Ken Sugai

*300 copies limited release* Commissioned in 2019 to bridge two bathing cultures—one Japanese, one American—Practical translates the healing steam of Beppu's legendary Kannawa Mushiyu Onsen into immersive sound for Washington Baths, a neighborhood public sauna and artspace in Portland, Maine. The result is a vapor-bath of sound that hovers somewhere between foley and ambient composition, inspired by the mind-altering fragrance of sekishō (石菖, Japanese sweet flag), an ancient medicinal herb whose…

Charming first instalment in a series of compilations exploring the ambient sound and vision of Melbourne, Australia’s Lullabies For Insomniacs radio show-turned-label: containing sweet treats in Georgia’s lilting polyrhythmic daydream, Mist ∞ Skat, and the avant-classical elegance of The Magic Carpathians’ Thalassa.

Japanese artist Sugai Ken presents a kaleidoscopic radio play inspired by the traditional Japanese art of Mingei. In Sugai Ken's own words: "In recent years I have been researching old Japanese culture and customs in order to deepen my musical production. I am still excited to find that there are many untouched roots yet to be discovered which only motivates me to pursuit my research further. As I dig deeper, I'm always struck with the general idea that 'everything has its own ground', ot…