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The Home Normal store recently started stocking Preservation releases. I've been a huge fan of the label for a while, a personal favourite over the past year being Pimmon's incredible Smudge Another Yesterday. The latest from this fabulous Australian label is by the pianist Sophie Hutchings, with her debut 'Becalmed'.
Now whilst many people will roll their eyes at yet another solo piano record in a kind of neo-classical vein (and there are a lot doing the rounds right now which may or may not be a bad thing), 'Becalmed' is about as beautiful as it gets. It takes a lot for me to be forced to sit down and listen to a whole album on first go these days, to be totally honest. But the sheer choice of direction, melody and beautiful weighted timing of the pieces left me in a sort of trance really. And whilst a lot of solo piano works, such as the excellent Nils Frahm for example, remind me of autumn or at least the change of seasons, this record is beyond that, beyond time and beyond this world in some ways.
'Becalmed' is an album that is both bursting with emotion, and yet restrained enough to not make said emotion sickly sweet or over the top. Its an incredibly measured and mature album (apparently the first track 'seventeen' tells the age of the artist when she recorded it!) Yes, some people will not find enough in it being a largely solo piano album in that neo-classical vein. And whilst there is a movement doing the rounds right now, this is quite a different record from those...a little less vain, a little less obvious, an album of genuine and unabashed beauty and delicate temperance. Superb and one of the highlights of the year for me so far.
You can hear Sophie's work here: http://www.myspace.com/goldenbooksmusic
For more on Preservation please go here: http://www.preservation.com.au/
You can buy 'Becalmed' from the Home Normal store here: Sophie Hutchings - Becalmed
There's also a great interview with Sophie by our friends at Fluid radio: http://www.fluid-radio.co.uk/2010/11/time-with-sophie/
So sorry for the giant delay in updating the blog - its been a mad old busy time work-wise but here's to some regular updates on the site. We have all sorts of goodies due up here very soon and here's just a rather wonderful taster...
One of my favourite releases last year was by the young Japanese artist - Cuushe. Her brilliant album 'Red Rocket Telepathy' (on the ever excellent Flau) proved that being female, Japanese and having pop-sensibilities, didn't mean music had to be sickly sweet. It was an album full of wonderful melody and intricately woven moments with some lovely textures, as well as Cuushe's uniquely toned voice. Around the time of her album's release we got to know each other and become friends through a mutual contact, and I decided to hold a small interview with her (almost a year ago!)about influences, gear, living in London and the live scene in Japan.
IS THERE ANY MUSIC WHICH PARTICULARLY INSPIRES YOU? Pop, Sentimental and Melancholic music like a L'altra, Fishmans, Boards of Canada and so on.
WHEN DID YOU START MAKING MUSIC? WHY? From when I was a high school student or younger. But I could not complete my songs till my first song "laundry". I think the song was made in 2005 or 2006.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE BIT OF MUSICAL GEAR? Old analog synthesizer like a moog. I am using software now, but I want a real one someday!
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO SPECIFICALLY SAY / ACHIEVE WITH 'RED ROCKET TELEPATHY'? Mmmmmm.... I can not explain well..... but I wanted to express certain feelings or emotions, like crying or human warmth....I am singing these feeling in my lyrics!;)
HOW DO YOU VIEW THE JAPANESE MUSIC SCENE? CD's are really hard to sell now ( I think its same overseas as well though), so live performance is perhaps more of a testing ground than before. I am thinking how I can perform shows now.
YOU LIVED IN LONDON FOR A WHILE, HOW WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE THERE? It was exciting! Different buildings and atmosphere compared to Japan. I enjoyed spending time with my friends and seeing some shows! I noticed that people in London liked to spend time in the park ( picnics!), then this changed my thinking towards parks!. Now I like to spend time in the park when its a sunny day! I like Shinjuku gyoen.
HOW WOULD YOU SAY THE MUSIC SCENES DIFFER BETWEEN THE UK AND JAPAN? Mmmmm.... I think that there is a wider variety of genre and types of music that people appreciate in the UK compared to Japan.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE RELEASES THIS YEAR (2009)? I am not sure this year... because I haven't listened to new songs recently. However, I found my favorite artist just laying around last year! Its " Cold House" by Hood. And I found my favorite artist in the show in this year. Its OORUTAICHI.
Big thanks to Cuushe and Yasuhiko Fukuzono x
You can buy a copy of Cuushe's excellent 'Red Rocket Telepathy' record in the Home Normal store here: Cuushe - Red Rocket Telepathy
