Opitope@Lush

Opitope performed on Saturday night at Lush, a tiny basement (i.e., underground) club in Shibuya. Opitope are the electronica duo of Chihei Hatakeyama (guitar, laptop and effects) and Tomoyoshi Date (laptop and effects). Readers of this blog might recall that I interviewed Hatakeyama-san, here in Tokyo, last year (see Archives, July 2006).

Opitope have released one of the finest CD's I've heard thus far this year. It's called "Hau" and it is on the Japanese label, Spekk. Spekk is a great label for electronic and indie music releases and I would urge all readers to check out their website (www.spekk.net). MP3's of the CD can be heard at the site.

As I entered the club, I passed through the Lush doma - a smallish, foyer area - where three people were seated behind a merchandise table. It was quiet. I said, "Konban wa" ("good evening"), checked out some of the merchandise, and then, via a thick soundproof door, entered into the main club. It was packed! I could barely squeeze into the space! As the act before Opitope finished their set, I slowly moved near the front of the stage, found a square foot, or two, where I could sit on the floor and couldn't help but notice that I was probably the only foreigner in the club that night. Cest la vie - this is actually one of the things I love most about exploring this underground scene in Tokyo: it takes me out of my comfort zone.

Opitope quickly set up and began their performance. The first sounds I heard were those of birds! A Japanese robin? This was followed by more field recordings and the set evolved as one long, 35 minute improv. The field recordings and processed sounds were sometimes punctuated by beautiful chord swells from Hatakeyama's guitar. It was intoxicating stuff.

The young man directly in front of me smoked thoughtfully, occasionally cupping his chin in his left hand, while his index and middle fingers clasped the burning cigarette. There is nothing more evocative, moody (and cooly photogenic) than "someone smoking thoughtfully." But, in this case, the vents in the club were blowing his second hand smoke directly into my face. After 5 minutes of this, I found giving the good old US of A "big ups" for its progressive anti-smoking laws! That's one thing I miss when I am here in Japan.

I enjoyed Opitope's performance a great deal. My only wish was that they had referenced some of the amazing material on their new CD. Songs like "A White Cloth Falling from the Snow Branches," and "A Far Room" are truly magical. The Saturday night show appeared to be largely improvised and, as a fan of the CD, I naturally wanted to hear some of that particular music.

You readers are urged to find this CD and get it into your iPods soon!

Optope
"Hau"
Spekk records
KK.011

I'm hoping that I get the chance to meet with Hatakeyama-san, again, before I return to the US...