Release Date:
CD, Digital - 10 Dec 2021
LP - 28 Jan 2022

Ⓟ & © 2021 KITCHEN. LABEL

Meitei’s 2020 album 'Kofū' was the bold bookend to an expedition, where sounds were first navigated and then subverted in 2018’s 'Kwaidan' and 2019’s 'Komachi'. 

All three albums were Meitei’s attempt at immersive storytelling, reimagining moments of Japanese history he felt were being washed away – not least by the unforgiving sands of time – through wistful compositions that stretched across ambient music, hauntology, and musique concrete.

When it came to finalizing 'Kofū', Meitei found he was left with over 60 fully realized tracks, bursting with ideas that fired in divergent, curious directions. Meitei was content with the 13 tracks he had selected. But when it came time to begin his next album, he found that it had been sitting in front of him all along.  He realized his work wasn’t over yet. 

Meitei sounds right at home celebrating the past he first reimagined in his previous work. The merriment is palpable in its first two tracks of 'Kofū II' – a loop of cheery whistling amidst the clanking of wood leads into strings, cricket sounds and flutes, all united in bustling harmony.

'Happyaku-yachō' is where it comes into focus. Pitch-shifted vocal samples roam around in the crowded sonic field. “My image of this music is that it expresses the vibrant mood of Edo's merchant culture,” says Meitei, “where old Japanese dwellings were densely packed together in a vast expanse of land.” The affair becomes bittersweet as the track leads into the desolate 'Kaworu', a compositional piece lifted from his 'Komachi' sessions – a final requiem to his late grandmother.

The album is bursting with spectral vignettes of wandering samurais, red lanterns, ninjas, puppet theatres, poets, even a vengeful assassin ('Shura Yukihime', known to Western audiences as ‘Lady Snowblood’). 

'Saryō' is as elegant and refined as you would expect. It induces stillness in its repetition, with each synth note a brushstroke. It was inspired by a Sengoku-era tea house he once visited, designed by national icon Sen no Rikyū. Meitei tied it to the reaction he felt while poring over the ink paintings in his grandmother’s house. “The decayed earthen walls and faded tatami mats gave me an emotional impression,” he says. “And the cosmic flow of time drifting in the small room. I decided to put my impression of this into music.”

In 'Akira Kurosawa', an appropriately thunderous track, Meitei finds deep resonance in his vast filmography, which drew equally from Japan’s rich heritage and troubled circumstances post-WWII. 

'Kofū II' is not a leftovers album, nor is it a straightforward companion piece. In this album, Meitei has his biggest reckoning with the Japanese identity yet. Over the years, he has attempted to peel back what he believes has defined Japan and its people. After seeking answers with three full-length albums, his fourth poses more questions. 

If his first three albums inspired a sense of longing – or, perhaps inevitably, fed an irreparable nostalgia doomed to history – Kofū II compels us to reassess our relationship with the past.  

By constantly looking back, are we ever afforded a clearer present? After capturing the “lost Japanese mood”, where does that leave its country in the modern world? Meitei offers no immediate answers with 'Kofū II'. It forces you to sit with its disparate moods, to meditate amidst the textured fragments. 

'Kofū II' will be released in 180g LP, CD and digital format on December 10, 2021 (LP expected to land January 28, 2022) via KITCHEN. LABEL. Both LP and CD format are presented in a debossed sleeve with obi strip and include a 16-page insert with words in Japanese and English from Meitei, printed on premium paper stock with design by KITCHEN. LABEL founder Ricks Ang, and is mastered by Chihei Hatakeyama in Tokyo, Japan.

Kofū II

Meitei - 八百八町 / Happyaku-yachō (Kofū II, 2021)

Marking the 5th year anniversary of his seminal debut album, Hiroshima-based artist Meitei announces his Kwaidan Anniversary Japan Tour beginning from 22nd July in Tokyo, with more dates to be added. This is the first time the ghostly masterpieces from Kwaidan are being played live in a thematic-specific show. 

