Umeko Ando - Ihunke [CD]

Pingipung

£21.40

Format: CD
Catalogue No.: PINGIPUNG060CD
Barcode: 4250101463402
Release Date: 02 Feb 2024
Genre: World/Japanese Folk

Umeko Ando (1932-2004) was a folk singer from Japan. She was a representative of the Ainu culture on the Hokkaido Island in the north of Japan.

“Ihunke” is her first album which was recorded with the Ainu musician and dub producer Oki Kano in 2000.

Historical background: Only recently (in 2008) have the Ainu officially been acknowledged as indigenous people who are culturally independent from Japan. This record is an example of how their music has been passed on through generations in the underground Ainu communities while it was oppressed by the Japanese hegemony. It deserves a huge audience..

The 16 Ainu songs on “Ihunke” are delicate, natural gems. They are built on Oki Kano’s Tonkori patterns (a 5-string harp), over which Umeko Ando develops her repetitive, mantric vocals, often in a call-response manner. Oki Kano is one of very few professional Tonkori players who performs worldwide with his Oki Dub Ainu Band. The songs possess a mystical energy – when crows call accurately with Ando’s brittle voice in the first song, it seems like natural powers join in with her music. Her voice sounds like animals of the sky and the forest.

Oki Kano: “It was a lot of fun to record with Umeko Ando. Many Ainu hesitate to break from tradition - if Umeko hadn’t been so flexible to work with the younger generation and recording technology, this album would never have happened. Our sessions were intense, and we were proud and happy about making such beautiful music.”

Upcoming in autumn: remixes of “Ihunke” by Tolouse Lowtrax, M.Rux, DJ Ground, El Buho Mark Peters, Gama, Andi Otto, and Dreems.

Tracklist:
01 Pekanpe UK 00:05:20
02 Ihunke 00:03:37
03 Hutare Chui 00:02:21
04 Rewrew 00:03:20
05 Iyomante Upopo 00:05:55
06 Mukkuri 1 00:02:34
07 Yaisama 00:02:37
08 Mukkuri 2 00:03:07
09 Saraba – Iya Ko Ko 00:06:02
10 Sarorun Rimse 00:03:10
11 Battaki 00:04:22
12 Kusuep Kamuy 00:00:10
13 Herutun Rutun 00:03:48
14 Chup Kawa Kamuy Ran 00:04:33
15 Hekuri Sarari 00:03:07
16 Atuy So Kata (Extended Version) 00:03:52