Monologue.

Tomotsugu Nakamura

AB086: April 2019

Monologue

“monologue” was born from conversation with the nature around. So, this work might actually be called “dialogue”. I focused on removing all unnecessary elements, so that the form has become more simple and acoustical. Total balance and stillness in human life is my purpose. I hope that some of my work will sneak calmly into the listeners’ mind and cure their heart.

This is a special album and the first vinyl release ever on Audiobulb which you can buy > HERE.

   

Tracklisting:

  1. Monologue
  2. Euphemisms
  3. Trivium
  4. Zephyr
  5. Epiphany
  6. Violet
  7. Echoes
  8. Bloom In The Haze
  9. Initial Word In The Line
  10. Open Beautiful
  11. Cinematograph

Tomotsugu Nakamura

Tomotsugu has received continuous support from many artist like Laurence English and Nils Frahm. His live performances have featured in art galleries participating with Stephan Mathieu + Taylor Deupree + Federico Durand during their tour of Japan. Tomotsugu has had sound installations in the art festival "steirischerherbst’18" in Austria. In 2016 his 3rd album “An opened book in the dark” was released from Kaico, this followed previous releases with Audiobulb & White Paddy Mountain.

https://tomotsugunakamura.com/

Reviews

Michael Cottone (The Green Kingdom)

Monologue by Tomotsugu Nakamura is a graceful and meditative listening experience. Acoustic instruments are subtly processed and layered to great effect, along with the occasional field recording or glitchy element. Never overshadowed, however, is the melodic beauty of the gently cascading notes and the patient use of space between them.

Beach Sloth

A blissful combination of folk and electronica comes together on Tomotsugu Nakamura’s soothing “monologue”. Full of understated little moments the gestures gain such prominence amongst so much contemplative silence. Various glitches bounce off each other in dazzlingly beautiful ways resulting in a great sea of patterns. Melodies work akin to mere wisps as they come in and out of the mix. Highly improvised the whole of the album possesses a great looseness that gives it a tremendous liveliness. During certain moments it recalls Four Tet’s earliest, sunniest pieces.

Opening with the title track “monologue” the mood is set: reflective, spacious, and quite flexible. Going further down the rabbit hole is the lovely pastoral calm of “euphemisms” where field recordings filter into the mix in the best possible way. Layer upon layer is applied with an impressionistic hue on the soothing low end of “zephyr” where the tones seem to extend off into the distance. Instrumentally vibrant “violet” serves as the highlight of the album. Such heart and soul emerge from its simple yet understated arrangement. Sounds bounce off each other and scatter about with the tender warmth of “echoes”. Playing with listener expectations is the powerful “initial word in the line”. Strings add to the emotional outpouring of the sweeping “open beautiful”. Things get stripped down to the absolute essentials on the patient scope of “cinematograph”.

Done with the utmost of grace and poise, Tomotsugu Nakamura’s “monologue” goes for a tremendously lush, beautiful sound.  

A Closer Listen

Fans of small sounds will enjoy the micro textures of Tomotsugu Nakamura.  The artist combines organic and electronic elements to create a ladybug-like world.

Chill

This is unusual, sculpted sound from an artist with gallery installations to his name and support from the likes of Nils Frahm. We’re playing “Bloom In The Haze” on Chill.

Audiobulb Records

Exploratory Music   

Sheffield, UK
contact@audiobulb.com

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