TSUNODA, TOSHIYA — Scenery of Decalcomania
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“Naturestrip is proud to present the stunning new release by Japanese Sound artist, Toshiya Tsunoda. This is Tsunoda’s first solo release on Naturestrip having contributed to the Overland compilation (NS3002). Tsunoda offers us over 64 minutes of pure sonic pleasure. The 7 tracks span over a decade’s worth of sound exploration and showcase Tsunoda’s talents. Scenery of decalcomania is the title of the album and in Tsunoda’s own words “An event causes vibrations to travel through a certain space, and the vibrations affect this space. Or to put it another way, a space is made to appear through vibration. A similar example; the stain of paint on textured paper is pressed into a new surface, a decalcomania. Tsunoda continues to innovate and challenge in his exploration of ‘vibrating spaces'. The subtle incorporation of electronics and audio filtering, featured on three of these pieces, are an added bonus for fans of Tsunoda's work. Set against the stark beauty of his field recordings, these 'manipulations' further emphasise the unique and perceptive appreciation of acoustic phenomenon for which Tsunoda is known.” [press release]
“.... There’s a wide-ranging variety of timbres, high, whistling tones to wooly, low ones, variations in spatial imagery from compressed to expansive, etc. Most of the pieces are relatively steady-state, focused on a particular phenomenon, such as wind passing from a small aperture in a metal handrail, the loose exterior billowing contrasting with but clearly relating to the tightly enclosed keening heard within the tube. Similarly, the piece involving the cylinder cavity contrasts the deep, almost liquid-sounding rushes of air through that tiny space with the chirps and tweets of area birds, unconstrained in an entirely different sonic space. The final work, “Cut Diagonally”, uses voltage gates to cut off sounds beneath certain frequency levels, leaving only the irregular “peaks” and resulting in a fascinating, difficult-to-translate welter of sonic debris that’s strongly reminiscent of some of Xenakis’ electronic explorations. The exception to this general rule, and the standout track on the disc, is “Ferry Passing”, recorded on a bridge in Kisarazu Bay, Japan, apparently with little in the way of enhancement. It unfurls like a freeform short story, narrative with no preconceived plot, leaving the listener in an anticipatory dither waiting for the next event. The harbor noises, PA announcements, scattered snatches of conversation, chimes, motors, wind and water all provide an extraordinarily rich sound field only heightened by the natural, everyday drama of small events. It’s one of the most rewarding pieces I’ve heard this year and “Scenery of Decalcomania” has been one of my most played discs in recent months, a superb recording. [Brian Olewnick, BAGATELLEN]
“.... There’s a wide-ranging variety of timbres, high, whistling tones to wooly, low ones, variations in spatial imagery from compressed to expansive, etc. Most of the pieces are relatively steady-state, focused on a particular phenomenon, such as wind passing from a small aperture in a metal handrail, the loose exterior billowing contrasting with but clearly relating to the tightly enclosed keening heard within the tube. Similarly, the piece involving the cylinder cavity contrasts the deep, almost liquid-sounding rushes of air through that tiny space with the chirps and tweets of area birds, unconstrained in an entirely different sonic space. The final work, “Cut Diagonally”, uses voltage gates to cut off sounds beneath certain frequency levels, leaving only the irregular “peaks” and resulting in a fascinating, difficult-to-translate welter of sonic debris that’s strongly reminiscent of some of Xenakis’ electronic explorations. The exception to this general rule, and the standout track on the disc, is “Ferry Passing”, recorded on a bridge in Kisarazu Bay, Japan, apparently with little in the way of enhancement. It unfurls like a freeform short story, narrative with no preconceived plot, leaving the listener in an anticipatory dither waiting for the next event. The harbor noises, PA announcements, scattered snatches of conversation, chimes, motors, wind and water all provide an extraordinarily rich sound field only heightened by the natural, everyday drama of small events. It’s one of the most rewarding pieces I’ve heard this year and “Scenery of Decalcomania” has been one of my most played discs in recent months, a superb recording. [Brian Olewnick, BAGATELLEN]