Earth Awhile is the first collaborative release by Japanese sound artist Chihei Hatakeyama and American musicians Michael Grigoni and Stephen Vitiello. Grigoni and Vitiello formerly collaborated on Slow Machines released by 12k in 2020, which was selected as NPR Music’s “Top 10 Albums of February 2020.”
Earth Awhile was a chance to reach out during the isolation of the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic and craft a project that bridges Hatakeyama’s ambient soundscapes with the signature sound of Grigoni’s steel guitar and Vitiello’s compositional sensibilities and seasoned resourcing of field recordings. Also an instrumentalist, Vitiello’s acoustic guitar and piano playing appears on this recording as well. Expanding the geographic footprint of the project, the trio was also joined for one track by Australian guitarist Cameron Webb (Seaworthy).
Earth Awhile presents six compositions, allowing for an expansive approach to time. The tracks feature lap steel and pedal steel guitar, dobro, modular synthesizer and layers of processing that rise and fall in a series of expansive compositions. The album’s title is borrowed from a poem by Robert Frost titled “Birches” — “I'd like to get away from earth awhile. And then come back to it and begin over.” The track titles reference “Birches” as well, grounding these soundscapes in territories of light and air.
credits
released January 29, 2021
Dobro, lap steel guitar, pedal steel guitar, and loops by Michael Grigoni.
Modular synthesizer and electric guitar by Chihei Hatakeyama.
Acoustic guitar, piano, samples, and loops by Stephen Vitiello.
Ebow guitar by Cameron Webb on Dry In The Sun.
Cover photo by Paul Thulin-Jimenez.
Recorded and mixed at the homes of Michael Grigoni in Durham, North Carolina,
Chihei Hatakeyama in Tokyo, Japan, and
Stephen Vitiello in Richmond, Virginia in 2020.
Mastering by Chihei Hatakeyama at White Paddy Mountain in 2020.
white paddy mountain is a small record label based in Japan.
Chihei Hatakeyama is A Sound Artist And Musician Living On The Outskirts Of Tokyo. chihei-mastering.com
Michael Grigoni's 'Mount Carmel' is the best thing to happen to lap / pedal steel based music in a while. Such attention to detail in every note, not a sound is wasted. Alive and energizing yet meditative and somber all at the same time. Lost Tribe Sound
Some of my favorite 12k yet. The guitar work makes it much more active than many ambient albums, but still squarely belongs in the genre by spirit and sound. Eric Gedenk
Tape and guitar loops combine to create mesmerizing atmospherics, like watching the Northern Lights ripple in the sky. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 16, 2022
DC-based musician Carni Klirs leads listeners on a series of soothing, self-guided journeys that pull from post-rock and ambient drone. Bandcamp New & Notable Jun 30, 2021