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RMSG 021CD
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Kansai based artist Ytamo returns to Someone Good with a record of deep introspection. Recorded across 2019, whilst she was pregnant with her first child, she produced this edition in soft focus. This is an album that resonates with an in-built nostalgia of recollection that is simultaneously actual and imagined. The songs reflect on her own experiences as a child, each piece building a bridge between the promise of parenthood and the hazy memories of her youngest years. Pairing back her instrumentation at times to the instrument she started her musical life with, the piano, this album showcases her capacity for cycling minimal movements, dynamic tonal ruptures and hypnotic interweaving harmony. Features Takako Minekawa.
From Lawrence English: "... Sometime in the early to mid-00s, I was on tour in Japan. I was playing at the now closed venue Bridge in Tennoji. It was one of my favorite venues in Japan, mostly as Tennoji still holds those secrets of Japan's 20th century history; the nocturnal, dreamlike sensibilities that reach out to us from beyond; much like, Chris Marker's San Soleil observes. During this concert, I was joined by an artist whose work I wasn't familiar with at that time, Ytamo. By the end of her set however I was completely spellbound by her unusual sense of harmony, minimal repetitious piano patterning and her ability to move between seemingly unrelated musical structures in ways that acoustically melted from one movement to another . . . A few years ago we released MI WO on Someone Good (2016), a milestone recording for her and one I did not think she could easily eclipse. With Vacant, however, she does just that. Vacant is a completely personal music. It contains the kinds of songs that tell of one person's experiences in a way that opens out towards all who encounter the work. Vacant plants seeds deep within the listener and these germinate at unexpected moments and with unpredictable results. Having lived with the record for the past half year, I can speak to this experience. 'Far Away From Here', one of the long-form pieces on the record has found its way bubbling up in my subconscious. The same can be said of 'Mantis', another piece with melodies that just fold into you, burying themselves with a gentle presence that radiates in time. I can't recommend Ytamo's music to you enough."
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RMSG 014CD
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the many lives that live
within the organic planet
by listening, I touch them
fluttering light of the day
--Takako Minekawa
"Sometime in the early to mid '00s, I was on tour in Japan. I was playing at the now closed venue Bridge in Tennoji. It was one of my favourite venues in Japan, mostly as Tennoji still holds those secrets of Japan's 20th century history; the nocturnal, dreamlike sensibilities that reach out to us from beyond, much like say Chris Marker's San Soleil does. The concert was most memorable though for one reason -- Ytamo. Before I performed, Ytamo (who at the time I had not heard of) commandeered a piano and created one of the most unusual and soothing pieces of music I had ever heard. These were songs that felt as if they were on the edge of consciousness, they flowed with grooves that seemed to suggest a deep hypnosis. It was quite honestly audio magic. Now the better part of a decade on, I have the pleasure to have a hand in making her latest recording available. MI WO orbits in a more aquatic space than her earlier works. Shimmering electronics abound, melodies like the tides and rhythms that vibrate with oceanic gravity. Originally created to accompany an exhibition by Argentine artist Natalí Katz, MI WO sees Ytamo expand her palette considerably. She melts together the core of her song explorations with a rich sonic texturing that is both compelling and evocative. It's my great privilege to share this with you." --Lawrence English
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