Japanese experimental folk artist KASAI, born Daisuke Iijima, continues his profound exploration of traditional minyo on his third album for the Chinabot label, the emoji-titled 〽. Pronounced Iori-ten, the title references a musical notation in traditional Japanese music, signalling the start of the singer’s part—a fitting symbol for an album that centres the human voice. KASAI masterfully weaves the ancient form into the fabric of contemporary Japanese life, drawing from his experiences as a care worker, garbage collector, father, and hobbyist farmer. “There are many celebratory labour songs in minyo,” KASAI notes, adding that, “Influenced by these aspects, I created my own minyo.”
The album’s sound is a raw and rhythmic landscape. Stripped-back beats, often punctuated by handclaps on off-kilter beats. “Rather than melody, I focus on the rhythm and momentum of the words as they are uttered,” he explains, emphasising “voicing than singing.”
This is powerfully demonstrated on the album’s final track, “ゴモク積み唄” (“Piling-up Garbage Song”). Over a clangorous, worklike beat and chants from his real-life workmates, KASAI sings about the meticulous care of a garbage collector.
Album notes: While ironic (“needless to say, we work for wages,” KASAI says), the song and video are also a powerful celebration of the vital physicality and unity of manual labour, which is often rewarded with neither social status nor high pay, leaving the worker to hope for reward in the next life instead.
〽 is released in Chinabot on June 25th, 2025
Pre-Order on Bandcamp: https://chinabot.bandcamp.com/album/–2