Meet our artists through their playlists.
We were curious what our resident artists move to – what tunes they put on to warm up, which tunes are relevant to their work, which help them wind down.
This playlist is by Ryuichi Fujimura, one of our 2023 RECHARGE Space Grant residents who is in the Drill Hall mid July 2023 to revisit and renew his solo work “How Did I Get Here?”, first part of his HERE NOW Trilogy, originally made a decade ago to mark his 50th birthday.
Here is Ryuichi’s playlist:
TRACK #1: zephyr by Fonica
Fonica is a now-defunct Japanese electronic music band which has released only one album (ripple). When I work in a studio, I often play their album at the beginning.
TRACK #2: Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell (2000 self-cover version)
In “How Did I Get Here?” (one of my solos) I use this song but a different version sung by Frank Sinatra which, I must admit, is not a great rendering but it suits my solo. Hundreds singers have sung this song, but to me the best version is the slow ballad version Joni Mitchell released in 2000.
TRACK #3: I sing the body electric from “Fame” (original motion picture soundtrack)
The movie “Fame”(1979) is one of my favorite movies and I use the intro and outro of this song for “Fall! Falter!! Dance!!!”, another solo of mine.
TRACK #4: You can’t always get what you want (Soulwax remix) by The Rolling Stones
I sometimes use a pop song to propel storytelling in my work. I use this remix version of this classic tune in “Fall! Falter!! Dance!!!”
TRACK #5: Maroon by Taylor Swift
According to my iPhone, I have played this song more often than any other songs in 2023. I love Taylor.
TRACK #6: Modern Love by David Bowie
“Fall! Falter!! Dance!!!” was partly inspired by the movie “Frances Ha”. This song is played effectively in the scene in which Frances, a young dancer, runs and dances along a New York street.
TRACK #7: The Swan (Carnival of the Animals: XIII) by London Cello Orchestra
That famous dying swan song.
TRACK #8: Remodel by Alva Noto
If I had indefinite amount of money, I would ask Alva Noto to compose music for my work.
TRACK #9: Thursday Afternoon by Brian Eno
My favorite bedtime song before Podcast was invented.
TRACK #10: A Stream with Bright Fish by Brian Eno & Harold Budd
The Pearl which contains this song is my warm down album.
IMAGE CREDIT: Ryuichi Fujimura in promo shot for ‘Fall! Falter!! Dance!!!’. Photo by Alex Houy.