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7"
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PING 087EP
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The hypnotic folk music of the Ainu a cappella group Marewrew has received the first of two remix treatments by Pingipung artists. Part 1 is by Andi Otto and M.RUX. Andi Otto was the curator of the Marewrew album for Pingipung, released in 2024. He selected gems from their archive for the Ukouk LP. His remix pays homage to the frenetic vocal dynamics of the round canon Sikata Kuykuy. Beginning with a stubborn piano beat, it's the bass clarinets that sit in sync with the vocals that make this dance track so charming. Bonus fact: they're played by Pingipung co-founder Heiko Gogolin -- his first outing on the instrument for his own label. M.RUX's take on "Etukuma Kara" is playful and groovy. Many will remember his legendary 2018 remix of "Umeko Ando" (Iuta Upopo), which marked Pingipung's first involvement with Ainu traditional music from northern Japan. His reworking of Marewrew's vocal music blends elements of various tracks with his own percussion, and the result is nothing short of spectacular. The two tracks are presented on 7" vinyl.
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7"
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PING 088EP
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This is the second package of remixes for the hypnotic folk music of the Ainu a cappella group Marewrew. Ukouk Remixes Pt. 2 is dedicated to dub-infused remixes, featuring Elijah Minnelli and Peter Presto on a 7" single. Elijah Minnelli is a producer of dub music. The London-based artist specializes in a fusion of folklore and dub, which he masterfully demonstrates on his latest release Perpetual Musket on the FatCat label. His remix of Marewrew's "Uekap" is a deep and breathing take on the mesmerizing round singing vocals, dubbed in a live take through his mixing desk. The chopped vocals are used like percussion instruments. Elijah Minnelli has also contributed a moody DJ mix to the Pingipung podcast series, sharing some of his knowledge of pre-reggae roots music from the Caribbean and South America. Pingipung founder Peter Presto remixes the same track, "Uekap," with his unmistakable dubby playfulness. The vocals are merry, the groove stumbling and slow. The flute melody qualifies as a perfect stress antidote. The electronic dub trio Cloud Management added their version of "Honkaya" to the digital package. There is an Andi Otto remix in the bundle, "Hunpe Yan Na." The song is about a whale that has stranded ashore; Otto dubs the song with Heiko Gogolin's bass clarinet, blown organ pipes and his cello. Finally, Californian folk wizard Contact Field Orchestra adds his atmospheric, haunted version of "Etukuma Kara."
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PING 085LP
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Marewrew (pronounced: Ma-leoo-leoo / mɑleːul̯ eːu)̯ is a female vocal group that sings traditional Ainu songs. The music of the long-suppressed people from northern Japan has been a particular focus of Pingipung's output in recent years, together with Oki Kano who recorded and produced many Ainu artists. Following various re-releases by Umeko Ando, the late grande dame of traditional Ainu music, the spotlight is now on the a cappella music of Marewrew, which by the way means "butterfly" in Ainu. Attentive listeners will recognize the voices, as some of the band have already performed as backing singers on recordings by Umeko Ando. Their a cappella versions of traditional Ainu music shed a whole new light on the fascinating songs that have been passed down through generations exclusively through song. Many of the songs are set as tightly interwoven canons: one starts, the others join in, but slightly out of phase. The short songs sometimes unfold into a wondrous trance that seems to spin round and round -- if singing can actually dance, then this is how. Nature sounds and woodpeckers can be heard, and there is a funny miniature in which the ladies imitate birdsong. Things get hypnotic with an evocative song about stranded whales or an ode to the Orca as "Little Sea God." The album culminates in unexpected pop or cumbia moments with a band line-up including percussions and Oki Kano on the famous Tonkori harp. Marewrew are Rekpo, Hisae, and Mayunkiki. Rim-Rim was a member of the group until 2022. Ukouk is a selection of Marewrew's work compiled from CD releases by Pingipung's Andi Otto. Oki Kano has contributed unreleased material and added new versions of the songs which had only been released in Japan. The album has been remastered by Kassian Troyer and is now available on LP for the first time.
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