Nº 24 kotonoha – ironomi

“All trees evergreen, the tinkling piano our guide”

The beauty and charm of these tracks lie in their impressionist fusion with Japanese nature and sensibilities. ironomi created their very own brand of “environmental music”, the literal translation of the Japanese term kankyo ongaku (環境音楽) – music designed to harmonise with, rather than dominate, its natural surroundings. In the specific spatial context of kotonoha, the record heals the aural sense away from our jangling cities and restless daily environments.

The album includes two additional compositions tsukishirube and maigo, the latter being regularly featured as the concluding passage that brings ironomi’s live performances to an end. The expanded cadence remained a firm fan-favourite since 2010 and now documented in recording for the first time.

“We don’t always consider elements of electronics as necessary. But when the potential of the piano has been stretched to a maximum, we will use them as a tool to draw out hidden expressions in the piano. 

We nestle into this state of thinking nothing at all, in which we become one with the environment. As if wanting to fall asleep, we fall into a dream-like state and our imagination swells freely.

We will sample piano phrases on the spot and re-play them through a speaker a couple of seconds later. Accordingly, we will then use and repeat the result as a basis for the next phrase. This form of spontaneous and improvised sampling implies that the exact same sound can not be repeated again. Thus, the piece takes on a form of its own. “ – ironomi on their creative process

CREDIT

Junya Yanagidaira – Piano
Yu Isobe – Lute, Computer Programming

All compositions by ironomi
Mastered by Gen Tanabe at Studio Camel House, Japan

Design by Ricks Ang
Photography by Yoichi Onoda