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Indigo is the oldest dye used by humans around the world since B.C. The method of extracting the beautiful indigo blue color from plants, which seems to increase in beauty and attractiveness even after 100 years, is a technique that requires advanced technology, management methods, and time and effort in production, including fermentation, and is said to have a beneficial effect on the skin and human body. It is said to have a beneficial effect on the skin and human body, and is said to protect against insects and strengthen the fabric.
The bags are made in Auroville, a cosmopolitan city in South India, and are made of tough 100% organic cotton, dyed by hand with natural Indian indigo.
We hope you will take long time to use our natural dyed products, as they will change in texture over time.
notice : The first few times the natural Indian indigo is used, the color may shift, so we hope you will use it with darker colored clothes. We recommend hand washing and drying in the shade.
*Because of the natural dyeing and handmade process, the texture and coloring of each item will vary. Also, the color may differ depending on the browser environment. Please understand.
*It has a fermented smell caused by the indigo, which is unique to indigo dyeing. It is also a sign of real indigo. but it will disappear during use.
| width | 50cm |
| height | 35cm |
| gusset | 12cm |
| shoulder | 60cm |
Indigo is the oldest dye used by humans around the world since B.C. The method of extracting the beautiful indigo blue color from plants, which seems to increase in beauty and attractiveness even after 100 years, is a technique that requires advanced technology, management methods, and time and effort in production, including fermentation, and is said to have a beneficial effect on the skin and human body. It is said to have a beneficial effect on the skin and human body, and is said to protect against insects and strengthen the fabric.
The bags are made in Auroville, a cosmopolitan city in South India, and are made of tough 100% organic cotton, dyed by hand with natural Indian indigo.
We hope you will take long time to use our natural dyed products, as they will change in texture over time.
notice : The first few times the natural Indian indigo is used, the color may shift, so we hope you will use it with darker colored clothes. We recommend hand washing and drying in the shade.
*Because of the natural dyeing and handmade process, the texture and coloring of each item will vary. Also, the color may differ depending on the browser environment. Please understand.
*It has a fermented smell caused by the indigo, which is unique to indigo dyeing. It is also a sign of real indigo. but it will disappear during use.
| width | 50cm |
| height | 35cm |
| gusset | 12cm |
| shoulder | 60cm |
Meditations Hand-Dye T-Shirt natural dyed by Yuko Kitta, a dyeing artist living in Okinawa, Japan. artwork by Tomoo Gokita.
The motif is lord of Shiva on the wave, the Hindu god of creation and destruction, also as founder of Yoga. The original T-sh body is created with tough, heavy-weight organic hemp cotton (55% hemp × 45% organic cotton) with hand-screen printing. The thick fabric undergoes multiple layers of natural dyeing, allowing you to enjoy the color's natural aging process over time.
The hemp used in this body is derived from organic hemp fiber sourced from hemp farmers. It features diverse functionalities such as quick-drying absorbency, high strength, and antibacterial and deodorizing properties. Furthermore, hemp is a natural fiber that requires minimal pesticides and chemical fertilizers, has a relatively high CO2 absorption rate, and can be cultivated using methods that minimize environmental impact.
*As each T-sh is entirely handmade using plant-based dyes and printing techniques, variations in texture, color, and size may occur due to multiple dyeing processes and product washing. Please note that colors may appear different depending on your browser settings.
Tomoo Gokita
Born in 1969 in Tokyo. He is based in Tokyo. In the late 1990s, Gokita received acclaim for drawings made with charcoal and ink on paper. His first book Lingerie Wrestling was published in 2000. Starting with a show in New York in 2006, Gokita has exhibited his works in solo exhibitions internationally. In 2012, his work was included in “The Unseen Relationship: Form and Abstraction” at Kawamura Memorial DIC Museum of Art. Followed by “THE GREAT CIRCUS”, a solo show in 2014 at the same museum. Recent solo shows include, “PEEKABOO” (2018) at Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery and “Get Down” (2021) held at Dallas Contemporary, Texas. His books and exhibition catalogues include Shuffle Tetsudō Shōka [shuffle railroad songs] (Tokyo: Tennen Bunko, 2010); 777 (Tokyo: 888 Books, 2015); Holy Cow (Tokyo: Taka Ishii Gallery, 2017); PEEKABOO (Tokyo: Tokyo Opera City Cultural Foundation, 2018); and MOO (Tokyo: Taka Ishii Gallery, 2021).
