{"title":"Somei Satoh","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"mandala-trilogy-1","title":"Mandala Trilogy + 1","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe full official reissue of Somei Satoh’s magnificent Avatamsaka Sutra inspired Mandala Trilogy with one additional never-released piece, sourced from original masters and available on double vinyl in heavy 350gsm sleeve with liner notes by passionate Japanese music connoisseur \/ collector \/ critic \/ dj Masaaki Hara.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Mandala Trilogy blends Somei Satoh’s own slowed down Buddhist chant vocalization and early electronics to create a radiant and meditative atmosphere conveying serenity and timelessness. It includes three pieces recorded separately. \u003ci\u003eMandala \u003c\/i\u003ewas recorded at the NHK Studio of Electronic Music in 1982 and was included on the album Mandala\/ Sumeru, released on Kojima Recordings’ ALM. \u003ci\u003eMantra\u003c\/i\u003e was a NHK commissioned work, recorded at the same studio in 1986. \"Tantra\" was recorded at Victoria University of Wellington’s Lilburn Studios for electronic music and recording in 1990.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIncluded as a bonus is the 20-minute \u003ci\u003eMai,\u003c\/i\u003e a composition commissioned by harpist Ayako Shinoza-ki and recorded at the Kioi Hall in Tokyo on November 11th 2004. The piece was conducted by Tetsuji Honna and performed by the Kioi Sinfonietta Tokyo. Satoh says: \"The harp is one of my favorite instruments. Also, by combining my affectionate percussion instrument, the chromatic gong and steel drum, with the harp’s most beautiful tone, I attempted to bring out a mystical sound.\" Alt-hough it is not an electronic music piece, the stunning composition elegantly complements the deep mystical world that Satoh expresses in his Mandala Trilogy.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor fans of Shomyo, ambient, drone, environmental, minimalism, avant-garde, experimental, endless loops, slooooooow music, Midori Takada, Hiroshi Yoshimura, Merzbow, ALM Records, Vanity Records, DJ Screw, the vast deepness of the abyss.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"We Release Whatever The Fuck We Want Records","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50475179639115,"sku":"1106210","price":42.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/4efee7ff-3d0e-4c88-b101-18c37583e460_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727443601"},{"product_id":"emerald-tablet-echoes","title":"Emerald Tablet \/ Echoes","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe full official reissue of two major works from the great \u003cstrong\u003eSomei Satoh\u003c\/strong\u003e gathered into one LP: the mystic and meditative \u003cem\u003eEmerald Tablet\u003c\/em\u003e (1978) and \u003cem\u003eEchoes\u003c\/em\u003e (1981), sourced from original masters and available on vinyl with liner notes by passionate Japanese music connoisseur\/collector\/critic\/dj \u003cstrong\u003eMasaaki Hara\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOriginally released by highly respected label ALM, these pivotal pieces of late 70s\/early 80s Japanese experimental music majestically showcase Satoh’s intuitive approach to composition and mastery of creating infinite worlds of sound from very, very little.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEmerald Tablet\u003c\/em\u003e, recorded at the fabled NHK Studio of Electronic Music in 1978, is a spellbinding take on musique concrète meets tape music relying solely on sound harmonics from tubular bell, cymbals, and 'kin' (Buddhist standing bell) overdubbed endlessly, voyaging into vertiginous sonic depths.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEchoes\u003c\/em\u003e was composed for the Mist, Sound, and Light Festival, a 10-day event organized by the hot spring tourist association of Kawaji, Tochigi Prefecture, held on May 20-29, 1981. It was played in the Kawaji hot spring's Ojika river valley, with 8 gigantic loudspeakers set up on hills surrounding the stream and connected to an octuple channel-tape system - thanks to a combined length of cables exceeding one kilometer - while artificial fog rose from a ravine and laser beams shot up on the mountains. Cinematic and resonating, this breathtaking piece from \u003cstrong\u003eSomei Satoh\u003c\/strong\u003e is a transcending sonic experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor fans of musique concrète, ambient, drone, tape music, environmental, minimalism, avant-garde, endless loops, \u003cstrong\u003eMidori Takada\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eHiroshi Yoshimura\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eMerzbow\u003c\/strong\u003e, ALM Records, Vanity Records, hot springs, valleys, ravines, gigantic lasers, mystical fog, infinity, and out of body experiences.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"We Release Whatever The Fuck We Want Records","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50475180884299,"sku":"1106211","price":34.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/b644f955-cd55-4adf-a0ec-f5068a3d6cf2_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727443625"}],"url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/collections\/somei-satoh.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}