Waiting for Mint Shower!!, by Shelling

Blissful new offerings from Japanese label White Paddy Mountain, Waiting for Mint Shower!! is a beautiful 8-track project from Tokyo-based band Shelling. Mellow, emotional, and highly recommended.

shelling is a shoegaze/dreampop band formed in Tokyo. aya(vocal,guitar,compose) and shota(guitar)
“shelling” means to gather shells on the beach.
in February 2010 they released a split CD with IROTTO+
called “before time melts.” on High Fader records.
in February 2013 they released 1st full album on white paddy mountain.

アンビエントとシューゲイズの狭間をいくサウンドで衝撃を与えたShelling（シェリング）の待望の
サードアルバムが遂に完成！今作ではより本家のシューゲイザー、マイブラッディバレンタインを思わせる
美しくも破壊的なエレキギターのサウンドをフューチャー。女性ヴォーカルayaの澄み切った声が幻想の中を
彷徨います。ディストーションの海のような轟音の中に美しいメロディが重なる１曲目の『Unfading Scent』、
まるで９０年代のUKロックやスマッシング・パンプキンズなどの美しい曲のような『Shining Pool』。
美しく、儚いサウンドが切なく胸に突き刺さります。
ミックス、マスタリングはChihei Hatakeyamaが担当。ノイズウォール・オブ・サウンドとも言うべき
破壊的かつ叙情的で繊細なミックスに仕上げた。

released April 30, 2017

mixed by Chihei Hatakeyama
mastered by Chihei Hatakeyama

Fluid And Dreaming Of Stripes, by Masaya Ozaki

Pre-order your copy now, this gem drops February 2nd! Lo-fi ambient from Japanese film composer and multi-instrumentalist, Masaya Ozaki. Part of the incredible eilean records lineup.

SKY念仏, by Sanmi

Time for a brief recommendation! This is Sanmi. I discovered this producer some years ago on soundcloud, maybe late 2009, through his electronic noodling and waveshaping. The music he creates runs the spectrum from ambient noodling to deep house and electro. His latest EP from HZ Recordings titled “Diaspora” was a wonderful little piece of fantastic electronic tracks, and also a highly recommended listen!

His personal page coins himself as “Japan based experimentalist Kyo Yanagi describes his alter ego as an experimental unit since 1998. He uses algorithmic and process based electronic composition techniques, creating textures which fluctuate from warm and delicate to visceral and abrasive.” Which is the perfect description for his sonic creations. So his latest project SKY念仏 showed up in my feed, I was excited what I would be hearing! 

Only 2 tracks, this EP is apparently an experiment in “Vocal work with bottles and rice”, which is abundantly clear upon the beginning of the first track! Pulsing full tones accompany steady shakers (I can only guess that this is where the bottles and rice comes into play!), layered with interesting vocal chanting. This is a great window into the mind of this producer, using such sparse and acoustic instrumentation, we see the style stripped down to the very base level. Within the instrumentation and natural rhythms of this release I can hear the direct connection to his sine-wave experiments and other electronic projects, feeling ties between the improvised melodies and slow growth formula.

All in all, its a strange and enjoyable little release for someone like me, and it can serve as a fantastic introduction to this producers material. If you are looking for something off the beatin’ path, look no further than Sanmi’s extensive catalog, you’ll be sure to find something you can enjoy!