Credits:

Stephan Micus

Description:

This is Stefan Mikus' 24th solo album released on ECM. A poem by Murakami Onishiro, a Japanese haiku poet who was active mainly during the Taisho period (1912-1926), "A child going in the snow on a certain road" accompanies this album, which he says is a metaphor for his music. He chuckles about it, recalling the hours of work in the studio with dozens of different instruments, building up layer upon layer. He says, "It's very important for a musician or artist to maintain a childlike nature, because it's the only way you can be a good musician. Of course, it is more fun to walk on deep snow than on an asphalt road. This is something I try to do in my daily life," he commented. The variety of instruments on this album is the richest in Stefan Mikus' catalog, with 11 different instruments from 10 countries (Mozambique, Gambia, Central Africa, Egypt, Japan, Bali, Xinjiang, Tibet, Peru, and the United States) and recently acquired instruments from Mozambique The collection includes 11 instruments from 10 countries, including the chikulo, a recently acquired instrument from Mozambique, and two new instruments that have been sitting on the shelves for 40 years, the tongues.The chikulo, which opens this album, appears on seven of the twelve tracks and defines the album's character. Mozambique's music includes a large band of timbilas of the Chopi tribe. A tiklo is a xylophone, a gourd resonator hanging below a wooden keyboard. Another instrument he used for the first time, a tongue drum, was made by himself 40 years ago, following a Central African example, by cutting out tongue-shaped parts from the top of a wooden box. At the time, I played it at several concerts and sang the vocals alone, but I was never quite satisfied with it. But the moment I combined it with the cyclo and added more voices, I felt that the two tongues were complete. I often have instruments for a long time that I can incorporate into my compositions, and if after 40 years one of them has had its moment, that's great."He adds, "For me, the beautiful thing about music is that it transcends words and verbal messages." After creating the album using textures such as bowed strings, thumb-plucked piano, flute, and cymbals, he created a kind of narrative from the title. Inspired by sounds from around the world and bringing them together in unique and pioneering combinations, the work "is a fascinating combination of instruments for the first time. It's like going to a place where no one has ever been before. Amazingly, you can bring instruments from all over the world and have them sound in harmony. Sadly, humans have not reached that point, but this is a beautiful message," he also commented. [Personnel] Stephan Micus: chikulo, nohkan, 12-string guitar, tongue drums, voice, kalimba, sinding, charango, ney, sattar, Tibetan cymbals, Suling

Tracklisting:

1.Autumn Hymn
2.Walking in Snow
3.The Longing of the Migrant Birds
4.Baobab Dance
5.Southern Stars
6.Black Mother
7.A New Light
8.Companions
9.Oh Chikulo
10.Sun Dance
11.Walking in Sand
12.Winter Hymn