Rising Japanese singer, guitarist and composer Ichiko Aoba has shared a new live video of her recent single “Porcelain”. The song is taken from her album “Windswept Adan”, which is set for its first physical release on 3rd December.
Until now Aoba’s albums have only been available as expensive Japanese imports but, in December, New York Label Ba Da Bing will release “Windswept Adan” in North America and Europe, and the UK, as a deluxe packaged 2xLP set for the first time. Aoba’s international popularity has grown in recent years, although she’s a new name to most in the west, her releases have seen her gain cult recognition and early critical acclaim from a number of influential critics, earning a 9/10 review from Anthony Fantano on The Needle Drop, as well as a #2 Best Album of 2020 spot on Rate Your Music and #5 on Album Of The Year’s 2020 Best Albums By User Score.
In addition to her early plaudits, Ichiko Aoba’s collaborative accomplishments are unquestionable. Her music featured prominently in the soundtrack to the 2019 video game The Legend Of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. She has collaborated with Japanese legend Ryuichi Sakamoto and American sound artist Taylor Deupree; with Sakamoto’s Yellow Magic Orchestra colleague Haruomi Hosono; with Canadian singer-songwriter Mac DeMarco (they duetted on a song for a whisky advert); and with Canadian violinist Owen Pallett, who has cited her as an inspiration, comparing her compositions to those of Burt Bacharach (“I’ve never been so blindsided by a musician as I was by Ichiko Aoba”).
Ichiko Aoba’s work gained greater exposure in the past year as the need for comfort grew while we sequestered in solitude. She has a rare musical gift that is matched only by her ability to hone it into meticulous craft. Her music embraces and elevates alone time to a generous and tranquil place. In it, listeners are invited to feel a sense of consolation and possibility – a sensation which is mirrored in her live performances
The new live video is taken from a concert Aoba played at Bunkamura Orchard Hall in Tokyo this June, which saw her perform with the musicians who performed across the album, and includes a full string section, percussionists, and more. The mesmerising performance perfectly exemplifies the incredibly expansive scope of Aoba’s orchestral folk compositions, her performances, and her ability to create richly textured musical worlds.
The video also comes ahead of an extensive run of EU / UK tour dates, including a sold out London date at King’s Place as part of London Jazz Festival on 17th Nov, and a newly announced Rough Trade in-store on the 18th. She will also appear at festivals such as Le Guess Who? in the Netherlands and InlanDimensions in Poland.
Full live dates are as follows:
OCTOBER
19 Warsaw, InlanDimensions 2021, PL
22 Kraków, Klub RE, PL
23 Prague, Punctum, CZ
27 Berlin, Arkaoda, DE
28 Jena, TRAFO, DE
29 Hamburg, Thalia Theatre, DE
30 Stuttgart, About POP music summit, DE
NOVEMBER
02 Brussels, Botanique Rotonde, BE
03 Luxembourg, Rotondes, LUX
05 Lausanne, Cinema CityClub, CH
06 Lyon, Le Farmer, FR
07 Lille, La Malterie, FR
08 Paris, Petit Bain, FR
09 Copenhagen, ALICE, DK
11 Amsterdam, s105, NL
12 Utrecht, Le Guess Who? Festival, NL
13 Antwerp, Het Bos, BE
14 Southampton, MAST, GB
15 Bristol, Strange Brew, GB
16 Manchester, Burgess Foundation, GB
17 London, Kings Place, GB (SOLD OUT)
18 London, Rough Trade East (Instore Show), GB
19 Cork, Coughlans, IE
20 Dublin, The Workman’s Cellar, IE