anchorsong: mirage
Francisco Espregueira
Via Tru Thoughts, we are introduced to Anchorsong, a London-based Japanese producer. His highly anticipated fourth album titled Mirage is a record that evokes hazy soundscapes constructed with wind instrumentals, choirs, and global sonic particles. Building on Anchorsong’s long-standing tradition of “borderless music”, the ten tracks that compose the album fuse intricate rhythms with minimal yet immersive lush interplays of sound to create an auditory odyssey.
Marking the departure from the two previous albums – Ceremonial and Cohesion –, which had specific geographical references, Mirage internalizes a myriad of global influences and worldviews that showcase a very particular landscape that only exists in Anchorsong’s mind. He pushes his own boundaries, integrating, for the first time, vocals in his work, adding elements of jazz and udu drums, sounds of a Mongolian galloping horse, 60s and 70s Brazilian music, and more. Mirage got our attention from the moment we heard its first note, but it was after listening to it as a whole that we realize just how good it is. A very original work, now available on CD and digital with the curation of Tru Thoughts.
“I let my imagination run wild and thought of places I’ve never been to. The tracks that came out of this process, diversified the tones and colour of the record further. I hope it takes a listener on the journey I experienced when creating it.”