Meditative synthesizer work from former Ippu-Do keyboardist Akira Mitake. Created as soundtrack for NHK's 1987 documentary series on Japanese art history, Himawari represents a masterful exercise in restraint and space. Following the dissolution of his new wave partnership with Masami Tsuchiya, Mitake turns inward, crafting minimal electronic pieces that capture the essence of traditional Japanese aesthetics through modern means. Sparse keyboards and subtle pads create atmospheric textures throughout tracks like "Yasha" and "Keisetsu", evoking ink paintings translated to sound.
This is kankyō ongaku - environmental music - at its most refined. Each composition unfolds with careful deliberation, allowing silence to become an active element in the musical narrative. Originally broadcast-only, now finally available on vinyl for contemporary listeners discovering Japan's rich ambient music heritage.
Essential document of 1980s Japanese electronic music. Highly recommended for collectors of ambient, new age, and environmental sounds.