About kitta
The story of kitta begins in 1998, when the director, Yuko Kitta, started making clothing using natural dyeing techniques. In 2011, she established an atelier in Okinawa, after working in Tokyo, Hyogo Prefecture, and Chiba.At present, she (together with other kitta employees) is engaged in the production of art pieces, installations and clothing with the idea of shepherding objects from their birth to their return to the earth as a central motivating concept.
The dyes used by kitta are hand-produced using mainly the Ryukyu indigo we grow ourselves and the leaves, branches, bark and roots of various Okinawan plants. Heating via flame and fermentation are also important techniques in our dyeing process. In addition, so that the clothes kitta produces can be worn for long periods, we also redye kitta products when colors fade.
| M | L | |
| length | 66.0 | 68.0 |
| width | 53.0 | 57.0 |
Meditations Hand-Dye T-Shirt natural dyed by Yuko Kitta, a dyeing artist living in Okinawa, Japan. artwork by Tomoo Gokita.
The motif is lord of Shiva on the wave, the Hindu god of creation and destruction, also as founder of Yoga. The original T-sh body is created with tough, heavy-weight organic hemp cotton (55% hemp × 45% organic cotton). naturally finished with hand-screen printing, along with natural iron oxide pigment as ink. The thick fabric undergoes multiple layers of natural dyeing, allowing you to enjoy the color's natural aging process over time.
The hemp used in this body is derived from organic hemp fiber sourced from hemp farmers. It features diverse functionalities such as quick-drying absorbency, high strength, and antibacterial and deodorizing properties. Furthermore, hemp is a natural fiber that requires minimal pesticides and chemical fertilizers, has a relatively high CO2 absorption rate, and can be cultivated using methods that minimize environmental impact.
*As each T-sh is entirely handmade using plant-based dyes and printing techniques, variations in texture, color, and size may occur due to multiple dyeing processes and product washing. Please note that colors may appear different depending on your browser settings.
Tomoo Gokita
Born in 1969 in Tokyo. He is based in Tokyo. In the late 1990s, Gokita received acclaim for drawings made with charcoal and ink on paper. His first book Lingerie Wrestling was published in 2000. Starting with a show in New York in 2006, Gokita has exhibited his works in solo exhibitions internationally. In 2012, his work was included in “The Unseen Relationship: Form and Abstraction” at Kawamura Memorial DIC Museum of Art. Followed by “THE GREAT CIRCUS”, a solo show in 2014 at the same museum. Recent solo shows include, “PEEKABOO” (2018) at Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery and “Get Down” (2021) held at Dallas Contemporary, Texas. His books and exhibition catalogues include Shuffle Tetsudō Shōka [shuffle railroad songs] (Tokyo: Tennen Bunko, 2010); 777 (Tokyo: 888 Books, 2015); Holy Cow (Tokyo: Taka Ishii Gallery, 2017); PEEKABOO (Tokyo: Tokyo Opera City Cultural Foundation, 2018); and MOO (Tokyo: Taka Ishii Gallery, 2021).
About kitta
The story of kitta begins in 1998, when the director, Yuko Kitta, started making clothing using natural dyeing techniques. In 2011, she established an atelier in Okinawa, after working in Tokyo, Hyogo Prefecture, and Chiba.At present, she (together with other kitta employees) is engaged in the production of art pieces, installations and clothing with the idea of shepherding objects from their birth to their return to the earth as a central motivating concept.
The dyes used by kitta are hand-produced using mainly the Ryukyu indigo we grow ourselves and the leaves, branches, bark and roots of various Okinawan plants. Heating via flame and fermentation are also important techniques in our dyeing process. In addition, so that the clothes kitta produces can be worn for long periods, we also redye kitta products when colors fade.
| M | L | |
| length | 66.0 | 68.0 |
| width | 53.0 | 57.0 |
Meditations Hand-Dye T-Shirt natural dyed by Yuko Kitta, a dyeing artist living in Okinawa, Japan. artwork by Tomoo Gokita.
