Tokyo Bedroom Orchestra's 'Ima': Embracing the Present with Ambient Soundscapes

Tokyo Bedroom Orchestra, the brainchild of the esteemed music producer and mixing maestro Hiro Nakamura, stands as a testament to sonic innovation within Japan's music landscape. Renowned for his significant contributions to Japanese TV anime, films, and commercials, Nakamura's musical prowess extends beyond conventional boundaries. His signature lies in crafting ambient, ethereal compositions using a distinct blend of synths, pedals, and tapes, inviting listeners to transcend reality and immerse themselves in otherworldly soundscapes.

The sonic tapestries woven by Tokyo Bedroom Orchestra resonate with an ethereal charm and organic allure. Nakamura's unique sound emanates from a harmonious fusion of ambient tones, accentuated by the experimental use of effects pedals, field recordings, and the SP404-MK2. This amalgamation births a mesmerizing auditory experience, where dreamlike melodies intertwine with captivating rhythms and glitchy beats. The resulting music transcends mere auditory stimulation; it's an invitation to embark on a transcendent journey, exploring uncharted territories within the realm of ambient music.

"Ima," the latest offering from Tokyo Bedroom Orchestra, emerges as a testament to Nakamura's audacious musical exploration. The album beckons listeners into the present moment, a thematic undercurrent interwoven throughout each track. Nakamura's adept manipulation of soundcraft takes center stage, sculpting sonic landscapes that transport audiences to a realm where time stands still. The seamless integration of diverse elements creates a captivating auditory odyssey, igniting inspiration within the listener and celebrating the beauty of the immediate experience.

Support the album on Bandcamp or stream on Spotify

Marihiko Hara and Polar M offer a moment of peace, with ‘Our Season’

The two artists have composed an EP which strikes a more hopeful note, and sets off a new series of ambient work

As a medium that reflects on emotion and internal narratives, music has been a pathway to expression for many artists working during the pandemic. Compositions inspired by feelings of isolation and depression have seen steady release, but so too have tracks built around patience and hope.

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Our featured track ‘Our Season’ is part of a four track EP of the same name, which gently draws on those emotions which have become part of our daily lives. Produced by Japanese duo Marihiko Hara and Polar M, the collection is to be included in the ‘Music for Home’ series mapped out by the electro-acoustic label Mü-nest.

Marihiko’s discography focuses on ambient, experimental and beat music. He’s created scores for theatre, visual audio art as well as an award winning short movie. His collaborator in this project is Polar M (aka Masumi Muranaka), who shines for his skills as a guitarist and his own work in media projects.

Together they’ve been able to create music which circulates quiet, beautiful melodies, brought to life my classical piano and warm ambient synthesizer. Our Season is a carries a feeling of warmth, guitar lending another organic dimension to a track which stands out as an oasis of peace.

Support the release on Bandcamp and Spotify

Check out more from Marihiko Hara
Spotify / Soundcloud/ Facebook

Check out more from Polar M
Instagram / Homepage / Spotify

Masunoji reminds us to slow down with his new album "Life is Ambient"

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

Japanese music composer and producer Masunoji crafts a wide range of electronic beats and ambient soundscapes, largely influenced by hip-hop and jazz track maker Nujabes.

With a background in classical piano, he aims to connect ambient music with electronic, house and techno. In Masunoji’s work, you can hear a lot of glittering and bright sounds; he pursues the pureness of music and an atmosphere that makes you think about the great space beyond. Ambient music for him is not solely about beauty, but has layers of complexity nestled within.  

All of Masunoji’s releases exhibit a different style of music. Completely different from ‘Life is Ambient’, Masunoji’s ‘Ancient TOKYO Vanished’ explores solid fast paced techno. On the other hand, ‘Minimal Love’ leans towards dance music, whereas ‘DISCO AMBIENT’ is a downtempo disco house album with synthesizer tunes that throws us back to the 80s Tokyo with a slightly modern production twist.

The album ‘Life is Ambient’ begins with rhythms and beats, then transitions into the spotlight of the album, an atmospheric title track which brings us to an unknown sphere. Throughout the album, Masunoji makes an attempt to create a setting as if we were in a wide, cavernous hall, giving the listener an absolute feeling of space and vastness. From Unconscious Mind, drone synthesizer starts to trickle in with the noise of iron pipes, then Masunoji adds in the voices of nature and birds. It is an album that breaks away from our modern age of information overload and reminds us to slow down and listen, if only for a moment.

Hear more from Masunoji:
YouTube / Twitter / Soundcloud / Spotify / Instagram

Check out more ambient soundscapes on our playlist below