A poem; a mumbled refrain; a vocal track; a vignette of a song; a plonk on a piano and guitar; a rattle on the drums. The ingredients in Tori Kudo's new release Takuroku might be familiar to fans of his ramshackle solo work and in Maher Shalal Hash Baz, but the way he scatters them, lays them out, collages them and puts them together is anything but. This is Tori at his most experimental, but also most revealing; bringing us close, breathing in our ear, showing us glimmers and multiple exposures of his life and letting us pick up the pieces.

Tori has kindly shared with us the lyrics to Track 1 below, both in English and Japanese.

Practice! Performance

Biopolitical meetings of

Flowers and spring breeze

The flag is about to fall on the base of the ridge

Grabbed a bunch of hair

Pass between heaven and earth

Shown another artificial meat

A pillar that stirs jealousy

You can't stand on the foundation of *Waka

The design is endless, so run, the truth

Get off at Mt. Shoji using the elevator inside

Decide whether to climb in pairs or not

Don't show off if you crush the viper

Get off the elevator inside

*Waka is a type of poetry in classic Japanese literature 

練習！パフォーマンス

生政治の会合の

花やら春風やら

畦の土台に旗は倒れそうだ

髪の毛の房を掴まれて

天と地の間を通り

別の人造肉を見せられる

嫉妬をかき立てる柱

和歌の土台に立つことはできない

意匠は無限にあるのだから走れ真理よ

障子山は内部のエレベーターで降りろ

二人一組で登るか登らないか決めろ

マムシを潰したら見せびらかすな 

内部のエレベーターで降りろ

--

Mastered by and Cover design by Oli Barrett