Description
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Chihei Hatakeyama’s latest album dives deep into the environmental changes of Hachirōgata Lake in Akita Prefecture, Japan, blending expansive ambience with environmental sounds. This release is part of Field Records’ ongoing exploration of the shared approach to water management between Japan and the Netherlands.
Hachirōgata Lake, once the second-largest body of water in Japan, underwent extensive drainage work after World War II with the help of Dutch engineers Pieter Jansen and Adriaan Volker. The project, completed in 1977, resulted in reclaimed land occupying eighty percent of the lake’s total size, leading to the establishment of a new ecosystem as plants and wildlife from surrounding areas flourished.
Hatakeyama’s sonic exploration of this transformation involved field recordings from specific locations around the lake, including drainage channels, the Ogata bridge, and grassland conservation reserves. These recordings form the backbone of the album, melding seamlessly with Hatakeyama’s signature sound, which has been featured on numerous solo works for labels such as Kranky, Room40, and his self-run White Paddy Mountain.
The album’s soundscape, ranging from the intimate intricacies of sampled material to the glacial expanses of droning synthesis and languid guitar, creates a tangible environment that reflects the settings around Hachirōgata Lake while inviting listeners to imagine their own scenes. In doing so, Hatakeyama not only chronicles the transformation of a natural landscape but also encourages reflection on the broader implications of human intervention in the natural world.
