Suchness
Tatsuya Oe, an electronic music master who is also known as Dark Model and Captain Funk, completes a concept album under the name of OE. “Suchness” consists of ten “Kankyo-Ongaku” (ambient music) compositions, which are inspired by the Japanese view of nature and Zen philosophy. Immerse yourself to the OE’s world of weaving musical notes and “ma (a silence and void)” into exquisite soundscapes.
Contents
Backstory
With an illustrious career spanning two decades, Tatsuya Oe, the acclaimed recording artist and electronic music producer, has carved a niche for himself with his truly unique and diverse musical style. As a self-taught composer, Oe has released a plethora of signature tracks under the monikers Captain Funk, OE, and Dark Model, each showcasing his bold and distinctive musical style.
The project we feature here, ‘Suchness,’ delves into ‘Kankyo-Ongaku’ (ambient music) compositions. This project is a testament to Oe’s deep-rooted connection with his cultural heritage, inspired by the Japanese view of nature and Zen philosophy, and his unique approach to music.
After moving from Japan to the US in 2013, Oe has had more opportunities to discover the peculiarity and depth of Japanese traditional culture and philosophy. Also, he has become keener on the differences between what the Western people imagine and create as Japanesque and what real Japanese do. For example, many ambient and new age songs, which are performed with traditional Japanese instruments and scales, are considered ‘Zen music.’
But Oe feels uncomfortable about calling them so because he doesn’t find what he has believed Zen in those kinds of music. He believes that the term ‘Zen music’ has been misappropriated and diluted in the Western context, and he prefers to use other terms to describe his music that more accurately reflect his cultural and philosophical influences.
Central to Oe’s music is the concept of ‘ma,’ which refers to a ‘powerful silence.’ As introduced by Toru Takemitsu, a celebrated Japanese composer, ‘powerful silence’ is a temporal silence and spatial void that is not empty but a presence. Oe employs ‘ma’ to create tension and resolution and convey his music’s transient nature (a sense of ‘mujo’). In Oe’s music, ‘ma’ is not just a pause or a break, but a powerful tool that he uses to create a sense of anticipation and release, enhancing the emotional impact of his compositions.
The way we use “ma” in music is similar to how Japanese traditional gardens and buildings are built. Oe chose the word “Suchness,” which is also a Buddhist term translated from Tathātā (which can mean either “One who has thus come” or “One who has thus gone”), to imply “placing notes and silences as they come to his mind.”
This release should be a refreshing experience for those who might have enjoyed Oe’s melody-and-beat-centric compositions under the names Dark Model and Captain Funk.
Tracklist
1. Dewdrops
2. Yozakura
3. Let Them Come, Let Them Go
4. Cloud Sea
5. Suchness
6. Misty Garden
7. Jizo Cried
8. Yama No Hibiki
9. Bamboo Forest
10. Goraikou
Album Info & Credit
Artist Name: OE
Album Title: “Suchness”
Release Date: May 29th (Fri), 2020
Format: Digital
Label: Model Electronic
All tracks composed and produced by Tatsuya Oe (JASRAC)
Art Direction: Passion Yoko
Product No: MECD-1011
UPC Code: 195269000790
Downloads & Streaming Services
Worldwide
Apple Music / iTunes
Amazon US | JP | UK | FR | GR
Bandcamp
Spotify
7digital
Tidal
Deezer
Napster
Qobuz
Yandex Music
iHeart Radio
Pandora
Youtube Music (Streaming)
Japan
AWA
Music.jp
dwango.jp
Recochoku(incl. Hi-Res)
Mora (Hi-Res)
e-onkyo music (Hi-Res)
OTOTOY (Lossless) (Hi-Res)
KKBox
Line Music
Rakuten Music
Other Asian countries
– China –
QQMusic
Kuwo Music（酷我音楽）
NetEase Cloud Music（網易雲音楽）
Xiami Music（蝦米音楽）
– South Korea –
Melon
Soribada
Bugs!
CD
Please note that the format is a Limited CD-R Pro.
Amazon US
Import CDs
Note for Sync Licensing
If you’re interested in obtaining a license of music included in this album for your TV/Film/Advertising project, please request a quote from License Form.