Book of Dreams (Metier)

As in the previous Shonorities album, the Japanese aesthetic permeates all and creates a deep impression, but here, it is sometimes much more subtle – an impression of philosophy rather than overt musical style. The music of Athanasiadis is technically assured and varied within an overall aura of laid-back, gentle and delicate timbres.

Members of Shonorities: Shie Shoji (vocals); Naomi Sato (shō); Keiko Hisamoto (koto); Lin Lin (alto flute); Nao Tohara (violin); Basil Athanasiadis (piano)
Guest musicians: Elena Abad Martinez & Chloë Meade (violins); Daichi Yoshimura (viola); Henry Hargreaves (cello); Noah Max (conductor)

1551

Catalogue No: MSV 28596
EAN/UPC: 809730859625
Artists: 
Composers: 
Release Date: November 2019
Total Playing Time: 79:12

 

As suggested by the title, Book of Dreams, is a music collection featuring works that either directly or indirectly bear some relation to dreams, sleeping or in general, the state of subconsciousness. Despite their apparent thematic uniformity, the five compositions featured are characterised by a wide stylistic and aesthetic diversity. In terms of instrumentation, there is a fragile balance between works for Western instruments such as that for alto flute and string quartet (Book of Dreams II) or voice with prepared piano (Five Pieces), the electroacoustic timbre of the Rhodes piano (Dream of a Butterfly II), and more unusual combinations such as piano and electronics (Circles), or shō, koto, female voice, Chinese gongs and violin (Eyes are now Dim). In conceptual terms, the pieces amalgamate elements of Japanese and Chinese aesthetics combined with a form of Western minimalism, together with elements of modernism, electronic and ambient music, improvisation and jazz. Therefore, very much like in dreams where several seemingly antithetic elements harmoniously co-exist into a story governed by its own unique rules, this collection aims to bridge contrasting music genres by blending them into a polychromatic musical tapestry.