Another treasure from Sound Process, a Japanese label, book publisher, and sound design consulting firm founded by Satoshi Ashikawa, whose Still Way was included in the label’s short and excellent catalogue (as was Hiroshi Yoshimura‘s cult favorite Music for Nine Postcards). Oscilation Circuit was a four piece outfit, and this was their only release. True to the label’s ethos of sound design not as a means of filling up space, or “decorating,” but instead as a highly-conscientious way of paring sounds down to those that “truly matter,” Série Réflexion 1 is extremely minimal, though it feels uniquely adjacent to minimalism in its more academic Steve Reich-esque sense when compared with many of its Japanese ambient peers (particularly closing track “Circling Air,” which is almost certainly an homage to Terry Riley). There’s no synthesizer. There are no field recordings of birds or running water. No bells. Minimalist minimalism? Ideal winter listening. I started ketamine infusion therapy last year and this has been a favorite soundtrack during my infusions. I hope it brings you some joy too.
happy new year!
beautiful album art and obi, not to mention the music itself, thank you jen
wishing you as happy a year as can be
thank you for listening and for the kind words <3
Firstly thank you in advance, I don’t know this album. You mention the ketamine infusions; I was doing them, on and off for almost 2 years, started 9 or so months prior to the pandemic hitting. I wish I hadn’t stopped, it’s the only thing that’s ever helped, I’m otherwise 100% treatment-resistant. Unfortunately (as you already know), as it’s not covered by insurance each infusion is so expensive that I was having family help me to pay, & the guilt was too much for me. The benefits were ephemeral, but to have even a week of feeling almost “ok” was wonderful. Don’t think you get a chance to check comments so I won’t keep on, however I will say the experience itself was always profound, spiritual….music plays an essential role during the journey.. anyhow I really feel like listing some of the music I would listen to as I think you’d appreciate some of it, but to be redundant I dunno that you will see this at all. -As always thank you for all you do here, we are most certainly kindred spirits of sound. –Regards
i do check comments! and i completely sympathize–it’s a wonderful thing but the price is a real barrier. i did an initial six session course a year ago and have only gone back a couple times since then because of the expense. but yes, music was a hugely significant part of the treatment for me, and i think undergoing it permanently changed the way i experience music for the better. love to you 🤍