Origamibiro – Shakkei

Effortless synchronicity is what comes to mind when listening to “Shakkei” the new album from audio-visual collective Origamibiro. However, one should be quick to confirm that while this may suggest a passive approach to composition in truth it is far from the case. In this instance, the choice of words is meant to illustrate the fact that these three musicians seamlessly bond together a rich tapestry of sounds in a way that shields their complexities. The result is an engaging listening experience that is both accessible and detailed.

In keeping with this opening paragraph, one could elaborate further on the choreographed approach at hand, for the enjoyment that comes from hearing this music is not just spent in terms of melodic consumption. The listener will also seek much thrill in trying to understand how these multiple layers of sound are so brilliantly brought together. However, without the visual aid that comes with the band’s extraordinary live performances, this can prove to be a daunting task.

Throughout the record, listeners will be treated to a variety of sounds that aren’t just limited to traditional instrumentation. While the meshing of percussion, keyboards, electric, acoustic and bowed guitars offers some hints as to the kind of sounds one can expect, it is the further additions of unconventional noise such as typewriters, field sounds and other auditory samples that combine together so well to support the more conventional music. It is when hearing these all in unison that one forgets there are just three players as the music takes on symphonic dimensions.

Some great examples of this can be found on the wonderful “Quad Time and the Genius of the Crowd” where bowed guitars, clinking typewriters, plucked strings, whispered and windy voices all move in the collective force that is only achievable through recorded sound. It is a brilliant showcase of how music can be an infinitely evolving medium. Similarly the album opener “Impressions of Footfall” will take listeners on a fantastical journey of sonic waves that combine the soothing, slow thumping percussion of down tempo ambient music, with heavily bowed strings and abstract sound.

As alluded to earlier, one fear that comes from hearing this music is that something may be lost on the listener due to the lack of the physical presence that these musicians have brought to their performance. Indeed, having watched videos of live renditions, complete with the audio-visual elements that form part of their musicianship, one can fully appreciate the creations as intended. However, this shouldn’t deter the listener. There is so much detail, and so much pleasure that can be detracted from these sounds that “Shakkei” evokes plenty of imagination and engagement for its listeners. Finding a live performance by the band is the next logical step in interacting with the artistry that this album introduces.

Overall, “Shakkei” feels like a significant record. This is not just a testament to its scope, which as already painted here is both grand and vivid, but also in its approach to recorded works. The result is both a listening pleasure and an exercise for those who choose to engage with it. One hopes this will be a significant number, as “Shakkei” is the kind of music that should be enjoyed and appreciated by many.

- Josh Atkin for Fluid Radio

Free Download: Quad Time remixes from Leafcutter John, Joseph Minadeo, Soil and Water, Juxtaphona and Low In the Sky – including the music video – all for free. Click here to download

There is also a full length remix album due for release after Shakkei comes out, with artists such as ISAN, Remote Viewer, Plaid, Set In Sand, Upward Arrows, Melodium, Calika, Ofthesky, Last Man on Mars and many more.

www.origamibiro.com
www.abandonbuilding.com
www.denizen.uk.com