RELEASES
ARTIST ALBUM TEXT
Tenniscoats Temporacha

I visited Saya and Ueno at the Majikick house in June last year to catch-up, hang out and chat about what another record from them on ROOM40 might feel like. I'd come fresh from RM40 HQ in Brisbane, working with Lawrence on Noriko's 'U' and was packing a clutch of his recent solo stuff. The house was fascinated with 'Studies for Stradbroke' a CDr released on Wind Measures of hydrophone recordings made in the gorgeous natural lakes on Stradbroke Island, just off the coast of Queensland.

Perhaps something like this could be the basis of a new Tenniscoats record? We talked through a bunch of ideas with Lawrence plugged in on Skype from Oz and got all excited about what it might actually turn out like.

A few months on and Lawrence is en route to the Amazon via Tokyo. With Lawrence packing his field recording kit, the three set off for various locales - Wako-Jurin Park and the Koma-Gawa river for some in-situ 'field recordings' of Tenniscoats in their natural environment.

Its these recordings that have become 'Temporacha' - Seven exquisite, spacious miniatures. Essentially live recordings, the playing works around and with the sounds of the recording space - tunnel reverb and passing traffic, rocks tossed into the river… Even with all of that going on and Saya's vocals less to the fore it still feels powerfully Tenniscoats - their wonder and energy let loose in the wild.

John Chantler, London, February 2009


Ichinichi (128k MP3, 2.6MB)
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REVIEWS

"...not all bands could pull this out without it sinking into some sort of folky "live in the forest of life" schlock. But these guys pull it off and then some, and there is a sincerity to these works and their performances that keeps the entire length afloat with small surprises." Brainwashed.com

"Already pastoral in nature, their music suddenly takes a bucolic form, inscribing itself in the environment, just like another birdsong." All Music Guide

"...an incredibly beguiling collection of music that seems to literally hum in unison with the geography upon which it was recorded. Every piece was recorded in situ, and rarely have I heard such a successful collaboration with nature realized. This is an incredibly thoughtful music operating at the intersections of folk, electronic, and avant-garde, always inventively played, and as corny as it is to say it, filled with a palpable sense of wonder. This music is too modest to garner all of the accolades it truly deserves, but I'm already convinced its one of the best records of the year." Other Music

"“Ichinichi” surrounds the wheeze of a harmonica or accordion ... and acoustic guitar with bird chirps, making the listener feel as if he/she is within the very environment where it was recorded." Textura

Related ROOM40 titles:
Tenniscoats - Totemo Aimasho
Leighton Craig - 11 Easy Pieces











Tenniscoats in Tokyo - Click to download full res version