Nº 37 himorogi – ironomi

“The sky opens and the sun leads the flowers to bloom, rain connects the sky with the earth. The dance of joy and sadness blossoms.”

Six songs were created in chronological order, ama-saki (Bloom in the Sky), yume-asobi (Playing in Dream), sakura-ame (Cherry Blossom Rain), hibiki-sora (Echoing Sky)*, ama-yadori (Rain Shelter), chumu (Abstract Nil Space). On each, they move organically in the nature they were recorded, as rain connects the sky with the Earth, giving life to it with blossoming flowers. Once the hues of autumn bid their farewell, another life cycle begins. Rather than arriving at a state of tranquility, the idea is to reach a state of ‘nothingness’ as suggested in the zazen-inspired chumu. 

Junya Yanagidaira’s sublime, elegant phrasing of subtle polyphony and melodic piano lines fall like rain through a picturesque blue horizon over calming koto sways by multi-instrumentalist Yu Isobe. Flashes of sunlight momentarily refract through the water’s surface in the form of bright starlit keyboards, at times weaving child-like melodies of enchantment. The lightest touch of koto strings seems to hover and balance the murmur of a garden stream. It beckons you closer as the gentle caress of the music awakens your inner senses. himorogi will remain timeless because the duo created music that absconded with time and place with their endless visions of beauty. 

ironomi releases himorogi on 24 February 2023 (LP edition arriving Q2 2023) via KITCHEN. LABEL. Available on clear vinyl LP, CD and digital formats, with artwork by Japanese photographer Kisei Kobayashi and design by KITCHEN. LABEL founder Ricks Ang. Katsunori Fukuoka mastered this record at Flysound in Japan.

* not included in LP version 

CREDIT

Junya Yanagidaira – Piano
Yu Isobe – 17-String Koto, Programming

All compositions by ironomi
Mastered by Katsunori Fukuoka at Flysound Ltd.

Design by Ricks Ang
Photography by Kisei Kobayashi