My version of the famous tune, my voice and my electronic arrangement.  This was the curtain call for Dairakudakan's production of "Niku no Uta" ("Song of Meat") feat. choreographer and dancer Emiko Agatsuma.

Thanks Emiko and Thanks Dairakudakan, for teaching me synergy.

Besame Mucho (Erimix)

The final scene of the butoh production "Manna", a collaboration with butoh dancer/choreographer Kumotarou Mukai, during his 2008 residency at the University of Michigan.  The premiere took place at the Duderstadt Center Video Studio.  

A solitary character dances out in the wide open, until he is overtaken in a flood of apples.

Manna

Used for a solo by Kumotarou Mukai in the Dairakudakan production "Sokonuke Mandala".  HIs solitary insect-like character was masked by many many layers of plastic skin, and as this gradual music progressed, he peeled off layer after layer after layer to reveal a surreal face within.

Camel

This was composed during the project "Sokonuke Mandala", though it wasn't used. I shared it with Emiko Agatsuma, who was in charge of sound for this production, and she said it reminded her of Savannah.  

It remained unheard for years until the butoh dancers/choreographers Daiichiro Yuyama and Naomi Muku asked to use it for their performance in the movie "Ah...Wasteland".  

A sublime moment where a man and woman do a butoh pas de deux on top of a 4-story structure of metal girders.  He lifts her high above his head, suspended above all death and life.

Dark Beat

Composed for butoh dancer/choreographer Daiichiro Yuyama's New York production of "Memory of the Land".

Wild Horse

Composed for the 2008 butoh production "Manna" featuring dancer/choreographer Kumotarou Mukai.  The premiere took place at the University of Michigan Duderstadt Video Studio.   

Also used for the Dairakudakan production "Sokonuke Mandala".

Chaos Jungle

Composed for the Dairakudakan production of "Niku no Uta" ("Song of Meat")featuring dancer/choreographer Emiko Agatsuma.

Particles

This track was composed for the Dairakudakan production of "Utsushimi" featuring dancer/choreographer Barabbas Okuyama.
HIs powerful form writhed on the edge of an endless inhale.

Photo by Gyorgy Jokuti

Inhale

This was composed for the Dairakudakan production of "Yupiters" featuring the dancer/choreographer Yuko Kobayashi.  It was performed in New York City, Paris, and Tokyo.

Zuni Buffalo Dance

Composed for the butoh production "Manna" featuring Kumotarou Mukai, though it hasn't made it to the stage... yet...

Waves

This music was composed for the Dairakudakan production of "Yupiters", featuring dancer/choreographer Yuko Kobayashi.  It was performed in New York City, Paris, and Tokyo.

Kamuyuko

Composed for the Dairakudakan production of "Yupiters", featuring dancer/choreographer Yuko Kobayashi. Performed in New York City, Paris, and Tokyo.

Blood

This was composed for the Dairakudakan production of "Sokonuke Mandala" and revised for the later production of "Manna". (Unfortunately, I could only find the mp3 of this version, but hopefully you still enjoy the music.)

Mandala

Cross

Celebration Double Time was composed for opening scene of the Dairakudakan production "Sokonuke Mandala" featuring dancer/choreographer Kumotarou Mukai.

Celebration Double Time

This track was composed for the Dairakudakan production of "Utsushimi" featuring dancer/choreographer Barabbas Okuyama.
HIs powerful form writhes and spins and bounces trancelike, on the brink of madness and ecstasy.

Photo by PETTENDI SZABO Peter.

Nerve Crusher

Composed for the Dairakudakan production "Niku no Uta" ("Song of Meat") featuring dancer/choreographer Emiko Agatsuma.  Performed in New York City, Paris, and Tokyo. 

All source sounds came from my Telecaster Nami-san.

Amnion 2

Composed for Kumotarou Mukai, for several butoh performances in locations around Mexico "Encuentro con otro mundo" (2014). This track is loosely based on the Christian Samurai adventurer and ambassador Hasekura Tsunenaga (1571-1622), who led a 7-year journey to Mexico City, Madrid, and Rome. He was the first official Japanese envoy to visit the American continent. A Japanese Odysseus.

Tsunenaga

An unusual track, butoh-influenced, though never used for performance.

Animal Oracle Cries For The World

Originally composed for the Dairakudakan production "Niku no Uta" ("Song of Meat") featuring dancer/choreographer Emiko Agatsuma, though the music never made it to the stage.

Amnion

This track was influenced by butoh. though never used for performance. I was composing a series of pieces called "Oracles".  I imagined a lone weathered street character, transformed by some shamanistic process, speaking in some incomprehensible language about what he knows and can't tell.

Here is a long list of compositions, 24 or so, created for use by brilliant butoh dancers I have known. Butoh is an underground form of dance theatre, which originated in Japan the 1960's and has spread to worldwide awareness. The "dance of darkness" draws deep from the hidden realms of the psyche and body memory - mysterious, disturbingly and shockingly beautiful, it grabbed me in 2000, and never let go. I have collaborated with a great number of phenomenal artists, mainly from the seminal butoh troupe Dairakudakan, led by Akaji Maro.

The music in this long list are highlights of the larger collection of music composed for these artists; most of it was used during productions, but some of it never made it to the stage. The butoh world is extraordinary beyond explanation, and it has always brought me to adventurous new imaginings, connected me to strange new obsessions, always broken new ground. One of my collaborators, Daiichiro, said "Your music sounds like there is a monster inside." 

Welcome.

SCENE 1 - I saw the light

This is an archive of music that I composed for Butoh dance from 2001-2021. If you are interested to use something for your production, please contact me at eriksantosbutohmusic@gmail.com.
Deep thanks to Dairakudakan, and to my butoh collaborators, dancers and choreographers:  Kumotarou Mukai, Jun Wakabayashi, Yuko Kobayashi, Daiichiro Yuyama, Emiko Agatsuma, Naomi Muku, and Barabbas Okuyama.

Erik Santos Butoh Music

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