For this album, Kamimura chose the theme of "Miko (巫女) - Shinto oracle priestesses," who emerged in ancient Japan, at a time when language had not yet been developed.
God of Fire and People of Stars
by
Shigezo Kamimura
The recording was made at a studio nestled in a natural environment located at the foot of Daisen, a volcanic mountain in Tottori Prefecture. This setting allowed the warm wooden sound of marimba, gamelan-like glockenspiel, and folksy human whistle to resound directly through the middle of the forest. The Indonesian gamelan-like round and soft sounds have subtle warmth, and they deeply and infallibly penetrate the listener's skin.
Upon the first hearing, this music is so compact and minimally executed that it reminds the listener of chamber music. Simultaneously, its mantra-induced floating feeling gains access to the external world until it reaches universal expansion. Meditative, healing sounds melt together, allowing the forest and nature itself to fully envelope the listener.
"When I performed live at the Hikami Shrine in Iwate Prefecture, the sun happened to shine so strongly, and the crowd appeared to transform into a colossal dragon. The vibration I felt from this experience inspired me to start making this album," said Kamimura.
This album "ヒノカミホシノカミ - God of Fire and People of Stars" demonstrates a version of the roots crucial to Japanese culture, such as "Sun God Worship" and a mythological cosmic view of "Fire = God/Stars = People." When Miko's innocent and crystal-clear chorus resounds in the almost universal minimal soundscape, the music attains a purely Japanesque beauty.
Daisuke Muraoka (Production Staff / Overseas Sales)
