kumio kurachi: sound of turning earth

After 11 albums and unknown quantities of cassettes, compilations, and split releases, Sound Of Turning Earth is the first release outside of Japan for one of the most original figures in Japanese music, Kumio Kurachi. Recorded by Jim O'Rourke at his home studio, Sound Of Turning Earth is Kurachi solo on vocals and guitar, mixing surreal lyrics and theatrical vocal personas with unorthodox tunings inspired by Japan's national instrument, the koto. Lyrically, Kurachi draws life from the small events of life, the hira, the joy of choosing a lipstick in springtime, the business of changing the tatami, raindrops deciding whether to fall as snow. Set to his own brand of progressive folk in the Hirajōshi scale and laced with winding melodies which can be hard to forget, Kurachi maps his own territory for the people who inhabit his every day. As much a visual artist as a musician, Bison present Sound Of Turning Earth in the form of a deluxe CD accompanied by three double-sided art cards by Kurachi, a four-panel fold-out poster, and full translation of his poetic lyrics. These striking songs speak for a liberated imagination. Kumio Kurachi has performed actively in Japan since the '80s, and still plays shows in Fukuoka regularly. Past collaborators include Taku Unami and Tatsuhisa Yamamoto. He has played with Tenniscoats, Kazuhisa Uchihashi, Katsura Yamauchi, Tori Kudo, Jim O'Rourke, and Eiko Ishibashi. "The music is so melodious that the mixture of the strange wording, guitar and variations of voices thrives all together and it can haunt you without noticing it, just like the small events of everyday life you can't escape from." --Midori Ogata