Release Me feat Serena Sun
As the adages go, time flies and life gets busy. It's been six years since "Know You (Voices Remix)", but with Serena back in town, we're excited to give music another go!
In "Release Me", Serena whispers, protests, and wrestles over how her last relationship ended. I backed her words with long, drawn-out chords, limping rhythms, and wandering textures. We made sure to structure the song for pop-centric listeners as well. It's different, but we're both quite pleased with how it came out.
That said, we haven't abandoned our old sound! I recognize that "Know You" had a following (thanks largely to Isosine) and I wanted to do a remix that leaned on that same minimalistic, keys-and-drums approach.
Ready to grab your own copy? You can find "Release Me" and its remix on all major stores. We also put together wallpapers for your computer and phone, and a press kit, should you want to cover it.
As always, thank you for listening and for all of your support, friends!
Yuika feat Sachie Sunaga
Five years ago, I visited Japan for the first time. Eager to absorb the culture, I wanted to visit as many festivals as possible - except there was only one during my month-long visit. Crap.
That soured me at the time, but it ended up being a huge blessing because that's where I met Felicity Tillack from Where Next Japan. In the past few months, Felicity and I reconnected and have been working together on a theme song for her debut film, "Impossible to Imagine" - a film that explores issues around identity, and how Japan is struggling to adapt and become more inclusive in the modern era.
In line with the film's plot, we wanted to marry Eastern (Sachie Sunaga) and Western (my Canadian self) sounds together for something new. I borrowed the Japanese scales and some of the typical instruments (kotos and shakuhachi), but also sounds from the environment like wooden blocks and Shinto bells. All of that sits on my usual aesthetic.
A whole lot of talented people lent their skills to make this song happen. Big ups to Jacob James Henry from Akamatsu Creative for recording and producing the vocals in Japan, William Yagi Lewis for the cover photograph, Yukiko Ito for lending her likeness, and of course, Sachie Sunaga for lyrics and vocals. Everyone was rounded up by Felicity. What mad hustle.
We're all excited it's out and we hope you like it! As always, thanks so much as always for listening, everyone! Yuika is available everywhere at this link. It's my first Japanese-language song, so I'd love to hear what you think!
Lyrics
ゆらゆら揺れるこころ
My heart is swinging and wavering
さらさら川面にくゆる （薫る）
Running on the surface of the river
春夏秋冬と
Spring, summer, autumn, winter
彩る織りなす螺旋
A twisting spiral of colours
ひとつ
one
ふたつ
two
いと（愛）おしむ思いは
My of love for you
遥かまで紡ぐ
Woven over long distances
きらきら気づいた気もち
The discovery of a sparkling feeling
ひらひら表も裏も
flutters back and forth.
朝露きだした世界
The world has started breathing
ひとり
One person
ふたり
Two people
寄り添う面影は胸の中包む
A picture of us warm together fills my heart
Inaba: A Tribute to Persona 4
Happy 2017! To kick things off, I wrote a lazy, hazy tribute to the venerable Persona 4.
My November was rough, and I disappeared into the game to clear my mind. I think the narrative’s focus on inner turmoil, how we present ourselves to the world, and empathy really spoke to what I was going through, and I became very attached to the universe. Grateful, even. I wanted to make those feelings permanent and named this song for the tiny town it takes place in: Inaba.
Truthfully, I’ve been anxious about this track; I feel a little naked without my usual aesthetic, but I wanted to grow in different directions and embrace momentum over perfection. While you won’t hear direct references, you might find allusions to the story if you listen (and look) carefully.
Hopefully it sits well with you guys and thank you as always for listening! If you enjoy it, you can grab it on Bandcamp, iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, or Spotify.
Lost and Longing
A year ago, life went sour, and I lost much of my digital life. Photos, documents, music, memories - all of it evaporated overnight - including my Japan-inspired EP, Mizu. I remember laying on the floor, numb; I don't know for how long. Today, only Mizu's album art survives, so in its memory, we have Lost and Longing.
The song's a chillstep piece that is very much like Uncharted. It prefaces something bigger, and coincidentally, it also shares Uncharted's key and instrumentation. In the back of my head, I've been wanting to upgrade the Into Ether EP sound, so it's funny how that came together.
Like it? Then I have a favour to ask! I'm working on growing YouTube and Spotify, so if you enjoyed Lost and Longing, it'd mean a lot for this song to be a part of your likes, favourites, playlists, and/or collections. If streaming isn't your thing, is also available over at iTunes and Bandcamp.
As always, thanks so much for your kindness and support, guys!
P.S. As an aside, if you own sensitive data, please look into buying an uninterruptible power supply and off-site data backups; I use a CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD and CrashPlan. Stuff blows up - literally - and it HURTS when it does. Local backups aren't enough.
Your Heart (In the Air) feat Chae Kim
Folks, I found someone who likes reverb as much as I do. Meet Chae Kim!
A few months back, I found Chae at a crowded jam session. She was quiet throughout, watching carefully as we stumbled through pop standards. I thought she must have been bored. After hearing her work, I understood her silence. Chae owns a wonderfully intimate sound. Whispered and delicate, it's amazing what this girl does with slower passages.
And then we went and did a dance track. Go figure.
Enjoy the track? Stream it on YouTube, Spotify, and Soundcloud, or get your own copy on iTunes or Bandcamp.
Lyrics:
Be with me one more day
How can I make you stay
Sunrise over the bay
We both aren't here to stay
Your heart is in the air
Your heart is in the air
Your heart is in the air
Your heart is in the air
Your heart is in the air
I haven't seen you in months
Everything about you is gone
Sunrise over the bay
We both weren't meant to stay
Your heart is in the air
Your heart is in the air
Your heart is in the air
Your heart is in the air
Your heart is in the air