A collaboration between 2 Singaporean labels – KITCHEN. LABEL (Kofu I & II) Evening Chants (Kwaidan), the anniversary also sees the highly anticipated special 5th Anniversary Edition of Kwaidan with 2 unreleased bonus tracks. This will come in the long out-of-print vinyl format, with obi strip, 8-panel insert, new colour variant and the first ever CD version. 

In 2018, Meitei shook the ambient world with the release of his debut album “Kwaidan”, a transposition of Japanese folklore into intricate compositions, capturing what he would coin as the “lost Japanese mood”. The album almost instantly received critical acclaim from the likes of Pitchfork, where it was included in their Best Experimental Albums of 2018, Bandcamp, calling it “different than some of the ambient music that has been coming from Japan in recent years”, The Wire and more. Outside of press, he has also received nods from the likes of Rosalía and has collaborated with contemporaries Anthony Naples, DJ Python, Tourist, Chitose Hajime and more. 
Cementing his name in the ambient and experimental world, Meitei has since continued to cultivate devoted fans globally, with monumental follow-up albums as part of his unique musical canon – Komachi, Kofu I and Kofu II, showcasing his immense musicianship in building a unique sonic world of his own. 

Mastered by Taylor Deupree, Kwaidan’s 5th Anniversary Edition will be released with 2 bonus tracks on a smoke haze variant LP, CD and digital formats, released via KITCHEN. LABEL and Evening Chants.

Meitei - Sankai (Kwaidan, 2023)

Meitei - Touba (Kwaidan, 2023)

Meitei's "Heiwa": A Musical Exploration of Hiroshima's Non-Verbal Realm

Meitei, an acclaimed artist from Hiroshima Prefecture, unveils his latest composition, "Heiwa." Inspired by his upbringing and the profound impact of peace education, Meitei takes listeners on a captivating sonic journey through the history and emotions of Hiroshima.

Timed to coincide with the anniversary of the devastating atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945, “Heiwa" is an unconventional composition, depicting the tragedy and resilience of Hiroshima's people. Meitei's music transcends language and symbolism, capturing the intangible aspects of his experiences. The result is an ambient soundscape that embodies his personal understanding of Hiroshima's non-verbal realm.

Unlike traditional peace-themed music prevalent in Hiroshima, Meitei offers a unique perspective on the city from his own vantage point. While recognizing the importance of preserving musical qualities and history, he ventures into the internal realms of the human senses. Through his music, Meitei conveys unspoken emotions and the sensory value of objects, redefining his interpretation of "ambient". Meitei's approach to “Heiwa” embraces individual expression and serves as a powerful conduit for his personal longing for peace while graphically representing the scars inflicted upon Hiroshima.

Within this composition, listeners will encounter a melancholic tone reminiscent of the ashen atmosphere that once permeated the city. Meitei skillfully infuses a tangible materiality into the melodic lines, symbolizing the lingering scent of a city scorched and burned. These elements amalgamate into a captivating auditory experience that carries an unmistakable sense of presence. By intertwining historical awareness and personal interpretation, Meitei invites listeners to explore the non-verbal realms of human emotion and sensory perception.

"Heiwa" is available for streaming on major platforms on 6 August, 2023. The track is the first single of Meitei's upcoming album, "Kofū III," slated for release in Autumn 2023 via KITCHEN. LABEL.

Meitei - Heiwa

"nature dreams, sings, of the moments of absolute clarity – alignments in the universe coinciding with the individual experience of living creatures. the subconscious web between all things, briefly brought to the fore. made luminous in a flash of benevolent light."
 
Known as Singapore’s “ambient boy,” Kin Leonn is ready to captivate his audience anew with his upcoming release, mirror in the gleam. Following his previous albums, Commune (2018) and Faraway Vicinity with Hiroshi Ebina (2020), Kin Leonn has left his mark with his production collaboration with Yeule on her album softscars, remixes for Moderat and Yunè Pinku, and his contribution to the original score of The Breaking Ice, a Cannes Film Festival 2023 Un Certain Regard selection, directed by Anthony Chen.
 
