Chihei Hatakeyama and Shun Ishiwaka – ‘Magnificent Little Dudes Vol. 2’ album review: A record of beautiful contradictions
THE SKINNY: When two of Japan’s most innovative and skilled musicians come together, you know the result is going to be rewarding. Chihei Hatakeyama and Shun Ishiwaka have teamed up for Magnificent Little Dudes Vol.2, the second part of their collaboration, the first of which was released back in May.
The result is a continuation of their experimental, ambient, and instrumental output, which balances contradictory sounds to create a hypnotising and compelling record. Hatakeyama, a prolific multi-instrumentalist who has released over 70 albums in his career, sets the tone of the record with haunting soundscapes that wash over the listener. Yet, Ishiwaka’s phenomenal drumming, often fast-paced and frenetic, makes for a stark yet strangely fitting contrast.
In life, we battle contradictory emotions and experiences which come with the way our capitalistic society is set up. We often find ourselves struggling with the hustle and bustle of working, socialising, looking after ourselves, facing atrocities on the news, and dealing with other issues that make up the human experience. We grapple with the need for calm in a high-energy world, and on Magnificent Little Dudes Vol. 2, it feels like the pair illuminate the battles of everyday life’s many contradictions through their opposing sounds.
A gentle ambient palette creates a basis for each song, which is typically built upon with rumbling drums and a sense of anticipation and the desperate need for energy to be released. On some tracks, like ‘M5’, harsher industrial sounds colour the soundscape with a sense of unease and dread, while a calming ambience plays underneath. We want to reach this sense of peace, but it is buried under layers of drums that mimic the busyness of an anxious mind.
It is easy to get sucked into the album, although certain songs feel a little too long, not offering enough sonic change to make their lengths (such as the 19-minute-long ‘M5’) feel worthwhile. Still, over the course of the whole album, we are taken on a journey that moves from high intensity to a sense of calm, with the final track, ‘M6’, possessing a more gentle and hopeful sound.
For fans of: Magnificent Little Dudes Vol.1.
A concluding comment from the capitalists: “Great, more music for people with nothing better to do.”
Magnificent Little Dudes Vol. 2 track by track:
Release Date: October 18th | Label: Gearbox Records
‘M3’: For the first half of the song, we’re lulled into a sense of calm and tenderness as Cecilia Bignall’s cello creates an emotive landscape alongside Hatakeyama’s beautifully crafted ambience. Yet, as the song progresses, Ishiwaka’s drums build up a sense of restlessness, bubbling beneath the surface with a sense of anticipation. [4/5]
‘M2’: This is quite an unnerving piece, with clattering noises adding a feeling of urgency. It’s haunting, evoking the feeling of being inside of a dark cave, where mysterious noises of unknown origin echo around you. [4/5]
‘M5’: Inspired by Hatakeyama’s guitar influences, such as shoegaze and metal, the song is a hypnotising piece, although it feels a little too long, coming in at almost 20 minutes. Still, it will certainly place listeners in a trance as Ishiwaka’s drumming picks up speed in the background. [3.5/5]
‘M6’: The shortest song on the album is the nine-and-a-half minute long ‘M6’, which features piano and hopeful instrumentation. Thus, the piece gives us some light in the wake of the dark, grumbling tracks that came before it. It is the sonic equivalent of feeling as though you’ve made it through life’s hardest challenges, stepping into a sense of optimism and relief. [4/5]
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