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Deep Forest
In the early ’90s, Frenchmen Michel Sanchez and Eric Mouquet wrote the book on ethno-tribal electronica. Their innovative fusion of African Pygmy voices with state-of-the-art rhythms on the smash hit “Sweet Lullaby” remains one of electronica’s defining tracks. Ten years on, at a time when the genre has been beaten to death, it may be critically uncool to hype their upcoming show. But despite the explosion of like-minded acts and the fact that their musical experimentation is now firmly ensconced in electronica, Deep Forest have shown a determination to continue innovating, and that means that this week’s dates at the Shibuya Kokaido are likely to be rewarding.
While hewing to the basic formula of “ethnic” vocals matched to soaring synth lines and dance-friendly beats, Music Detected marked a change in direction for the French duo. The major innovation was the use of live drums and guitars, giving the album more backbone than much of Deep Forest’s previous work. As electronic producers have reached the limits of what samplers and sequencers can do, many are, like Deep Forest, increasingly returning to live recording. “I use less and less MIDI,” Mouquet said in a recent online interview, referring to the Musical Instrument Digital Interface that has been the backbone of electronica producers’ systems for the last two decades. “I [now] make a lot of sound recordings...This technique is really different, and I think is an evolution from what we did on Deep Forest in 1990.” With vibrant electronica and world music scenes, Japan has always been a hotbed of support for Deep Forest. Meanwhile, throughout the ’90s, the country was also engaged in a rediscovery of its own ethnic roots. Part of this process was a renewal of interest in traditional Japanese folk music. From the mournful Okinawan shimauta to the muscular sounds of northern Japan’s tsugaru shamisen, a new generation of youth imbibed the sounds of their grandparents and began to reinterpret them for themselves. Young vocalist Chitose Hajime, who graduated from a school that had four students on the island of Amami Oshima, north of the main Okinawan chain, sings popular songs with the loose vibrato and plaintive tones of Okinawan shimauta. The 24-year-old came to the attention of Deep Forest after the unlikely success of her 2002 album, Hainumikaze, and was asked by them to participate in the recording of Music Detected. The upcoming concerts will present the first chance for listeners in Japan to hear the results of their collaboration in a live setting. Deep Forest play Shibuya Kokaido on February 12-13. See listings for details. credits: H.I.P. _____________ |
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