This EP is a collection of reinterpretations of selected tracks from the album "Dance" by Marihiko Hara & Polar M, featuring reworks by Malaysia's prominent electronic artist flica, Macao-based new rising Japanese artist Akitsugu Fukushima, and Hideki Umezawa (a.k.a. Pawn)'s new side project Poplamb.
// Flica //
Flica (a.k.a. Euseng Seto) began in 2007. In his embryonic form, flica dabbled in a mishmash of the acoustic and the electronic, composing easy listening melody tunes for debut album Windwane & Window (mu-nest label). The release received an overwhelming response from Japan, which resulted in flica’s sophomore, Nocturnal, being released under Tokyo-based indie label Schole. It was during the transitionary period between his sophomore and third album that flica started delving into a darker and emotional ambient sound.
The resulting release, Telepathy Dreams (self-release), was a decidedly different approach to music making than the previous album. More focused on sound design-based compositions, the album was the maturity point of flica. This was also when he met and collaborated with visual artist Fairuz Sulaiman. flica, being a designer by trade, an audiovisual person himself, was inspired to incorporate more visual elements to his live set – creating a sensory synchronisation in sound and sight.
In his current incarnation, flica is a combination of ambient electronica by way of oriental mood, or as he put it himself; “an Asian sound with experimental element.”
[
flica.bandcamp.com ]
// Akitsugu Fukushima (福島章嗣) //
Akitsugu Fukushima, a.k.a Aki, is a Japanese guitarist, composer, sounder designer, based in Macao. Originally from Fukuoka, Japan, Aki started his professional career as a musician performing with his own band “Climb Your Mind”. After getting married, he chose to follow a new and exciting adventure, by leaving Japan to move to Macao. In 2013, he became the guitarist for Macau’s popular rock band BLADEMARK. Besides playing in the band, Aki, as a solo artist, composes and performs electronic and post-classical music, and produces music for theaters, films and visual works. In 2017, he released his debut solo work, “Monologue EP” (4daz-le record, Macau) - a cinematic album that features delicate classical music elements infused with exquisite electronic rhythms and mesmerizing ambient sounds.
[
4daz-le.bandcamp.com/album/aki-monologue ]
// Poplamb //
Poplamb is the new moniker of Japan’s sound-artist Hideki Umezawa. Hideki has been actively involved in Japan indie music scene under the moniker Pawn, and Poplamb is his new pop side-project.
Hideki is currently pursuing his MFA in the department of Intermedia Art, Tokyo University of the Arts. He has 2 beautiful albums under his belt, released by the wonderful PROGRESSIVE FOrM label, and won the prize ASCM116 at Contemporary Computer Music Concerts 2015, awarded by Régis Renouard Larivière (INA-GRM).
Hideki has been making exquisite remixes for artists like me:mo, Hior Chronik, and etc. He has also appeared in Beijing-based label Shanshui Records 10th anniversary compilation. Poplamb’s debut album will be released by mü-nest in the near future.
[
soundcloud.com/hideki-umezawa ]