African Paper » Akita Masami

The Prosperity Of Vice, The Misfortune Of Virtue: Merzbow-Reissue auf Room40

admin — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 04:44:10 +0000

Mit “The Prosperity Of Vice, The Misfortune Of Virtue” erscheint am 9. Mai eine wiederveröffentlichte Merzbow-Arbeit aus dem Jahr 1996 neu bei Room40 – von Lawrence English vollständig remastered und um eine zusätzliche Aufnahme aus den ursprünglichen Sessions ergänzt. Entstanden ist das Album ursprünglich als Theatermusik für eine Produktion der Gruppe Romantica, basierend auf Texten des Marquis de Sade. Masami Akita lotet hier eine breitere Palette an Ausdrucksformen aus als in vielen seiner bekannteren Veröffentlichungen der Ära, neben massiv verdichteten Noise-Strukturen treten z.B. auch rhythmische. Das Werk gehört zu jenen Merzbow-Alben, die bislang nur in sehr eingeschränktem Umfang zugänglich waren und zeigt eine Seite seines Schaffens, die auf die Anforderungen theatraler Kontexte reagiert, ohne seine charakteristische Materialbehandlung aufzugeben.

Recorded in 1996, Merzbow’s The Prosperity Of Vice, The Misfortune Of Virtue is one of a series of unique editions from his vast catalogue that reveals a side of his practice often under represented. During the late 1980s and into the 1990s, Masami Akita was sometimes working on film and theatre music. In this space he created a series of recordings that capture the full scope of his sound worlds. Given the nature of these settings, his compositional approaches were varied, seeking to create both intensely crushing walls of sound and more spatial, and at times rhythmic, pieces that plot out an approach to sound making which atomises his universe of sound, and uncovered the singular detail that is often consumed in the whole. The Prosperity Of Vice, The Misfortune Of Virtue is the soundtrack to the theatre piece Akutoku no Sakae/Bitoku no Fuko by Romantica. Based on Marquis de Sades’s Historie de Juliette ou les Prosperités du vice & Les Infortunes de la vertu, this recording was originally released with limited distribution and remains one of the lesser available Merzbow recordings”. (Room40)

Oersted: Reissue des Merzbow-Albums auf Vinyl

admin — Mon, 20 May 2024 04:24:29 +0000

Nicht mehr wirklich neu, aber immer noch erwähnenswert ist die Wiederveröffentlichung des 1996 auf CD erschienenen Merzbow-Albums “Oersted”, die vor wenigen Wochen auf Urashima und erstmals auf Vinyl erschienen ist. Im Begleittext heißt es: “This album, originally released on CD in 1996, marked a significant milestone in the experimental noise music scene, showcasing the unparalleled sonic explorations of the legendary Masami Akita, known as Merzbow. Oersted is a sonic journey through realms of noise, texture, and intensity that have solidified Merzbow’s status as a pioneer in the realm of noise music.

The album features a collection of meticulously crafted tracks that push the boundaries of sound manipulation and composition, creating an immersive experience for listeners daring enough to delve into its sonic landscapes. The vinyl reissue, masterfully remastered for the first time by the esteemed James Plotkin, renowned for his unparalleled expertise, breathes fresh life and depth into the album’s already rich and intricate sonic landscape, unveiling new detail within its reverberant dense tapestry and complex noise palette”. Mehr zu dem Release auf Bandcamp, wo man das Album als Doppel-LP und zum Download erwerben kann.

Space Metalizer: Neuauflage des Merzbow-Albums

admin — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 05:23:22 +0000

In den nächsten tagen erscheint Merzbows “Space Metalizer” (Alien8 Recordings 1997) erstmals in einer Doppel-LP-Edition bei Urashima. Beim Label heißt es: “During the mid-1990s, the Japanese artist went through his most prolific and inspired period of the analog era, releasing masterpieces such as Noisembryo, Venereology, Hybrid Noisebloom or Green Wheels. In that same period, one of his notable and iconic releases, Space Metalizer, released in 1997 under the Canadian label Alien8 Recordings on CD, stands as a testament to his ability to create immersive and mind-altering soundscapes. This album takes listeners on an otherworldly journey, fusing

electro-psychedelic noise, EMS Synthesizer, filter and electronics with techno oriented resonance into a unique sonic experience. [...] Merzbow masterfully combines layers of distorted metallic sounds, oscillating frequencies, and disorienting textures, creating an immersive soundscape that feels like traversing the depths of the universe. The intensity builds gradually, capturing the listener’s attention and propelling them into a sonic voyage. [...] Through a combination of cosmic atmospheres, metallic elements, the use of the EMS shynti, the Theremin and the filters, Merzbow takes listeners on a transcendent journey through the depths of space”. Mehr zum Album und den Hintergründen auf Bandcamp, wo man die Doppel-LP inklusive Postkarte und Poster mit Extra-Artwork sowie die Digitale Version bestellen kann.