- The Japanese maestro kicks off his new label with two sublime ambient pieces.
- Wata Igarashi employs a deep bag of tricks to create hair-raising moments on the dance floor. Billowing drones, Riley-esque arpeggiation and Shepard tones are just a few of the techniques that make his techno tracks take off. The Japanese producer's use of avant-garde techniques for darkroom utility puts him in the company of deep-thinking techno producers like Rrose.
For the first release on his new label, WIP, Igarashi eases off the pressure. "Originally, I planned to start with a series of techno releases," he said, "but that is not what I am feeling like now." "Clear," written during Japan's cherry blossom season, is a beatless track consisting of a sublime synth chord and an optimistic arpeggio. Both elements crescendo over 15 minutes and when they reach their full hypnotic power, a siren-like synth lead soars through the atmosphere. "Flow" is even more stripped down. Consisting of five oscillating drones, the deep listening piece could have easily ended up on Editions Mego or Kranky. Even without the beats, Igarashi's central concept—mind expansion through subtle dynamic shifts—holds strong.
Tracklist01. Clear
02. Flow