A carefully curated tonic for strange times by ambient connoisseur Tomoyuki Fujii.
Tomoyuki Fujii is a curator, DJ and writer specialising in ambient music, working and living in Niigata, Japan. For over a decade, Fujii has been responsible for a plethora of ambient music projects. He has organised a music concert series called fleaongak, published beautiful handmade books on ambient music and created the 森と記録の音楽 (Mori to Kiroku no Ongaku) music blog. He also has a monthly show on Lyl Radio and has produced mixes for esteemed series including Sanpo Disco, Lullabies for Insomniacs, Hamon Radio, Tonal Unity, Radio Relativa and Dug Up the Bongo.
Having gathered such a highly regarded reputation over the years, it's a genuine pleasure to have Fujji contribute to the next instalment of Theory Therapy. It also seems fitting that the Niigata-based curator is our first international guest. Fujii has said in the past that he’s interested in the “mental state of people who listen quietly” and the connection between nature and music — themes integral to our series. His 60-minute Theory Therapy mix is full of sun-dappled atmospheres and melodies designed for deep introspection, featuring several Japanese artists worth getting to know, as well as some closer to home, like Angophora. With so many of us gravitating towards ambient and downtempo in recent weeks, now seems like an appropriate time for the avid crate digger’s alfresco inspired mix. Put together during lockdown in Japan, and inspired by the great ocean he adores, Theory Therapy 8 is a soothing antidote to our isolating times.
Take a moment. Listen deeply.
What were you feeling when you made the mix?
I had a great time, thanks to you. I think that this mix reflects my personal feelings during the period of self-restraint due to the COVID-19 epidemic. It has been an important turning point for me in many different ways.
Where did you record the mix?
It was recorded in my workroom and listening room. Next to it is a bedroom, and next to it is a children's room. Since the elementary school was closed last month, the house was lively and noisy, and it was not a quiet environment to concentrate on music.
What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?
I like listening to it in my room, but also when biking or resting in the park. On weekends, my family and I cycle to nearby towns and suburban parks. I often enjoy listening to the mixes on my iPhone in my chest pocket. It doesn't sound so good, but there’s something pleasant about it for me.
Are there any tracks you’ve used in the mix that are special or significant to you?
Yes, especially two tracks by Angophora and Yamaan. Santilli, a member of Angophora, is one of the musicians who has most caught my attention in recent years. I love his solo album Surface and all his mixes. Yamaan's track ‘冷帯雨林’ taken from his latest EP 幻想区域 is the ambient highlight of the mix though. The first album 12 Seasonal Music which he produced as a hip-hop beatmaker, is wonderful and still sounds fresh.
Tracklisting
01. Andy Partridge & Harold Budd - ‘Prelude: Hand 19‘ (All Saints)
02. Friends From Rio - ‘Lance Livre (Soul Circuit Remix)‘ (Far Out Recordings)
03. Angophora - ‘Interchange‘ (Ken Oath Records)
04. Kenkou - ‘Everlasting Dreams (Twilight Mix)‘ (Music Conception)
05. Yuta Konishi - ‘On the Beach‘ (K-MusicLife)
06. Hippiehaus - ‘Lake Erie‘ (Jubilee Records)
07. Yamaan - ‘冷帯雨林‘ (Dotei Records)
08. Solid World - ‘Unbroken‘ (EtnicaNet)
09. Kazuya Kotani - ‘Fatima‘ (Hydeout Productions)
10. Ricardo Silveira - ‘Magical Fantasy‘ (Verve Forecast)
11. Paradigm Shift - ‘Bringing Home The Singing Fire‘ (Better Days)
12. Flipside - ‘Girlfriend In Brazil‘ (Loadstar Records)