Opitope - Hau
Label:
Catalog#:
KK: 011
Format:
CD, Album
Country:
Japan
Released:
21 Jun 2007
Genre:
Electronic
Style:
Experimental,
Minimal,
Ambient
Tracklist
| 1 | A White Cloth Falling From The Snow Branches | 1:46 | ||
| 2 | Trees Reflecting On The Surface Of The Lake | 6:47 | ||
| 3 | Goat's Horn | 7:06 | ||
| 4 | A Far Room | 10:03 | ||
| 5 | A Quiet Morning Arriving To The Valley | 2:07 | ||
| 6 | Bird Standing On The Fall | 4:54 | ||
| 7 | Coral Sand's Backside | 7:05 | ||
| 8 | Mist On The Sea | 7:30 | ||
| 9 | A Place Under The Paired Sal Tree | 5:52 |
Credits
Acoustic Guitar -
Syouhei Hatakeyama
(tracks: 8)
Artwork By [Design] - Mondii
Artwork By [Paintings] - Shinji Miyazawa
Guitar [Electric], Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Bass, Vibraphone, Electronics - Chihei Hatakeyama
Guitar [Electric], Piano, Electronics - Tomoyoshi Date
Mastered By - Zengyo
Artwork By [Design] - Mondii
Artwork By [Paintings] - Shinji Miyazawa
Guitar [Electric], Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Bass, Vibraphone, Electronics - Chihei Hatakeyama
Guitar [Electric], Piano, Electronics - Tomoyoshi Date
Mastered By - Zengyo
Notes
Text by Date Tomoyoshi and Chihei Hatakeyama (Opitope):
"This an imaginary album traveling from the north to south, overlapping the images of transition of the four seasons. In reality, indeed one things always leads to an end and I feel sad every time I think about that. In this album, we tried to express this sorrow feeling changing gradually into hope as we travel south. Seasons have no end. It always moves from spring, summer, autumn, winter back to spring.. And just like the changing seasons, the tracks in this album constantly shifts another and the last piece connects to the very beginning which forms the never ending circle. We have expressed the images of these "endings" with "never endings" by music. These thoughts were brought up naturally during the making of this album and it's not that we had this idea from the start. Another concept of this album is "symmetry". There are 9 pieces in this album and is constructed by track 5 being the axis of the symmetry - like in terms os composition, 1st track is a piano piece and also the 9th track. The same thing goes to the arrangements like you will notice sounds that forms contrasts between the left & right speaker."
"This an imaginary album traveling from the north to south, overlapping the images of transition of the four seasons. In reality, indeed one things always leads to an end and I feel sad every time I think about that. In this album, we tried to express this sorrow feeling changing gradually into hope as we travel south. Seasons have no end. It always moves from spring, summer, autumn, winter back to spring.. And just like the changing seasons, the tracks in this album constantly shifts another and the last piece connects to the very beginning which forms the never ending circle. We have expressed the images of these "endings" with "never endings" by music. These thoughts were brought up naturally during the making of this album and it's not that we had this idea from the start. Another concept of this album is "symmetry". There are 9 pieces in this album and is constructed by track 5 being the axis of the symmetry - like in terms os composition, 1st track is a piano piece and also the 9th track. The same thing goes to the arrangements like you will notice sounds that forms contrasts between the left & right speaker."
Recommendations
-
Shuttle358* - Chessa (CD, Album, Ltd)
-
Various - Small Melodies (CD, Comp)
-
Bretschneider* + Steinbrüchel* - Status (CD, Album, Ltd)
-
Taylor Deupree - Northern (CD, Album, Ltd)
-
Biosphere - Autour De La Lune (CD, Album, Dig)
▸ show all 1 review
Reviews & Discussion
Next month, I am going on vacation; and in preparation for my relaxation on the beach I am selecting the albums that will take me beyond the waves and the sun. Opitope's debut Hau, released on Nao Sigimoto's Tokyo based label, Spekk, is already at the top of that list. In their minimal ambient soundscapes, the Opitope duo, consisting of Tomoyoshi Date and Chihei Hatakeyama, design an album which cycles through the never ending period of seasons, attempting to express the feeling of sorrow that comes with any ending, eventually evolving into hope. Hatakeyama has previously released on Chicago based Kranky label with his experimental ambient album, Minima Moralia. Hau is an emotional piece which swirls with pads and bells around the field recordings, faint melodies, and a symmetrical structure; the sound reminds me of a process of nature unfolding its beauty to a patient observer. I am looking forward to absorbing this beautiful music in a more natural environment. Recommended if you enjoy Hammock and Library Tapes.