We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

super u

by otomoni

about

Listen the album here: outlineslabel.bandcamp.com/album/super-u

In 2020 the first release in guides, a new publishing initiative set up by outlines owner Pawel "Paide" Dunajko, was released. guides is intended to be a label less burdened by formal requirements but - like outlines - still trying to present the most interesting and innovative music at 160 bpm.

The second tape in the guides catalogue is the result of a collaboration with Japanese producer otomoni. The Tokyo-based sound artist owns the Minzoku Tapes label, where his original productions have mainly been released.

otomoni's "super u" tape consists of nine tracks for which Chicago footwork is the starting point. However, the Japanese producer creates his own individual version of this genre, using such compositional techniques as sound design, field recording and musique concrete. otomoni's sound palette is extremely rich and characterised by a multitude of details. The rhythmic layer is non-obvious, driven by a microcosm of sound particles and melodies.

The very beginning of the release ("mizurizu") presents before us evocative images of some undiscovered anime world, in which a delicate impressionistic narrative merges in the finale with noise blurring details. "hanoi" relieves this moment of tension with a melodic intro that, after a while, launches into a footwork groove. "kenka" is a sweet miniature with echoes of reggaeton rhythm. Finishing the A side of the cassette "misago" is a futuristic minimal footwork set on an ear-piercing synthetic sound, around which surprising noises are lit up.

In the opening B-side title track "super u" otomoni continues to create his sound world. It's transformed vocal samples, expressive and juicy rhythmics, on the background of which unexpectedly appears the sour sound of Roland's 303. "ooree" takes the listener to a different, but equally surprising corner of otomoni's world full of plasticity and colours. In "amenoi" the listener lands in the middle of a jungle of sounds creating an unreal scaffolding for an alternative reality. From its very beginning "mikudro" fits into the narration started in "amenoi", but it tries to burst this created structure with a vibrating stroboscope of sounds. Seemingly chaotic percussions create a new physics of music. The album's closing "akumu" begins with a vast looped drone, against which ritual simple vocalizations are sung. After a while the drone and the voice are joined by other sounds of a new world coming to life.

otomoni's music has an extraordinary gift for illustrating alternative realities. However, this does not happen with a flourish, pathos or overload of meanings. The sounds he uses are characterised by subtlety and minimalism of expression. It is an autonomous and living world. Footwork in its basic form is a musical genre which is supposed to accompany the movements of dancers competing with each other. otomoni's Footwork is music detached from this tradition, but using the components of this genre to create a completely new reality.

credits

released June 22, 2022

mastered by: otomoni
artwork: Iwona Jarosz

tags

about

otomoni image

otomoni Tokyo, Japan

otomoni is from Kobe, Japan and currently, resides in Tokyo. otomoni(a.k.a ancou) founded the label MINZOKU TAPES in 2017. He likes the rhythm of Juke / Footwork and arranges it in his own way. He skillfully uses field recording, sampling, and Vocaloid to collage sounds. It is avant-garde and pop. His sound is built with minimal polyrhythm and is weird and attractive. ... more

contact / help

Contact otomoni

Streaming and
Download help

Report this album or account

If you like otomoni, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Saxophonist Isaiah Collier chats about his new LP and the influence of Pharoah Sanders.
listen now