Africa o O o (O o o The grand, majestic universe of nagai oto. Nagai oto [literally long tones] is a Japanese term that evokes portamento glides, legato passages, and ambient / environmental sounds —— notes that sustain and connect and together in a never-ending aural kaleidoscope. To my mind, when a sound rings steady and constant, it's like a light gradually intensifying in strength, and when the sound f changes and modulates, in that instant, a precious, impassioned storyline unfolds. For this collection, my goal was to corral these nagai oto into musical compositions with the help of a renowned cast of musicians who added their own distinct flavor to the ll feel blessed, and not a little proud, to have assembled a cast as unconventional as it is talented: Hajime Sakita, one of Japan's foremost instrumentalists, played the mu lshikawa performed on the sho bamboo pipe, an eerie, edgy instrument from the realm of Japanese gagaku court music; Kaori Tsutsul, a composer in her own right, showcased the clarinet; Lupintic Five member and guitar prodigy Satoshi izumi lent his amazing fingers; and Masatoshi Katsumata came in from the world of film to act as s supervising sou beloved Prophet-5 and its ts tricky polyphony rounded out the cast. I hope you enjoy these nagai oto compositions as much as I enjoyed creating them with this cast. TOMZUIN H
1. Helium Leak
Hajime Sakita — Musical Saw
3. Invisible Rays
Prophet-5
2. At An Angle Of 120 Degrees
Kaori Tsutsui — Clarinet
Hajime is s so celebrated as a musical saw performer that he's been ranked the world’s best twice. His saw produces sounds that awaken the entire spectrum of human emotions, sounds that blanket you like a comforting mist as you drift across the Sanzu into the pleasant afterlife. That a tool for cutting wood can build such provocative sounds is incredible. The Prophet-5, alongside the Minimoog, is the most famous analog synthesizer in the world, and it’s probably the most profitable synthesizer of all time too. Where the Minimoog is monophonic however, the Prophet-5 has five-voice polyphony, which means it can play chords. Polyphony made the instrument a standout when it was released in the late 70s, and its diverse sound textures and unvarnished, irrepressible tones still surpass today’s synthesizers. The clarinet has a very special timbre that sets it apart from other instru- ments. The odd-numbered harmonics that make up the single-reed’s tone color are quite clearly contrived. And yet the clarinet's tone is a master- piece of human-engineered sound. Thanks to her effortless control of the instrument, Kaori's performance is both graceful and acrobatic, reminis- cent of a circus trapeze artist.
4. Silver
Ko Ishikawa — Sho
The sho bamboo pipe brings to mind a beam of light shining in the darkness, aspirations, and a silver sky. Each breath blown through the instrument, each modulation in the sound, is like a signpost. This ancient instrument from Japanese gagaku court orchestras consists of 17 slender bamboo pipes. Each of the pipes reconstitutes the radiance of a unique word. When several of the pipes are played together, the resulting chord is s staggering in its luminosity.
5. Visible Rays
Masatoshi Katsumata — Sound FX
Some sounds are more realistic than reality. This is the work of a man who has been projecting exacting, three-dimensional sounds onto the film world, a man who can make you see a man riding a bicycle in a daydream.
6. Wolf Whistle
Satoshi Izumi — Electric Guitar and Acoustic Guitar
Although his guitar sound is unrepentant rock — a sound that longs to romp around like a delinquent bunny, Satoshi’s lifestyle is the farthest thing from your unbalanced, decadent rocker. OのO . O Produced by TOMZUIN H All songs written by TOMZUINH   O Recorded, mixed and mastered by TOMZUIN H Hajime Sakita: Musical Saw (M1) Kaorí Tsutsui: Clarinet (M2) Ko Ishikawa: Sho (M4) Masatoshi Katsumata: Sound FX (M5) Satoshi Izumi: Electric Guitar and Acoustic Guitar (M6) Art Direction & Design: Miho Ikeda Photograph: Keita Ikeda Thanks to: Craig Leonard, Kaori Harada TOMZUIN/H Official website www.tomzuinh.com SONICA REC TOMZUINAH /1 3.5/15  C&® 2013 $onica, Inc. Ajl rights, of the producer and of the owner of the recorded work are reserved. Unauthorized copying, public performance, broadcasting, renting and making transmittable of this recording are prohibited. Produced and manufactured by Sonica, Inc.