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Since the early 2000s, Sunao Gonno has been an integral part of the Japanese house and techno scene. His musical productions have not only appeared on esteemed local labels like W.C. Recordings or Nitelist Music; they have also been released internationally by imprints like Re-Active or Perc Trax from London, Beyond Recordings from Detroit, International Feel Recordings from Ibiza, Merkur Schallplatten from Berlin, and Tim Sweeney's New York-based Beats in Space Records. Furthermore, his special twisted house and techno arrangements been frequently played by DJs like Laurent Garnier, James Holden, François Kevorkian, and Todd Terje, and Gonno has made a splash with remixes for legends like Jeff Mills. Behind the decks or as a live performer, he has travelled the globe to show his audience, with his records and machines, the lost art of storytelling. With Remember the Life Is Beautiful, he has reclaimed the almost forgotten poetic art of a musical journey and produced ten tracks that unite ambient, techno, house, and other styles into a mesmerizing sonic trip. The album lifts you up one moment while guiding you into an ambient galaxy a moment later, yet Gonno has managed to inject a story arc into the work, which somehow reflects the various life circumstances he has gone through over the decades. Contrary to many of his colleagues, he is not a man of sampling. Instead, he makes all of his tracks using his Korg Triton, Moog Little Phatty, Korg Volca Keys, Roland TR-8, Roland MC-202, Acidlab Bassline, cheap Casio keyboard, Fender Stratocaster, and acoustic guitar. He layers his tracks with recordings of his handclaps, his voice, soft treated shakers, and other unusual sound recordings. The tracks share Gonno's touch for expansive space and warm, natural atmospheres in which gentle arpeggios, charming chords, and sweet melodies float freely. "I think people can call my music whatever. I hate to assign it to a specific genre. I have many musical idols and they all told me 'kill your idol.' That's why I don't have a sense in belonging to something. It would mean less freedom. And my music should be always as free as possible," declares Gonno. A claim that all tracks on Remember the Life Is Beautiful honor with unconventional inventiveness. A journey through techno, house, new age, ambient, and beyond, in which listeners can feel each emotional dimension Gonno has to offer. CD includes two extra tracks.
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