Chihei Hatakeyama
Latest Release
Artist Profile
Chihei HatakeyamaIn 2006, he released his first album on the American label Kranky, renowned for its avant-garde music. Since then, he has released numerous works on labels both in Japan and abroad, including Australia's Room40, Luxembourg's Own Records, the UK's Under The Spire and hibernate, and Japan's Home Normal. Characterized by beautiful ambient drone compositions constructed using a combination of digital and analog equipment, he has gained popularity primarily overseas, ranking in the top 10 of Spotify's 2017 "Most Streamed Japanese Artists Overseas." In April 2021, he released his first album, "Late Spring," on the UK's Gearbox Records. He then released a collection of soundtracks from the documentary film "Life is Climbing!" in May 2023. He also released a CD, "The Secret Distance of TOCHKA," featuring ambient sounds from director Hiroyuki Matsumura's film "TOCHKA." His music was also used in Zachary Heinzerling's 2013 film "Cutie and the Boxer," a film about Shinohara Ushio that was nominated for the 86th Academy Awards in the Best Documentary Feature category. He also composed the music for the NHK Anime World: Puchi Puchi anime "En En Nikori." Since 2010, he has been touring vigorously around the world, completing a 15-city US tour in 2022 and two European tours in 2023. In May 2024, he released "Magnificent Little Dudes Vol. 1," a collaboration with jazz drummer Ishiwaka Shun. Vol. 2 of the same work was also released shortly thereafter.