The motif is lord of Shiva on the wave, the Hindu god of creation and destruction, also as founder of Yoga. The original T-sh body is created with tough, heavy-weight organic hemp cotton (55% hemp × 45% organic cotton). naturally finished with hand-screen printing, along with natural iron oxide pigment as ink. The thick fabric undergoes multiple layers of natural dyeing, allowing you to enjoy the color's natural aging process over time.
The hemp used in this body is derived from organic hemp fiber sourced from hemp farmers. It features diverse functionalities such as quick-drying absorbency, high strength, and antibacterial and deodorizing properties. Furthermore, hemp is a natural fiber that requires minimal pesticides and chemical fertilizers, has a relatively high CO2 absorption rate, and can be cultivated using methods that minimize environmental impact.
*As each T-sh is entirely handmade using plant-based dyes and printing techniques, variations in texture, color, and size may occur due to multiple dyeing processes and product washing. Please note that colors may appear different depending on your browser settings.
Tomoo Gokita
Born in 1969 in Tokyo. He is based in Tokyo. In the late 1990s, Gokita received acclaim for drawings made with charcoal and ink on paper. His first book Lingerie Wrestling was published in 2000. Starting with a show in New York in 2006, Gokita has exhibited his works in solo exhibitions internationally. In 2012, his work was included in “The Unseen Relationship: Form and Abstraction” at Kawamura Memorial DIC Museum of Art. Followed by “THE GREAT CIRCUS”, a solo show in 2014 at the same museum. Recent solo shows include, “PEEKABOO” (2018) at Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery and “Get Down” (2021) held at Dallas Contemporary, Texas. His books and exhibition catalogues include Shuffle Tetsudō Shōka [shuffle railroad songs] (Tokyo: Tennen Bunko, 2010); 777 (Tokyo: 888 Books, 2015); Holy Cow (Tokyo: Taka Ishii Gallery, 2017); PEEKABOO (Tokyo: Tokyo Opera City Cultural Foundation, 2018); and MOO (Tokyo: Taka Ishii Gallery, 2021).
About kitta
The story of kitta begins in 1998, when the director, Yuko Kitta, started making clothing using natural dyeing techniques. In 2011, she established an atelier in Okinawa, after working in Tokyo, Hyogo Prefecture, and Chiba.At present, she (together with other kitta employees) is engaged in the production of art pieces, installations and clothing with the idea of shepherding objects from their birth to their return to the earth as a central motivating concept.
The dyes used by kitta are hand-produced using mainly the Ryukyu indigo we grow ourselves and the leaves, branches, bark and roots of various Okinawan plants. Heating via flame and fermentation are also important techniques in our dyeing process. In addition, so that the clothes kitta produces can be worn for long periods, we also redye kitta products when colors fade.
| M | L | |
| length | 66.0 | 68.0 |
| width | 53.0 | 57.0 |
This shoulder tote bag is natural dyed by Yuko Kitta, a dyeing artist living in Okinawa, Japan.
The bags are produced in Auroville in South India, and are made of 100% organic cotton, which is tough and thick.
About kitta
–
The story of kitta begins in 1998, when the director, Yuko Kitta, started making clothing using natural dyeing techniques. In 2011, she established an atelier in Okinawa, after working in Tokyo, Hyogo Prefecture, and Chiba.At present, she (together with other kitta employees) is engaged in the production of art pieces, installations and clothing with the idea of shepherding objects from their birth to their return to the earth as a central motivating concept.
The dyes used by kitta are hand-produced using mainly the Ryukyu indigo we grow ourselves and the leaves, branches, bark and roots of various Okinawan plants. Heating via flame and fermentation are also important techniques in our dyeing process. In addition, so that the clothes kitta produces can be worn for long periods, we also redye kitta products when colors fade.
| width | 50cm |
| height | 35cm |
| gusset | 12cm |
| shoulder | 60cm |
This shoulder tote bag is natural dyed by Yuko Kitta, a dyeing artist living in Okinawa, Japan.
