{"id":4272,"date":"2022-01-02T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-02T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/josephaleo.com\/blog\/?p=4272"},"modified":"2022-01-02T10:55:04","modified_gmt":"2022-01-02T18:55:04","slug":"soundwave-92-iu-takahashi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/josephaleo.com\/blog\/soundwave-92-iu-takahashi\/","title":{"rendered":"SOUNDWAVE : 92 : IU TAKAHASHI"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Today\u2019s guest deejay is Iu Takahashi<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Last May, I discovered Iu on Bandcamp<\/a>\u2019s The Best Ambient Music blog post<\/a> and instantly became a fan. Iu\u2019s songs delicately unfold as you listen to them. It feels that her music might immediately unravel with any sudden movement. Calmness and patience are required, which reinforces the experience of Iu\u2019s gentle songs.<\/p>\n\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Iu Takahashi<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Iu herself does not appear in her mix, but I encourage you to listen to her new releases, both of which were released in December.<\/p>\n\n

One release is her \u201cStay\u201d EP<\/a> from A RED THREAD<\/em>. Iu made this work thinking about her grandparents, who have dementia. Both of them are now living in a facility. She stayed for a few days at their house, where no one lived, and was inspired by the clothing, dishes, and plants left there. For the sound source, she used environmental sounds coming from the house\u2019s windows and an old electronic organ that she used to play when she was a kid. In the midst of realizing the changes in her daily life, the sounds of construction, cars, and crows cawing that may otherwise sound like noise make it feel as if time has stopped only in this house.<\/p>\n\n

Iu\u2019s second release is her \u201cInterspace\u201d EP<\/a> from The Slow Music Movement<\/em>. In these three tracks, she intentionally created gaps by reducing the number of notes, and she wanted to enjoy the coincidence and awareness with the outside sounds.<\/p>\n\n

I can\u2019t think of a better way to be in the New Year than listening to Iu\u2019s music. And today\u2019s mix, of course.<\/p>\n\n

Before I go, I also ask that you listen to Genius and Soul<\/a>, a new show that I launched with Soundwave guest deejays Fitz Gitler<\/a> and Jason Smith<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n

Genius and Soul is a weekly show featuring jazz, Black classical music, and more, with mixes lovingly selected by our guest deejays. Our first guest is Brian Jackson<\/a>, an American keyboardist, flautist, singer, composer, and producer. Brian has recorded and performed with everyone from Gil Scott-Heron<\/a> to Stevie Wonder<\/a>, and recently released an album with Jazz Is Dead<\/a>\u2019s Adrian Younge<\/a> and Ali Shaheed Muhammad<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

You can listen to our first episode on your favorite podcast app or listen here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Join us next week when our guest deejay will be Christoph Berg<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

See you then.<\/p>\n\n