This piece is commissioned by Musicity based on an architectural plan to demolish Soho and build a giant mall with five brutalist towers. The plans were drawn by Geoffrey Jellico, Ove Arup and Edward Mills in 1954 and although it wasn't built, this dystopia image inspired this composition by Mieko Shimizu.

Soho Morphosis Final Mix

My Tentacles

6 Time is Over.aiff

Mieko Shimizu aka ‘Mico’ is a prolific London based Japanese composer, singer and producer, with several diverse and accomplished albums already under her belt. She erupted onto the scene with the searing audio art of her alter ego Apache 61, fusing layers of cross woven breaks and shattered percussion, whilst battling shards of sub bass within stateless melodies drawn from the fringes of the avant-garde.  Her forthcoming album, 'My Tentacles' sees her return to a deeper more reflective state in the cavernous depth of sumptuous symphonic songs that oscillate with glitchy electronica. It's quite simply a gorgeous album, interleaving magical melodies and rich harmonics; with songs that are both beautiful in their sincerity and tantalising in their complexity.

She has collaborated with Mick Karn (ex-Japan), David Cunningham (The Flying Lizards) and Robert Lippok (To Rococo Rot) and re-mixed the likes of Coldcut and Yellow Magic Orchestra, Haruomi Hosono of the cult electro-pop act, signed “the Japanese Drum’ n Bass Ninja”, to his label 'Daisy World'. Word quickly spread of her incredible live shows bringing a steady stream of appearances as far a field as Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Japan as well Sonar, alongside the mighty Kraftwerk. She has released tracks on compilations by hip Berlin Label Monika which works with artists who have turned away both from the glossy world of corporate clubbing and the tired formulae of indie guitar rock.' Recent works included collaboration with Nitin Sawhney and the London Symphony Orchestra on Japanese silent film 'Yogoto no Yume' by Mikio Naruse at The Barbican and a commission for the exciting 21st vision of what opera might become; Opera Shots.

Adding yet another string to her bow, Mico was recently made an 'Emerging Artist in Residence’ at London's Southbank Centre where she collaborated with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall with her own orchestral compositions. Mico has recently been working on the quirky animation film 'Being Bradford Dillman' which premiered at this years at the London Film Festival also on the theatrical production of 'Lost Monsters' at Liverpool’s Everyman Theatre, as well as scoring for contemporary dance company Phoenix Dance Theatre (Leeds) and for the Ballet ‘The Red Balloon’ with choreographer Aletta Collins at London's Royal Opera House.

'My Tentacles' is due for release in January 2012.  Prepare to experience an astonishing piece of work.


Mieko Shimizu/Mico

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