The bags are produced in Auroville in South India, and are made of 100% organic cotton, which is tough and thick.
About kitta
–
The story of kitta begins in 1998, when the director, Yuko Kitta, started making clothing using natural dyeing techniques. In 2011, she established an atelier in Okinawa, after working in Tokyo, Hyogo Prefecture, and Chiba.At present, she (together with other kitta employees) is engaged in the production of art pieces, installations and clothing with the idea of shepherding objects from their birth to their return to the earth as a central motivating concept.
The dyes used by kitta are hand-produced using mainly the Ryukyu indigo we grow ourselves and the leaves, branches, bark and roots of various Okinawan plants. Heating via flame and fermentation are also important techniques in our dyeing process. In addition, so that the clothes kitta produces can be worn for long periods, we also redye kitta products when colors fade.
| width | 50cm |
| height | 35cm |
| gusset | 12cm |
| shoulder | 60cm |
This shoulder tote bag is natural dyed by Yuko Kitta, a dyeing artist living in Okinawa, Japan.
The bags are produced in Auroville in South India, and are made of 100% organic cotton, which is tough and thick.
About kitta
–
The story of kitta begins in 1998, when the director, Yuko Kitta, started making clothing using natural dyeing techniques. In 2011, she established an atelier in Okinawa, after working in Tokyo, Hyogo Prefecture, and Chiba.At present, she (together with other kitta employees) is engaged in the production of art pieces, installations and clothing with the idea of shepherding objects from their birth to their return to the earth as a central motivating concept.
The dyes used by kitta are hand-produced using mainly the Ryukyu indigo we grow ourselves and the leaves, branches, bark and roots of various Okinawan plants. Heating via flame and fermentation are also important techniques in our dyeing process. In addition, so that the clothes kitta produces can be worn for long periods, we also redye kitta products when colors fade.
| width | 50cm |
| height | 35cm |
| gusset | 12cm |
| shoulder | 60cm |
This shoulder tote bag is natural dyed by Yuko Kitta, a dyeing artist living in Okinawa, Japan.
The bags are produced in Auroville in South India, and are made of 100% organic cotton, which is tough and thick.
About kitta
–
The story of kitta begins in 1998, when the director, Yuko Kitta, started making clothing using natural dyeing techniques. In 2011, she established an atelier in Okinawa, after working in Tokyo, Hyogo Prefecture, and Chiba.At present, she (together with other kitta employees) is engaged in the production of art pieces, installations and clothing with the idea of shepherding objects from their birth to their return to the earth as a central motivating concept.
The dyes used by kitta are hand-produced using mainly the Ryukyu indigo we grow ourselves and the leaves, branches, bark and roots of various Okinawan plants. Heating via flame and fermentation are also important techniques in our dyeing process. In addition, so that the clothes kitta produces can be worn for long periods, we also redye kitta products when colors fade.
| width | 50cm |
| height | 35cm |
| gusset | 12cm |
| shoulder | 60cm |
This shoulder tote bag is natural dyed by Yuko Kitta, a dyeing artist living in Okinawa, Japan.
The bags are produced in Auroville in South India, and are made of 100% organic cotton, which is tough and thick.
About kitta
–
The story of kitta begins in 1998, when the director, Yuko Kitta, started making clothing using natural dyeing techniques. In 2011, she established an atelier in Okinawa, after working in Tokyo, Hyogo Prefecture, and Chiba.At present, she (together with other kitta employees) is engaged in the production of art pieces, installations and clothing with the idea of shepherding objects from their birth to their return to the earth as a central motivating concept.
The dyes used by kitta are hand-produced using mainly the Ryukyu indigo we grow ourselves and the leaves, branches, bark and roots of various Okinawan plants. Heating via flame and fermentation are also important techniques in our dyeing process. In addition, so that the clothes kitta produces can be worn for long periods, we also redye kitta products when colors fade.
| width | 50cm |
| height | 35cm |
| gusset | 12cm |
| shoulder | 60cm |
This shoulder tote bag is natural dyed by Yuko Kitta, a dyeing artist living in Okinawa, Japan.
