contrahouse: contrahouse 日本
Francisco Espregueira
Ulyssa's CONTRAHOUSE 日本 is a surreal, sonic exploration, a "sense memory dream" where the familiar contours of the first volume of CONTRAHOUSE are reshaped by the distinct visions of contemporary Japanese artists. House icon Shinichiro Yokota, experimentalist Ryu Tsuruoka, melodica virtuoso Yunovation, and glitch-pop legend Shuta Hasunuma each take a piece of the original and send it spiraling down unexpected corridors. Yokota's "Bigutaimusenshuariti 2" transforms piano stabs into a hallucinatory dance, while Tsuruoka’s "Kurage" plunges listeners into a 3 AM out-of-body experience, complete with a bizarre jellyfish-vs.-snakecharmer climax. Hasunuma's "Sutorītokōn" creates a disorienting, revolving-door dreamscape, and Yunovation's melodica weaves through "Amerikanbotomuso" like an ethereal stream. Finally, the omnipresent Gabriel Guerra mastered the tracks - his good taste always deserves a shout out. He was one of the artists contributing to the first volume, whose names see their equivalent in Japanese for this one.
On the label: this release, more than just a remix package, is a tribute to the foundational influence of Shuta Hasunuma's "POP OOGA" on the very existence of Ulyssa. We’re quite new to their catalogue, but it’s really just opening new doors of musical creation for us. That’s how music works. This post, beyond just showcasing this beautiful record, it's also an invitation to explore the labyrinthine depths of the Bloomington, Indiana-based imprint. CONTRAHOUSE 日本 is a good excuse: where familiar sounds are warped and refracted, creating a disorienting yet captivating listening experience. The album invites you to put on your headlamp and journey through the halls, where reality becomes a slippery concept. A "home away from home”. Available on cassette.
PS: if it’s something that moves you somehow, go check the label’s liner notes on this record. Good stuff.