In his second full-length album, Kin Leonn delves into a semiotic approach to sonic storytelling. mirror in the gleam is a collection of mysteriously significant events and their metaphorical sentiments, crafting a unique empathetic folklore that offers solace in the face of modern-day disconnection. Each track serves as a musical ode to those moments of profound clarity that remind us what it truly means to be alive.
 
Breaking free from a fixed palette of instruments, Kin Leonn embraces a fluidity that seamlessly blends organic expressions with electronic textures throughout the album. Prioritizing mood and storytelling over technicality, he embarks on an ambient world-building journey where nature plays a pivotal role. Whether through field recordings, found sounds, or the mimicry of natural behavior through instrumentation, the album is grounded in the intimacy of the environment. 
 
Despite its ethereal qualities, mirror in the gleam is designed to resonate deeply with listeners, evoking a sense of familiarity reminiscent of a past existence or a vivid exploration of our current hyper-reality. Kin Leonn’s musical craftsmanship invites audiences to embark on self-discovery through sound.
 
Available on LP, CD and digital formats, Kin Leonn releases mirror in the gleam on 27 October 2023 (LP edition arriving in November 2023) via KITCHEN. LABEL. Stephan Mattieu mastered this record at Schwebung Mastering in Germany.

Kin Leonn - ghost strata (mirror in the gleam, 2023)

Rayons - Aqua Spirit

Nihon Mukashi Banashi

空間現代
"地面" (カセットテープ／DLコード付／限定300個)
2016年9月17日発売

1. 眩んだ
2. 見送り
3. 仮託
4. お前たち

bandcamp→http://kukangendai.bandcamp.com/album/jimen
通販→https://kukangendai.stores.jp/items/57e0d853a458c0da660018e8


空間現代 HP
http://kukangendai.com/

ライブハウス 外 HP
http://soto-kyoto.jp/

地面

眩んだ - Kuranda

Maboroshi "幻々"

日本が世界に誇る、今は亡きrei harakami(レイ・ハラカミ)の名作が蘇る!!『くるり/言葉はさんかくこころは四角』を追加収録した、天然コケッコー完全盤サウンド・トラック!! 

​

2011年7月40歳の若さで亡くなったレイ・ハラカミのオリジナル・アルバム/ 企画盤を合わせた8作品を、12月にringsから再発決定!!くらもちふさこ原作の漫画を映画化した『天然コケッコー』のサウンド・トラックをレイ・ハラカミが担当!!監督は「リンダリンダ」や「味園ユニバース」等でも注目を集める山下敦弘。この映画全編に渡って使用される音楽をレイ・ハラカミが提供し、今作は毎日映画コンクール音楽賞を受賞した。今回の再発を機会に、当時のオリジナル作品では、収録されていなかった 『くるり/言葉はさんかくこころは四角』が追加収録決定!!更に映画の世界観に浸ることができるサウンドトラックとして、新しく生まれ変わりました。 


同名映画作品のサウンドトラックです。出来るだけ、映画の邪魔をしないように、それだけを考えてました。製作期間1ヶ月で作った30分ですが、個人的にはとても濃密な30分です。毎日新聞社の映画コンクールで、音楽賞を頂きました。(rei harakami) - reiharakami HPから-

rei harakami / River from 天然コケッコー完全盤

Szymon Kaliski - Interlude I feat. Peter Broderick (From Scattered Accidents, 2012)

"By deathly pale light, silent is the night."

Established within the cultural nexus of Tokyo and tracing its origins to Singapore, KITCHEN. LABEL stands as the home for artists traversing the realms of ambient and transcendent musical expressions.

Founded by Ricks Ang in 2008 and named with an essence drawn from the magic realism of Banana Yoshimoto's novel "Kitchen," the independent label has gone on to release music by haruka nakamura, ASPIDISTRAFLY, ironomi, Meitei, sonicbrat, Kin Leonn, Hiroshi Ebina and more.

Szymon Kaliski - Interlude I feat. Peter Broderick (From Scattered Accidents, 2012)

KITCHEN. LABEL

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