Métron Records returns to Japan for its second vinyl release, showcasing the works of Hiroshima-based artist Meitei. 

Following the 2018 reissue of Kwaidan on cassette label Evening Chants, Komachi represents Meitei’s debut full-length vinyl release and first original material of the year. 

Meitei considers himself an old soul, often preoccupied with the customs and rituals of the past. Recently, Meitei lost his beloved 99-year-old grandmother, a woman whom he considered to be one of the last remaining people to have experience and understanding of traditional Japanese ambience. His music and art is driven by a desire to cast light on an era and aesthetic that he believes is drifting out of the collective Japanese consciousness with each passing generation, what he has called “the lost Japanese mood.” He chose to dedicate Komachi to his late Grandmother. “I want to revive the soul of Japan that still sleeps in the darkness,” he says. 

Haunting and delicate, distant and timeless, Komachi is awash with white noise, complex field recordings, and the hypnotic sounds of flowing water. Though contemporary, Komachi’s lineage can be traced back to the floating worlds of Ukiyo-e and Gagaku via the prism of ’80s Japanese ambient pioneers, and ’90s pastoral sample-based artists such as Susumu Yokota and Nobukazu Takemura. 

Composed as individual sonic dioramas, each of the 12 tracks has been crafted to not only evoke feelings of nostalgia but to also explore the dichotomy of ancient and new in modern Japanese society. 

The limited vinyl release, produced in collaboration with label and distributor Séance Centre, is set for release March 15, including a special edition complete with beautiful 12-page booklet featuring a number of prints in the Ukiyo-e style, a traditional style of woodblock print that dates back to 17th century Japan. The images were chosen by Meitei to showcase the old style Japanese sentiments that form a core inspiration to his musical output. 

Tracklisting

01. Seto

02. Ike

03. Nami

04. Sento [Pt. II]

05. Kawanabe Kyosai [Pt. II]

06. Chouchin

07. Maboroshi

08. Sento [Pt. I]

09. Myo

10. Kawanabe Kyosai [Pt. I]

11. Shinkai

12. Utano

Komachi LP lands March 15 with “Kawanabe Kyosai [Pt.II]” streaming below.