Considered by some to be an icon of his generation in the field of contemporary ambient, Chihei Hatakeyama’s latest work could justifiably be called a classic of the genre. Soft, warm tones drift effortlessly into and across one another, building deep, rich atmosphere. The long slow notes glide and turn delicately, vaporous and cloud-like.
‘Broken Mirror’ and ‘Mausoleum’ and see subtle surges of sound build from the air, like gathering storms on the horizon, but never break into full crescendos. Instead, they dissipate and diminish, evaporating back into intangibility. Snippets of street life, field recordings from the city, a passing ambulance or fire engine occupy the space of ‘A Bronze Pike’.
It’s a magnificently balanced work that takes the listener on an immersive sonic journey to the end of the night.
The Dirty Youth Online
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