One of the more interesting and intriguing acts to emerge from the Japanese electronic music scene comes courtesy of the ethereal soundscapes of Sapphire Slows.
Composing tunes in her bedroom on her trusty laptop this Tokyo-based musician has also made impressions in the West with the release of the True Breath
There’s a particular spectral ambience present on much of Sapphire Slows’ material. Tracks such as ‘Animal Dreams’ and ‘Spin Lights Over You’ are stunningly effective examples of Sapphire Slows’ use of hypnotic treated vocals combined here and there with insistent basslines and stark melodies. ‘You Got True Breat’h is a broody slow burn of a song that makes fine use of Slows’ dreamy vocal washes.
If there’s a Western equivalent then the closest would be that of Grimes, the Canadian-based artist who, like Sapphire Slows, is a solo artist working with electronic music that evokes a particular ethereal mood. Like Grimes, Sapphire Slows writes and produces her material alone, writing into the early hours in her bedroom. Her set-up is also surprisingly simple, consisting of a Mac, Casio keyboard and a rhythm machine.
Her initial release was the 7” Melt, issued on the Big Love label last year. She gained interest in the West after sending one of her tracks to LA-based label Not Not Fun who suggested a release, which led to the True Breath
If you’re a fan of Technopop, but like to step down a gear or two at times, then Sapphire Slows might be a very good place to start.
An album has been hinted at in the future, but for now the True Breath
True Breath is available via Amazon: True Breath
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sapphire-Slows/166948386703427
http://sapphireslows.bandcamp.com/album/true-breath
http://biglove.bigcartel.com/product/pre-order-biglove031-sapphire-slows-melt-7
