INDEX
The Sensibility of HOSONO HOUSE Beyond “Genre” and “Style”
As mentioned earlier, Yuma Abe’s version of ”Fuyugoe” is built on the foundation of “Sayonara America, Sayonara Nippon” and the “awai” (in-between space) of HOSONO HOUSE. The oscillation between the relief of being able to pursue personal interests after leaving a band and the anxiety of stepping into the unknown mirrors Abe’s own current mindset as he energetically embarks on American tours as a solo artist.
Cornelius’s Bara to Yajuu retains the essence of band performances found in Muchu Muchu (2023) while transitioning into a dub-like chaos as the song progresses, searching for a path beyond dreams. The raw, almost trembling quality of Koyamada’s vocals suggests a sense of adventurous recording environments, perhaps echoing the spirit of Sayama House. The developments in the middle section likely refer to the meditative state and the encounter with future sounds brought by technology—experiences that Hosono himself had not yet encountered at the time of HOSONO HOUSE.
CHOO CHOO Gatagoto by KUKUKU stands as the album’s most unrestrained and adventurous cover. In the days of HOSONO HOUSE, Hosono had only just begun exploring the sounds of the American West Coast, but as he expanded his musical horizons, it feels as if the two members of KUKUKU, like time-traveling guides, are whispering a roadmap of otherworldly music in his ear. Together, they ride a train of sound, clattering along the map forged by the delicate balance of imagination and experience.
The fascinating aspect of these covers coming from Japan is something I hope will resonate internationally. Rather than explaining HOSONO HOUSE as music influenced by Sly Stone or James Taylor, I believe it should be seen as a work with universal value, transcending the boundaries of “genre” or “style,” and instead, breathing life in the “awa”—the space between.
The word “human” is written with the characters for “person” and the “space between people,” and it’s a beautifully crafted concept. Reflecting on these three tracks, I’m struck by how HOSONO HOUSE emerged from the intersection of people and time, weaving a vast “awa” that has continued to reverberate for over fifty years, still resonating with the present.
“HOSONO HOUSE COVERS”（LP）
Release Date: Wednesday, November 6, 2024
Price: ¥5,500 (tax included)
Catalog Number: HHKB-001
[SIDE A]
- Aiaigasa / TOWA TEI
- Fuku wa Uchi Oni wa Soto / John Carroll Kirby feat. The Mizuhara Sisters
- Jūsho Futei Mushoku Tei Shū / mei ehara
- CHOO CHOO Gatagoto / Kukuku (Ikuko Harada & Manami Kakudo)
- Fuyugoe / Yūma Abe
- Boku wa Chotto / Mac DeMarco
[SIDE B]
- Koi wa Momoiro / Sam Gendel
- Owari no Kisetsu / rei harakami
- Bara to Yajū / Cornelius
- Party / SE SO NEON
- Rokka Bai Mai Beibii / Akiko Yano
[Link to the album]
https://hosonohouse.lnk.to/COVERS
https://hosonohouse-cover.com/
