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SUSUMU YOKOTA

Mesmerising album of Yokota’s earliest sonic explorations that demonstrates his unique vision and sublime transcendence of boundaries.

‘Image 1983-1998’ is a collection of short miniatures, composed in two different time periods. Tracks 1-5 were recorded with guitar and organ between 1983-4 and tracks 6-12 were composed through 97-98, being inspired by the earlier material.

A musical scrapbook, or sonic design board. The sleeve notes give an insight into Yokota’s belief in a close connection between music, memory and his active imagination: ‘Encountering Acid House made me visualise music – I could clearly see the sounds sparkling… this experience led me to create electronic music.’

TRACK LISTING

a1. Kaiten Mokuba
a2. Tayutafu
a3. Fukoro No Yume
a4. Wani Natte
a5. Sakashima
a6. Morino Gakudan
a7. Nisemono No Uta
b1. Daremoshiranai Chiisanakuni
b2. Kawano Hotorino Kinoshitade
b3. Yumekui Kobito
b4. Amai Niyoi
b5. Enogu
b6. Amanogawa

Magic Thread is Susumu Yokota’s deeply soothing and delicate debut release on the Skintone label. With a spartan palette of sounds and textures, Yokota taps into a fundamentally human need to fuse and connect disparate fibres, magically forming work which glistens and pulsates with life.

Magic Thread originally came out in 1998 as a limited-edition CD release of 500 copies. Initially intended for the Japanese market, it came without any artwork in a standard transparent CD case adorned only by a sticker containing essential album information and a quote:

‘Somewhere in the process of evolution, the spinning and weaving of thread became possible for humankind. How did this come to pass? It can only be that the thread is possessed of magical properties.’ – Yokota, 1998.

TRACK LISTING

a1. Weave
a2. Reflux
a3. Unravel
b1. Circular
b2. Spool
b3. Potential
c1. Fiber
c2. Metabolic
c3. Stitch
d1. Blend
d2. Melt

Susumu Yokota

Sakura (Skintone Edition)

Sakura is without doubt the most loved and lauded entry in Susumu Yokota’s catalogue.

The music unravels like cascades of petals falling from the eponymous cherry blossom trees. Yokota intended to ‘express ki-do-ai-raku (the four emotions; joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness) through music’, and throughout Sakura, the effect fluctuates between profound tranquillity, hesitation, melancholy and joy with ease, addressing the fickle nature of human emotion, while transcending the inclination to label moods entirely.

Sakura became Yokota’s best selling album. It was greeted with universal acclaim, lauded by Philip Glass and Brian Eno and launched Yokota internationally.

‘A bittersweet beauty, heightened by the sadness that all things must one day end.’ - Martyn Pepperell

TRACK LISTING

a1. Saku
a2. Uchu Tanjyo
a3. Hagoromo
b1. Genshi
b2. Gekkoh
b3. Kirakiraboshi
c1. Kodomotachi
c2. Hisen
c3. Tobiume
d1. Naminote
d2. Shinsen
d3. Azukiiro No Kaori


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