Last year, Tim Hecker wowed fans and critics alike with his ninth solo studio record, Konoyo. Today, the Canadian experimental producer has announced he will release a companion album, Anoyo, on May 10th, 2019 via Kranky.
Like its sister LP, Anoyo was recorded in the Jiunzan Mandala-Temple Kanzouin just outside of Tokyo. The two albums’ names play off each other; “Konoyo,” the Japanese word for the living world, contrasts “anoyo,” which is a translation of the word used to signify the afterlife. Appropriately, Konoyo hinted at this metaphoric transition between worlds, with the final song on the record being titled “Across to Anoyo”.
Drawing from the same sessions that created Konoyo, Anoyo finds Hecker merging soundscapes with a form of traditional Japanese classical music called gagaku. For both albums, the gagaku ensemble Tokyo Gatkuso served as accompaniment. Since the 2018 effort’s release, select members of the Japanese collective have been on the road touring with Hecker as the Konoyo Ensemble, and they’ll continue to do so this year.
As a first listen to Anoyo, Hecker has shared the atmospheric and sprawling “That World”. Take a listen to the nine-minute track below.
Fans can pre-order Anoyo on Hecker’s Bandcamp page ahead of its formal release. You can also preview the upcoming work with a brief clip showing behind-the-scenes footage of the creation of Anoyo at Mandala Temple. Check it out below.
Anoyo Artwork:
Anoyo Tracklist:
01. That world
02. Is but a simulated blur
03. Step away from Konoyo
04. Into the void
05. Not alone
06. You never were
In addition to the album announcement, Hecker has added a number of spring dates to his world tour with the Konoyo Ensemble. After the tour kicks off this weekend at Miami’s III Points Festival, the avant-garde electronic composer has a series of festival appearances and club shows booked through to June. Newest to the schedule is a run of shows in May that span the United States and into Canada. See his full itinerary below.
Tim Hecker & the Konoyo Ensemble 2019 Tour Dates:
02/17 – Miami, FL @ III Points Festival
02/18 – New York, NY @ National Sawdust (Early) #
02/18 – New York, NY @ National Sawdust (Late) #
02/19 – New York, NY @ National Sawdust #
02/21 – Los Angeles, CA @ Masonic Lodge #
02/22 – Los Angeles, CA @ Masonic Lodge #
02/23 – Los Angeles, CA @ Masonic Lodge #
03/29 – The Hague, NL @ Re:Wire Festival
03/30 – Porto, PT @ Vivarium Festival *
04/02 – Edinburgh, UK @ Summerhall *
04/03 – Brussels, BE @ Orangerie
04/27 – Marfa, TX @ Marfa Myths Festival
05/08 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
05/10 – Arcosanti, AZ @ Arcosanti Form Festival
05/11 – Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf
05/12 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theatre
05/14 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
05/15 – Toronto, ON @ Mod Club
06/01 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound
06/02 – Copenhagen, DK @ Lille Vega *
06/03 – Stockholm, SE @ Slaktkyrkan *
06/04 – Moscow, RU @ Culture Center Zil
06/06 – Paris, FR @ Villette Sonique Festival
06/07 – Helsinki, FI @ Sideways Festival
# = w/ Kara-Lis Coverdale
* = solo show
