This is the debut collaboration between CazU-23, a guitarist from Turtle Island, originally from Machida but now based in Nagoya, and Sinkichi, an ambient DJ whose roots are deeply planted in the outskirts of Kyoto, weaving ethereal soundscapes.

The first sonic exchange between these two artists has now come to fruition, encapsulated in a magnetic tape here.

The story takes place on July 16, 2024, during the intense heat of the Gion Matsuri festival. On an afternoon when even the wind in Shimogamo had stilled, CazU-23, with a gift of Ise lobster crackers, knocked on the door of Softribe Studio in Ima De Gawa. Without formalities or a set agenda, the door opened to an unfettered exchange of sound.

Sinkichi, using modular synths from Mutable Instruments, Makenoise, SDKC Instruments Helical, and others of his own construction, weaved together his sonic landscape. CazU-23, with his 70s Teisco guitar, guided by pedals from Chase Bliss, Soma Laboratory, Sonic Ware, Dightech, and more, offered his own unique voice.

Their improvisation, which lasted for roughly six continuous hours, evolved into a stream of sound, and from the eight tracks recorded by KND, the sound engineer of Softribe, five were carefully selected and later reworked, taking on a new life.

CazU-23 layered his guitar with monophonic synthesizers, while Sinkichi interwove soundscapes of collected sounds from the back alleys of Kyoto and the foot of the Higashiyama mountains.

The final mix, completed at Koza Bc Street Studio in Ichijoji, was enriched with the resonance of Buchla synthesizers, the warmth and fluctuation of magnetic tape, and a soft, mist-like texture that gently enveloped the sonic space. Eventually, this sound transformed into a quiet “galaxy” in its own right.

This work is dedicated to the late, legendary ambient DJ, OPERON. His influence is immeasurable, and his presence quietly breathes through this sonic universe.

Born from Ima De Gawa, this is the humble yet endless beginning of a sound galaxy—its journey, infinite.