Pareidolia is apparently the fifth collaborative release by this Japanese –American duo but I challenge anyone to locate their previous four. Discogs lists only one: Lifetime Of A Flower from 2023 on Weekend Records.
Jim O’Rourke has collaborated with so many artists that I doubt that even he can remember whether his work was ever released on CdRs or through official labels. He’s probably best known for his work with Sonic Youth and Wilco but his CV is wide-ranging and not a little mind-boggling.
Eiko Ishibashi is equally prolific and came to prominence as the acclaimed composer of soundtracks for Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s films Drive My Car (2021) and Evil Does Not Exist (2023) . O’Rourke played on and mixed both.
The two are in a relationship but their professional work is confined to the exchange of separate data files. They met when she played flute on a 2015 Burt Bacharach covers album O’Rourke was producing.
With a playing time of just under 40 minutes, this album is listed as containing four tracks: Par - Ei - Do - lia but really it is just one piece with no defined beginning or definitive ending.
The album is a re-edit and remix of the improvised sounds from the duo's two week tour through Europe in 2023.
It is a mesmerising soundtrack to a movie that hasn’t been made yet.
Nothing was discussed before these shows. Everything was left to chance. Being in the moment was what mattered.
From the liner notes comes a description that describes their sonic process well and is a good definition of ambient music in general: “to make pictures out of randomness.”
