettes.

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27/1/2021 0 Comments

Soshi Takeda - Memory Of Humidity (Dotei/道程)

WHAT THE COVER LOOKS LIKE:

WHAT WE SAY:

Soothing sounds for unwillingly solitary souls from Soshi Takeda on 道程 - Dotei Records. Full of animistic ambience, sofa friendly house, Balearic boogie and rainforest riddims, it's a real spirit raising tonic for these tough times.

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Title: Memory of Humidity (DTR-002)
Artist: Soshi Takeda (takedasoshi.bandcamp.com)
Distribution: Dotei Records (doteirecords.com)

この度、Dotei Recordsの第二弾作品として、Soshi TakedaによるMemory of Humidity(DTR-002)を2020年9月4日のBandcamp Fridayに合わせてリリースします。

＜発売によせて＞
この企画について楽曲制作者のSoshi Takeda、デザイナーのTaizo Watanabeに打診をした3/20、世間ではまだ緊急事態宣言も発令されておらず、オリンピックの中止も決定されていない状況だった。「三密」とか「コロナ禍」なんていう言葉が誕生したかどうかくらいの、「WITH コロナ」や「POST コロナ」なんて概念はまだ受け入れる準備はできていなかったくらいの、そんなタイミングだったと記憶している。

私が二人と出会ったのは遡ること2009年。調べてみると、その年の流行語には「新型インフルエンザ」がノミネートされていたようだ。「草食系男子」なんて言葉も入っているのを見ると、随分と時が流れたことを感じさせられる。彼らは大学のキャンパス内でスケートボードをしたり、ラジカセで音楽を流している、全員が長髪で革ジャンがデフォルトな集合体で... morecreditsreleased September 4, 2020

All track produced by Soshi Takeda (takedasoshi.bandcamp.com)
Cover Design by Taizo Watanabe (www.instagram.com/originalfruits/)

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YOUR CART

Chihei Hatakeyama - void XXII (White Paddy Mountain)

Various Artists - Water For The Town v.3 (Smartbomb Oakland)

Blundetto - Good Good Dub (Heavenly Sweetness)

José María Delgado - pasaje (Lillerne Tapes)

Soshi Takeda - Memory Of Humidity (Dotei/道程)

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