All new work from OLAibi, a Japanese percussion-based experimental music project by AI from Osaka, an ex-member of OOIOO who regularly works with Takagi Masakatsu. In her music, OLAibi incorporates ancient Okinawan influences and melds electronics, steel drums, pianica, exotic percussion instruments and her voice into dizzying technicolor dream states. Since her childhood, AI was deeply inspired and mesmerized by Africa, and discovering Western African drums in later years mainly triggered her further musical activities. Using her manifold cross-cultural influences, she's created this deeply personal work, excavating her current feelings and sharing them with the outside world.

Land where the water never dries up. Land where the soil is fertile.

These were the only conditions for me.

The earthquake. That attacked Japan.

I was looking for a place to dwell.

One day I stumbled upon an old estate agent man who gave me an old map.

“I’ve never been there but you go and have a look.”

I went there following the map, I got there but it didn’t seem right. It was a jungle. No space to enter.

I entered into the dark woods clipping the branches in front of me one by one with a nata sword which I had with me.

I had no idea where the borders were. It didn’t seem like there was no infrastructure.

I had no idea this jungle even would fulfil my conditions.

What sort of future had I imagined, I decided to live here to make this place my home.

It's my 9th year since I have lived here.

I can say that I live like a human.

I spend about £7 a month on electricity. It’s for some pendant lights to avoid insects and musical machines to work. And wifi to connect to the outside world.

At first I tried so hard to live harmoniously with nature.

I tried not to chop down trees and stopped cooking meat dishes.

After 8 years you finally realise that you change the organic system inevitably by simply just existing.

Only humans cannot fit in this world.

And I cry from the sadness and helplessness.

We sway.

We are creatures that sway.

We try to adjust to fit in this world finding the harmonious point swaying.

That made me feel less tearful and got up to live for the next day.

I name all my music of food or flavour.

Not to forget that everything I make is given from nature.

The languages I chose in my music I call them -Fate community language.

I mix up and use the phonetic of all the different foreign languages,

And all I have to do is to follow the word souls and my instinct.

- OLAibi

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OLAibi - all music & recording

Written & recorded in spring 2020

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Artwork design by Oliver Barrett