Marcus Maeder has been recording the environmental sounds in the forests of Nara near Shimoichi in Japan since late summer 2023 and works with the local population on questions of perception of the forest and the environment. The eight movements not only make the forest audible, but also musically reflect the spiritual realm and the mythologies that populate the forests and the mountains of Nara. Sonic aspects and moods of the ceremonies of the Yamabushi – the monks that practice the Shugendō religion – are echoed in Maeder’s electronic music that connects the field recordings; the synthetic meets the natural, culture blends harmoniously with nature, the human with the non-human.
Published by domizil n, 2025.
All compositions by Marcus Maeder.
Field recordings: Forests of Shimoichi, Nara prefecture, Japan. Voices on movement 6: Daisuke, Makiko.
Dedicated to Daisuke, Jonas, Kaori, Makiko, Mana, Masaki, Seiichi, Taisuke, Takashi, Toshi, Yoshi, Yuko, Yuri and the monks of the Kimpusen-ji.