aus - Fluctor / Henning Schmiedt - Orange
Julianna Barwick, Meg Baird on guest / aus, Ulla, Hinako Omori - Ceremony
new release
aus - Fluctor
After making a strong comeback with the release of the single Until Then on Seb Wildblood's all my thoughts label, and his first full-length album in 15 years, Everis, aus now unveils a brand-new album. Originally composed as demos for a film project, these tracks have been reimagined into a chamber music work, centered around aus’s piano and the violin of Takahara Kumi. The intricate interplay of the piano and violin merges with subtle textures of early 2000s electronics, creating a lush and vivid melodic landscape.
In contrast to the sound collage approach of Everis, which heavily incorporated field recordings, this new album takes a more defined compositional path. Like a reflection on a still pond, the music is gentle yet leaves a lasting impression, evoking the emotional resonance of Studio Ghibli soundtracks. At the same time, it recalls the essence of Japan’s "image albums" — a genre of music popular in the 1980s, often created to evoke a particular mood or atmosphere rather than to serve as a direct soundtrack for a film.
The album features contributions from Julianna Barwick, Meg Baird, Henning Schmiedt, Danny Norbury, Glim, Eunice Chung (ex-Cicada), Arisa Yokote, Kumi Takahara continuing their seamless integration into aus’s sonic world.
futuristic, low gravity chamber music for orbiting space stations...The album’s a lovely ambient neoclassical listen which will sound great on a Sunday evening - Slow Music Movement
Henning Schmiedt - Orange
Henning Schmiedt’s latest solo piano album marks his first release in two years, reflecting a period of significant change. The album comprises 16 poetic and intimate pieces, performed on both muted upright and grand pianos, frequently enriched with delicate and warm electronic textures. The music is emotive and lyrical, evoking a sense of gentle whispering.
Henning Schmiedt describes his inspiration: “For me, orange is much more than a color. It’s a smell, a feeling of warmth, balance, and a desire to create. It embodies summery warmth, fruity sparkle, and the healing golden light of orange. It represents an active state of creativity and happiness, a warm, all-encompassing sound, like a refreshing swim in a forest lake.”
CRYSTAL - In A Cocktail Glass
Tokyo’s synth duo, CRYSTAL, proudly announces the release of their third album, ‘In A Cocktail Glass.’ This album is a grand collaboration with the renowned lyricist Yutaka Takamatsu, resulting in a poignant and wistful urban pop and techno kayō explosion.
Inspired by 80s TV commercials and trendy dramas, this album tells the story of a city boy wrestling with memories of summer and embarking on artistic adventures. It’s like stepping into a time machine, whisking you away to the dazzling world of bubble-era city pop.
‘In A Cocktail Glass’ stands apart from the current city pop revival, maintaining CRYSTAL’s unique “Suburban Pop” style. Their sound, a twist on the conventional city pop, brings both nostalgia and freshness in equal measure. This playful homage to the bubbly city pop of the 80s and 90s is crafted with fragments of poignant visions reflected in a cocktail glass.
new release
Kazumichi Komatsu - Computer Music
Kazumichi Komatsu returns with his first album in four years. The album delves deeply into the embodiment of listening — an exploration of how sound interacts with the body, rendering its presence tangible. Throughout the album, multiple layers of processed voices weave in and out, creating a sonic tapestry that oscillates between distinct atmospheres and disintegrating noise that lies just beyond the boundaries of the tracks themselves.
Simultaneously, Komatsu introduces familiar yet recontextualized elements: guitar tones and preset-like rhythms that nod to shoegaze and improvisation. The repetition of simple, almost mundane melodies offers a meditation on parallel structures and the potential hidden within them. This repetition doesn’t just build, it bets on the possibilities that emerge from the cracks within it.
The album’s title gestures towards an infinite archive of past works, suggesting a hyper-saturated experience of nostalgia that transcends mere memory and points toward something more elusive — a generative engagement with what has come before.
The album mastered by Jim O’Rourke
new event
aus, Ulla & Hinako Omori - Ceremony
Excited to announce an installation Ceremony with aus, Ulla, and Hinako Omori at the Tokyo National Museum.
7th DECEMBER 2024
Tokyo National Museum Garden & Teahouses
curated by aus
new exhibition
Kazumichi Komatsu at Nakanoshima Museum of Art
Kazumichi Komatsu’s exhibition at Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka ends this weekend.
new remix
aus remixes for Matthew Herbert
aus made two remixes for Matthew Herbert’s ‘The Horse’ special edition, out now via Accidental Records.
aus also made the remix for Elintseeker.
new video
Li Yilei & aus - 音形物像 - 詩聲茶會
sound installation for Mejiro Garden, collaboration between Li Yiei and aus
As a typhoon approached, the tranquil tearoom of Mejiro Garden became the stage for a sound installation by Li Yilei and aus. During asia tour, Li Yilei crafted a multi-sensory experience that combined sculptural and auditory elements. Using found objects gathered throughout their travels, Li constructed improvised sculptures that served not only as visual focal points but also as sound sources. These were paired with two contrasting sonic layers: one derived from organic field recordings and the resonances of the sculptures themselves, and the other, an inorganic, sci-fi-like drone. This interplay of tactile and mechanical sounds created a fascinating dialogue with the traditional tea room’s serene atmosphere (as captured in the first part of the video).
aus delved into the historical roots of this tearoom, referencing Akai Tori, Japan’s first literary magazine for children. Reading prose poems written by children from that era, aus interwove the rhythmic sounds of water used in tea preparation with the ambient noises of the surrounding garden, creating a delicately layered sonic tapestry (featured in the middle section of the video). The two artists’ contributions, unfolding across two tatami rooms, occasionally converged, blending into a harmonious interplay of sound that filled the tearoom. In a space traditionally reserved for quiet contemplation, sound became the centerpiece, transforming the serene afternoon into a rare dialogue between silence and resonance.