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naviarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/wet-petals
Wet Petals is a collection of 5 ambient compositions by Hirotaka Shirotsubaki, a sound artist from Kobe, Japan.
Soothing melodies, field recordings and otherworldly guitar atmospheres will take you to an ethereal and eternal landscape where time stopped long ago, but nature still resonates with intensity. Wet Petals is a recreation of memories from fragments of sounds: it draws inspiration from nature and moods, bringing back impressions from days gone by.
"The beauty of gentle and quiet rain on wet flowers: that is the scenery I saw on a Sunday morning when I was a child and I still remember.
Inspired by the beauty that such nature and the landscape brings to memory, I continue to make music." (Hirotaka)
"Hirotaka Shirotsubaki’s “Wet Petals” taps into the angelic. Extended elongated drones waft by gracefully. The elements of classical, post-rock and ambient come together in a blissful sheen. Infused with great lightness the songs soar into the sky with true purpose. Quite soothing in nature the multiple layers of sound come together to create something that feels so vibrant and real. Opting for such an approach means the songs are less of songs and more like suites, each one offering yet another perspective on the same blanketing sound. At times Hirotaka Shirotsubaki feels reminiscent of William Basinski’s nostalgia-drenched worlds.
“Downstairs” sets the tone for much what follows. Featuring a concise arrangement the piece evolves organically with a strong sense of self. Multiple elements come together to create a soft sound, one that longs to rise up into the air. Easily the highlight of the album is the surreal “Hydrangea”. Matching the beauty of the flower, the many contours of the song alongside its radiant melodies work wonders. Towards the finale of the song the textures shift into a lovely hue of distortion. Quite serene in tone is the calming ebb and flow of “Autumn Wind”. Hinting at elements of post-rock is the album closer “Your Shadow”. Within this singular piece the guitar hangs in the air presenting gorgeous understand gestures.
“Wet Petals” shows Hirotaka Shirotsubaki exploring subdued frequencies ones that create inviting universes of sound."
Reviewed by Beach Sloth
www.beachsloth.com/hirotaka-shirotsubaki-wet-petals.html
released February 9, 2017
Written, recorded and produced by Hirotaka Shirotsubaki
Artwork by Marco Alessi
Design by Ewa Goral