The Musical Bathhouse Of Ichi

We’ve seen some pretty amazing innovations in music here at Portable, but sound artist Ichi from Nagoya, Japan takes things to a whole new level.

With the notion of a one-man band in mind, Ichi—who is also a 20-year long member of the Nagoya new-wave band Nohshinto and who has played with Deerhoof in NYC—takes his instruments and tools into a public bathhouse (or sento) to play his track Emerald House, with a sound that is experimental, unusual, but most all, playful and exciting.

Utilising the echoes of the space he occupies, Ichi combines the sounds of stilts equipped with chimes, steel-drums with ping-pong balls, tape-loops with double bass and the sound of his own throat to create a truly unique musical experience.

“Somehow there’s an ancient, ritualistic feel to his performances, he’s like the misplaced leader of a tribe and perhaps he will be – it’s this kind of excellence and innovation which inspires a cult following.”

Details

• Starring

  Ichi

• Release Date

  15 March 2011