https://oki-tonkori.bandcamp.com/album/tonkori-in-the-moonlight
Genre: World (Ainu Folk)
Rating: Definitely Worth Checking Out
Released February 4, 2022 (BandCamp)
I lived in Japan for around a decade, including about three years in Aomori, in the northern most region Honshu, Japan’s central island. I also visited Hokkaido. Despite my apparent proximity, I never knowingly encountered an Ainu person. I take that as evidence of assimilation and the nearly complete annihilation of this indigenous culture. However, my observation is only anecdotal, I was drunk most of the time, I was plenty happy discovering the Tsugaru culture I was living in, and I know very little about Japanese history.
An interesting article can be read here:
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20200519-japans-forgotten-indigenous-people
Both the The Guardian and The Wire Magazine (the gold standard of music journalism and criticism) both reviewed this record very favorably. For their educated thoughts please use the following links:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/feb/11/oki-tonkori-in-the-moonlight-review-ainu-people
https://www.thewire.co.uk/video/watch-oki-iso-kaaari-irehte-bear-trap-rhythm
I think a lot of people of my ilk like their traditional music to sound traditional and I’m no exception. I like the more stripped down tracks more than other tracks that sound over produced and borrow from other traditions. However, my obsession with my idea of purity could certainly be a dilution of actual purity. The most generous interpretation is that I’m looking for Woody Guthrie not Taylor Swift and I prefer the later stripped down Rick Rubin produced Johnny Cash better than anything else he ever released.
Despite a couple tracks that I feel are a little too kitschy this album is otherwise full of songs that are deeply appealing. This is an important record culturally and it’s also musically truly outstanding.
Warmth Highest 