Label: Discrepant

主に即興/エクスペリメンタルの分野で動くDJ /ターンテーブリスト/音楽家DJ SniffがポルトガルDiscrepantより出版した2022年新作LP！！天皇の肉声を放送する"玉音放送"より受けたインスピレーションを落とし込んだ非常に興味深いプロジェクトであり、その歴史的な背景を台湾と日本の両方で徹底調査。3年間でインタビューやフィールドレコーディング、蓄音機ディスクのオーディオ、即興のミュージシャンとのレコーディング、中国語で語られる降伏に関する資料を集め、それらを素材に2つの楽曲を制作。なんと本作はその楽曲を1サイドに2つの平行溝として刻んでしまった特殊仕様の盤。非常に面白い作りとなっています。7,000字に及ぶ巨大ブックレット付き。



Multi-sided disc with two parallel grooves cut on one side, which in effect plays a different composition depending on where the stylus is cued. The other side has no audio but features two silkscreened lines that refer to how Haruna played the original lathe-cut discs. For the digital release, each composition is independently assigned to the left and right channel and is heard simultaneously.

Parallel Traces of the Jewel Voice by dj sniff is a project that takes inspiration from historical narratives and personal memories constructed around The Jewel Voice Broadcast (Gyokuon Hoso) that took place on August 15 of 1945. Contrary to common belief, Emperor Hirohito did not speak live on air to announce the surrender of Japan on this day. Instead, two lathe-cut discs with his recorded voice were skillfully mixed and played by NHK engineer Shizuto Haruna. Haruna’s proto-DJ/turntablist performance was heard not only in Japan but also throughout the colonized territories in Asia, marking the end of World War II and Japanese rule.

Interested in these aspects which often have been overlooked within the Japanese narratives of this historical event, dj sniff conducted research in both Taiwan and Japan. Over the course of 3 years he collected various materials that include; interviews and field recordings, audio samples extracted from phonograph discs and recordings sessions with improvising musicians, and a re-reading of the Imperial Rescript on Surrender in Chinese. These were used to compose two compositions that are paired differently depending on their distribution format.

The vinyl release is a multi-sided disc with two parallel grooves cut on one side, which in effect plays a different composition depending on where the stylus is cued. The other side has no audio but features two silkscreened lines that refer to how Haruna played the original lathe-cut discs. For the digital release, each composition is independently assigned to the left and right channel and is heard simultaneously.

Additionally, an extensive text written by dj sniff accompanies this release. Sniff uncovers technical details of the recording and broadcasting of the emperor’s voice that took place over 75 years ago. He also reflects on his encounters with the elderly community in Taiwan who spoke fluent Japanese and shared their personal stories after listening together to records from their childhood.