BBC Music Magazine
Album "Another World Of Okinawan Music" was selected as one of
"the best world music recordings released in 2021 so far".
No.165, March 2021 Songlines Magazine, Asia Reviews
Official site
"ANOTHER WORLD OF OKINAWAN MUSIC"
★★★★
Deep electro-acoustic vibes
On her debut, Okinawan musician Mutsumi reimagines the soundscapes of her native island as an electro-acoustic experience. Having studied with some of the masters of Okinawan traditional music, Mutsumi has sought to combine her vocals and sanshin (lute) with electronic soundscapes and audio-visuals, creating a reflection of local culture that operates both internally and externally. Brief spoken passages (described as an ‘Entrance’ and ‘Exit’), serve as bookends that set a contemplative and immersive tone, the album leisurely shifts between scenes of musical and textural ambience.
Mutsumi achieves this with various samples and field recordings of Okinawan life, blending natural sounds with those of local musicians and festivities. While the album is at its most striking when Mutsumi's voice and sanshin are at the forefront, her beautifully melismatic vocals are a particular highlight; these moments of ambiguity serve to cut to the heart of the album's core themes of place and growth. Innovative and avant-garde, Mutsumi has succeeded in creating a work that upends conventional notions of Okinawan music, while being a cerebral work of art in its own right. The physical edition also comes with a DVD containing additional soundscapes, art and archive footage.
Charlie Cawood
TRACK TO TRY Chijuyaa
Okinawa Times
Nippon Connection 2019 Japanese Film Festival article
Contribution
On the experiences at Nippon Connection and the usage of the archived footage of Okinawa article
Interviewed by an artistic project USUAL PETS podcast by Richard Gilbert and Jeff Cairns.
The interview about music, creations, etc., and poetry + music collaborated by three of them was released.
【Interview】
Songlines Magazine
No.130, August / September 2017
Interview with music journalist John Potter
My Instrument 2017/8/28
Mutsumi Aragaki & her sanshin
John Potter speaks to the Japanese sanshin player and singer about her connection with this most Okinawan of
instruments
Far Side Radio
Paul Fisher, Resonance FM, London, UK
2019/10/2 Guest
I've been following the career of Okinawan musician Mutsumi Aragaki for several years now. It's been inspiring to hear her develop her music with such a passion, open mindedness and bravery, in developing Okinawan traditional music, respecting the past masters, yet taking the music in totally new directions. It was therefore an honour and a pleasure to welcome her to the Resonance Studio. She enchanted us with her live studio performance, and listening to a track from her forthcoming and long anticipated solo album. Also featured music featuring her collaborator while in London, Mina, a track for October by the Boom, and the legend that was Hibari Misora.
