Unquestionably, Tomo Katsurada’s ‘Dream of the Egg’ has the week’s most intriguing concept. It is a collaboration with visual artist Shoko Otake for which Katsurada provides the soundtrack to a 20-page picture book inspired by the 1920’s children’s story, ‘Yume No Tamago (Dream of the Egg)’. In addition to the picture book, the package consists of two 7” singles and a flexi disk. It is the first solo release from Katsurada, previously best known as the founder and lead singer of Japanese psychedelic band, Kikagaku Moyo, and marks the opening of his Future Days store and workshop in Amsterdam dedicated to clothing, art and music.
Divorced from its packaging, the crucial question is how does ‘Dream of the Egg’ sound? Opening track ‘Moshimo’, which translates as ‘If’, sets a contemplative tempo and sees him joined by Jonny Nash who adds moody guitar. As is typical of Katsurada, the vocals are wispy, very much an added texture rather than a demanding upfront presence. It is meandering in the best possible way and rather lovely.
The opening bars of ‘Zen Bungalow’ suggest a similarly drifting pace before bursting into a heavier and more threatening sound. It is a cover of Gabriel Yared’s ‘Bungalow Zen’ from the soundtrack of the film ‘Betty Blue 37°2 Le Matin’. The song was the favourite of Katsurada’s partner for morning listening. One day, he dreamt a version of the song which combined both tracks, loved how it sounded and produced this version. That description of the song’s origins offers a pointer to the dream-like quality of his music.
‘Interlude’, the flexi disk track, has barely started before its one-minute time allocation of reflective piano is over. ‘Inner Garden’ is beautifully introspective, its guitar feeling like a gentle stream and his vocals a swan gliding serenely along. The closing title track finds Katsurada and Nash reunited, combining guitar and cello to create a richly textured sound.
Although it is tagged as an album, it is worth noting that with a duration of only 20 minutes ‘Dream of the Egg’ is closer to an EP in its length. As a singular musical entity, it works with a calm but rich and intricate presence. While it does not reach the heights of Kikagaku Moyo’s masterpiece, ‘Masana Temples’, it rewards repeated listening and works especially well in a loop to sink into the ebbs and flows of its moods. It is the first of a planned series of five soundtracks to picture books and I am eager to hear the ensuing releases.
Tomo Katsurada: Dream of the Egg – Out 15 November 2024 (Picture Book via Future Days shop)
I was editor of the long-running fanzine, Plane Truth, and have subsequently written for a number of publications. While the zine was known for championing the most angular independent sounds, performing in recent years with a community samba percussion band helped to broaden my tastes so that in 2021 I am far more likely to be celebrating an eclectic mix of sounds and enthusing about Made Kuti, Anthony Joseph, Little Simz and the Soul Jazz Cuban compilations as well as Pom Poko and Richard Dawson.
