Felicia Atkinson, Takuma Watanabe & Akira Rabelais - Mada Kokoni Iru Original Soundtrack Recomposed (2020)

‘Mada Kokoni’ is a gorgeous soundtrack recomposition suite by Japanese composer Takuma Watanabe and his like-minded collaborators Akira Rabelais and Félicia Atkinson.

Berklee graduate Takuma Watanabe is best known as a film composer in Japan, where he also helms a string ensemble, and notably in 2007 he played synthesiser and computer live as part of David Sylvian’s world tour. Fair to say that Sylvian’s rarified adult contemporary atmospheres have a strong influence on the music here, forming a silvery thread of connection to Sylvian’s previous collaborator Akira Rabelais and likewise to the exquisite poise of Félicia’s work.

‘Mada Kokoni’ extends from Takuma’s soundtrack for the Japanese short film ‘まだここにいる” (I’m Still There)’, directed by actor Shota Sometani (‘Himizu’, ‘Kūkai’) and scripted by actor Rinko Kikuchi (‘Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter’, ‘Babel’), and features two of his solo works; the windswept electro-acoustic strings of ‘Particle’, and the enchanted passage of keys and featherlite strings in ‘Mada Kokoni Iru’; while innovative contemporary classical genius Akira Rabelais lends his spectral processing with a ghostly touch in their collaboration ‘Sono Jikanni Kakehashiga Umareru’. But for us the highlight is Félicia Atkinson’s impressionistic, layered and dreamlike mix of vocals and anaesthetised keys that tenderly evoke the title of her piece ‘the rain’.