The Japan Society

Upcoming Events

ARCHIVED ONLINE EVENT - Soundscapes of Contemporary Japan with Mat Eric Hart and Nick Luscombe

Sunday 1 August 2021 / 11:00am
ONLINE EVENT - Soundscapes of Contemporary Japan with Mat Eric Hart and Nick Luscombe

Date
Sunday 1 August 2021
Time
11.00am (BST)
7.00pm (JST)
For countries outside the UK, please use this calculator to check the time in your region.

Booking Details
Free – Donations Welcome
Registration essential

Book online here

The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning to attend and do not have a membership subscription as an individual or through your employer, please consider making a donation. You can find details of membership and how to join the Japan Society community here.


What can we learn about culture, society and environment through sound? In this special online talk, artist and sound recordist Mat Eric Hart and DJ, field recordist and broadcaster Nick Luscombe will take us on an auditory journey across Japan.

Field recording has been growing in popularity in recent years as it offers different ways to listen to our world, whether it is through the representation of ethnomusicological recordings, environmental documentaries, or the presentation of natural or urban soundscapes as music.

Nick has worked extensively on projects focusing on the various soundscapes of Japan including Sounds of Japan on BBC Radio 3 (available for the next month). He will be in conversation with Mat, discussing the challenges of field recording and sharing with us their experience of listening to Japan. Their conversation will be interspersed with sounds, including recordings from Mat’s sound archive project for the British Library Mat Eric Hart Japan Collection.

For this event, we recommend attendees to use a pair of earphones or headphones for a better audio experience.

Mat Eric Hart is a British producer, artist and sound recordist currently based in Provence, France. His work explores the realms of field recording, soundscape, composition and sound design through a practice deeply rooted in listening to & connecting with the natural world.

In 2019, he travelled to Japan to begin working on a field project supported by The British Library Sound Archive (Mat Eric Hart Japan Collection). This project explores the relationship that exists between sound and spirituality in Japanese culture, documenting present day practices, rituals, performances and interactions with Japanese artists, festivals, folk culture and sacred spaces.

London and Tokyo-based DJ and broadcaster Nick Luscombe has been described as a “restless musical soul”, and his passion for sound and music spans all times, spaces and places, reflected in his much-loved Late Junction programmes on BBC Radio 3 and the long-running Flomotion / New Ratio radio shows which he has expertly selected over 20 years. He also currently presents weekly live radio shows at CIC Tokyo.

His work also extends to A&R for the Nonclassical record label and as creative partnerships consultant Japan at Gearbox Records as well as the curation of playlists for music streaming services and well-known brands.

Nick is the founder and creative director of Musicity, the leading agency for music + architecture, with a series of commissioned work and events across Asia and Europe. He is also the co-founder of Japan Sound Portrait, a podcast and promotion agency.

If you have any questions, please call the Japan Society office on 020 3075 1996 or email events@japansociety.org.uk.


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Booking Info

  • You should receive an automated email from the Japan Society to let you know that your booking request has been registered. Please note that your booking is pending while we check your details and you will receive a further email once your booking is confirmed.

  • For online events, we will send you the zoom links and details to attend the event closer to the date.

  • If you don't receive any confirmation emails or links, please check your spam folder or email events@japansociety.org.uk.