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KOKORO - Tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto
by TIMELESS SONIC FACTORY
timeless sonic factory
kokoro - tribute to ryuichi sakamoto
concept
KOKORO is the third Maurizio “ErMan” Mansueti album as Timeless Sonic Factory, a project dedicated to contemporary Theremin music.
The entire album is a tribute to RYUICHI SAKAMOTO and his wonderful music.
Why KOKORO?
In Japanese, KOKORO (こころ) means “heart” in its deepest significance. It Is the spirit and essence of the individual. KOKORO was also a well known novel written by Natsume Sōseki (often considered the greatest writer in modern Japanese history). As in that novel, KOKORO means "the heart of things" or "feeling". In the same way, we can consider Ryuichi Sakamoto’s music.
About the album.
Recent versions of Ryuichi Sakamoto’s music for solo piano can be certainly recognized as an influence. ErMan has translated the soft touch of the melodies for piano by Sakamoto into melodies for Theremin, through "decomposition", "reconstruction" and “adaptation” while respecting the essence and intimacy of the original compositions.
ErMan draws suggestive musical paintings with his Theremin to explore exoticism in music with a contemporary approach.
KOKORO is a warm interpretation with few instruments, to creating magic with just a handful of delicately placed notes from the Theremin.
The Theremin was recorded as a “live in studio” without any effects or treatment of the sound. In some tracks, an additional Theremin voice was added to play bass lines or to represent a natural chorus.
KOKORO is certainly the first Theremin album ever recorded and dedicated to the art of RYUICHI SAKAMOTO.
As ErMan says, “the Theremin represents the voice of the soul”. KOKORO wants to be a dedication played with a mental intimacy, an amplification of the extraordinarily suggestive Sakamoto’s compositions.
Don't miss it!
The Sheltering Sky
by Ryuichi Sakamoto (The Sheltering Sky movie)
When I listened to this song after so many years, I noticed that the melody could be played with a touch of exotica if played on theremin, piano and vibraphone. I have no other words to add: Book, Movie and Soundtrack are so beautiful!
“Because we don't know when we will die, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well. Yet everything happens only a certain number of times, and a very small number really.... How many more times will you watch the full moon rise? Perhaps twenty. And yet it all seems limitless.”
(Paul Bowles, The Sheltering Sky).
A Flower is not a Flower
by Ryuichi Sakamoto
It was composed during Güt record label years. In 1998 “A Flower Is Not A Flower” was released live on CD for the first time (1998 - from Ryuichi Sakamoto – The Very Best Of Güt Years 1994-1997).
Currently “A Flower is not a Flower” is one of the most beautiful live song played with piano solo by Sakamoto. Just a few notes but with a very deep touch.
Bibo No Aozora
by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Masao Urino
The first version of this song was recorded in 1996 for the album Smoochy, and some years after, a new version for Babel OST. A very seductive version. Without that song Babel movie would not be the same. This version inspired me to record a theremin album dedicated to Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Ride Ride Ride (Celliers' Brother's song)
by Stephen McCurdy
Ride Ride Ride was originally recorded for Merry Christmas Mr.
Lawrence OST. I loved this very short song because it has a portamento with a gradually crescendo. A lovely melody to play with a theremin from low octaves to high octaves.
Asience
by Ryuichi Sakamoto
A very rare song. In 2003 the wonderful chinese actress Zhang Ziyi became the face of the Japanese shampoo brand Asience. The original music was played by Sakamoto and published only in Japan. My personal interpretation of this song is a homage to the extraordinary beauty of Zhang Ziyi.
Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence
by Ryuichi Sakamoto (Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence OST).
I have the original single CD with Forbidden Colours and Bambo Houses / Bambo Music. So I was inspired by the solo piano version that currently Sakamoto plays with a very slow time (bmp) but trying to recreate the sound of that single with David Sylvian.
Amore
by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Arto Lindsay, Roger Trilling
The original song was included in Beauty (1989 Sakamoto album) and later in “Playing the Piano”. Both the versions are beautiful but I was inspired by the second one. Theremin gives a lyrical tone to this track, so I decided also to add a string ensamble to give a more dramatic and cinematic touch.
timeless sonic factory
kokoro - tribute to ryuichi sakamoto
tracklist & listening guide
by Maurizio Mansueti
timeless sonic factory
kokoro - tribute to ryuichi sakamoto
digital issue & vinyl cd
Vinyl CD
KOKORO by Timeless Sonic Factory is available in all digital stores but is also a vinyl cd produced as limited edition for collectors!
A Vinyl CD has a solid black ridged spiral running around the outside of the disc on the printed side, looking exactly like grooves in a record.
The data side of the disc is also an unusual gloss black rather than silver.
timeless sonic factory
theremin, the way I feel
music instruments
Timeless Sonic Factory is born at the Transistors lab, the atelier of the ideas of ErMan and his memorable band The Transistors.
Unusual musical instruments and toys are combined with technology, creating new music experiments.
Etherwave® Pro Theremin (Moog Music)
Professional Theremin of the Etherwave series by Moog Music.
The invisible waves of this instrument brings artist and spectator together in a level of perception really impalpable but tangible.
Theremin - Voicematic 3 (Subscope) made in Germany by Subscope. It is a new generation Theremin for collectors. Its sound remembers the voice of the Theremin played by Clara Rockmore.
Virtual instruments (laptop music)
The ideal type of music instruments for modern artists.
Complete electronic instrumentation in a box that travels with the musician/producer. The perfect instrument for sound designers.