Electroacoustic Tales (BLOG)
This month 12k presented a live recording of a show by Minamo, Sawako + Hofli, Moskitoo, Solo Andata and Taylor Deupree at Komyoji Temple in 2010. It is the first various artists album I purchased for a long time by the way and an edition limited to 500 copies. I don’t talk here about a ‘compilation’ on purpose although it is a collection of live sets by various 12k artists, from my point of view the correct term for this beautiful CD is ‘live album’. Regarding the sound quality I’d never expected it to be a live recording if I wouldn’t have known it before (maybe the only evidence for it could be seen in a guitar very slightly out of tune). It sounds so brilliantly clear and well balanced that it also must have been a mind-blowing live experience at Komyoji Temple last year. It’s always worth a very intense listen and that’s what I did countless times this month.
Minamo presents the opening set of Tasogare: Live in Tokyo and it is a truly beautiful beginning. Sadly this first set is a bit short, I would have loved to listen to the amazing sound with rich textures by Minamo a bit longer indeed. The following set by Sawako + Holfi is simply stunning. It is the most intimate set of the CD in my opinion. I cannot describe why it is so special – it simply is. The Moskitoo set comes up with the typical Moskitoo sound I got to know through her first 12k release ‘Drape’, also presented live perfectly. With the following Solo Andata set ‘Tasogare: Live in Tokyo’ turns to darker drones in a sound somewhere between their self-titled album and their latest ‘Ritual’ – regarding their live set on ‘Live in Melbourne’ which was more melodic this Tokyo set definitely seems to be geared to their current darker sound. The final set by 12k label-head Taylor Deupree is another breathtaking live experience. His low-fidelity field-recordings/textures combined with the clear droning sound are always worth to be listened on repeat and it completes this perfect live album.
Tasogare: Live in Tokyo exactly contains all the adorable ingredients we often find in the 12k catalogue. The only difference could be that this live album is a bit more intimate. And of course it’s the exquisite selection of artists and their ability to perform their music in live shows. As highly I recommend this release as strong I wish to see one of these shows live one day.