Masaki Batoh

Things don't always turn out the way we want them to, but that can push us in creative new directions. Case in point, acupuncturist Masaki Batoh had planned on creating a highly experimental album entirely from the sounds of brainwaves. However, during construction, the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 occurred. Many lives were lost or irrevocably altered and, thanks to the subsequent power loss and radioactive contamination, Batoh was forced to leave Tokyo. Since then, Batoh has treated an increasing numbers of patients for anxiety. This altered his approach to his newest project. Rather than making an unfeeling academic album, he attempted to reconcile the spirit and the body. Part of the record was made via his experiments in capturing the brainwave responses to stimulus, expressed through pulsing, analog sounds, while the rest is a dreamy mixture of religious rhythms and melodies intended for ritualistic purification, appeasing the gods and remembering the lost through prayer. The balance between abstract, synthetic noise and soothing, organic timbres is remarkable; it literally feels good to hear, like a conscious meditation. Knowing all proceeds from the album will be donated to the Japan Red Cross only reinforces the positive vibes.