Ken Ikeda - Sacred Offering (2025) [Hi-Res]

The idea of "The Savage Mind" that sinks to the bottom of modern consciousness is the basis of my expression. It’s at this level that I draw ideas and challenge myself to navigate was of making work.

One day, I watched a video of a traditional Ainu ritual, Lomante. It was a video of a hunted bear dedicated to a god, singing, and dancing. The image penetrated deeply into my inner being and transformed into an abstract shape and sound image. The image stayed on, I couldn’t lose it from my mind’s eye.

As it lingered I was drawn to respond to it. I first drew a picture using simple ink lines and gestures on paper. I then improvised while watching it.

For me, electronic music is a tool that connects the future and the past. It links them out of time, in a way that is beyond one or the other.

I drew more graphic scores while watching the video of Lomante many times. Then I recorded the sound of synthesizers while looking at the scores. Next, I put the recording on video and continued to write scores while watching it. And then recorded again. It was a process of iteration and transformation informed by this process and the ritual.

Tracklist:
1-1 Ken Ikeda - Akimatzuri (Autumn Festival) [4:43]
1-2 Ken Ikeda - Rain Won’t [4:25]
1-3 Ken Ikeda - Zawameki [4:32]
1-4 Ken Ikeda - Circulation [5:25]
1-5 Ken Ikeda - Reason to Live [6:02]
1-6 Ken Ikeda - Inner Self [6:34]
1-7 Ken Ikeda - Bear Sacrifice [4:44]
1-8 Ken Ikeda - Sakuya (Last Night) [4:43]
1-9 Ken Ikeda - Utatane [4:16]