Hiroshi Yoshimura – Soundscape 1: Surround LP
Essential Kankyō Ongaku! Much like ECM’s motto “The Next Best Sound to Silence,” ‘Soundscape 1: Surround’ is one of the best albums to have playing in your home, shop, workspace, etc. Serene and tranquil, the cult classic album captures Yoshimura at his best – patiently casting waves of sound with his trusty DX7 while subtly building looping, minimalist melodic motifs.
Originally released in 1986; ‘Surround’ was recorded by Yoshimura as a commission from home builder Misawa Homes, intended to function as an “amenity” designed to enhance the company’s newly built living spaces.
“If Surround can be listened to as music that’s as close to air itself, allowing us to enter each listener’s sound scenery, or as something that exists within a new perspective, expanding the middle ground between sound and music, and transforming it into a comfortable space, it would be much appreciated.”