The bags are produced in Auroville in South India, and are made of 100% organic cotton, which is tough and thick.
About kitta
–
The story of kitta begins in 1998, when the director, Yuko Kitta, started making clothing using natural dyeing techniques. In 2011, she established an atelier in Okinawa, after working in Tokyo, Hyogo Prefecture, and Chiba.At present, she (together with other kitta employees) is engaged in the production of art pieces, installations and clothing with the idea of shepherding objects from their birth to their return to the earth as a central motivating concept.
The dyes used by kitta are hand-produced using mainly the Ryukyu indigo we grow ourselves and the leaves, branches, bark and roots of various Okinawan plants. Heating via flame and fermentation are also important techniques in our dyeing process. In addition, so that the clothes kitta produces can be worn for long periods, we also redye kitta products when colors fade.
| width | 50cm |
| height | 35cm |
| gusset | 12cm |
| shoulder | 60cm |
This shoulder tote bag is natural dyed by Yuko Kitta, a dyeing artist living in Okinawa, Japan.
The bags are produced in Auroville in South India, and are made of 100% organic cotton, which is tough and thick.
About kitta
–
The story of kitta begins in 1998, when the director, Yuko Kitta, started making clothing using natural dyeing techniques. In 2011, she established an atelier in Okinawa, after working in Tokyo, Hyogo Prefecture, and Chiba.At present, she (together with other kitta employees) is engaged in the production of art pieces, installations and clothing with the idea of shepherding objects from their birth to their return to the earth as a central motivating concept.
The dyes used by kitta are hand-produced using mainly the Ryukyu indigo we grow ourselves and the leaves, branches, bark and roots of various Okinawan plants. Heating via flame and fermentation are also important techniques in our dyeing process. In addition, so that the clothes kitta produces can be worn for long periods, we also redye kitta products when colors fade.
| width | 50cm |
| height | 35cm |
| gusset | 12cm |
| shoulder | 60cm |
This shoulder tote bag is natural dyed by Yuko Kitta, a dyeing artist living in Okinawa, Japan.
The bags are produced in Auroville in South India, and are made of 100% organic cotton, which is tough and thick.
About kitta
–
The story of kitta begins in 1998, when the director, Yuko Kitta, started making clothing using natural dyeing techniques. In 2011, she established an atelier in Okinawa, after working in Tokyo, Hyogo Prefecture, and Chiba.At present, she (together with other kitta employees) is engaged in the production of art pieces, installations and clothing with the idea of shepherding objects from their birth to their return to the earth as a central motivating concept.
The dyes used by kitta are hand-produced using mainly the Ryukyu indigo we grow ourselves and the leaves, branches, bark and roots of various Okinawan plants. Heating via flame and fermentation are also important techniques in our dyeing process. In addition, so that the clothes kitta produces can be worn for long periods, we also redye kitta products when colors fade.
| width | 50cm |
| height | 35cm |
| gusset | 12cm |
| shoulder | 60cm |
This shoulder tote bag is natural dyed by Yuko Kitta, a dyeing artist living in Okinawa, Japan.
The bags are produced in Auroville in South India, and are made of 100% organic cotton, which is tough and thick.
About kitta
–
The story of kitta begins in 1998, when the director, Yuko Kitta, started making clothing using natural dyeing techniques. In 2011, she established an atelier in Okinawa, after working in Tokyo, Hyogo Prefecture, and Chiba.At present, she (together with other kitta employees) is engaged in the production of art pieces, installations and clothing with the idea of shepherding objects from their birth to their return to the earth as a central motivating concept.
The dyes used by kitta are hand-produced using mainly the Ryukyu indigo we grow ourselves and the leaves, branches, bark and roots of various Okinawan plants. Heating via flame and fermentation are also important techniques in our dyeing process. In addition, so that the clothes kitta produces can be worn for long periods, we also redye kitta products when colors fade.
| width | 50cm |
| height | 35cm |
| gusset | 12cm |
| shoulder | 60cm |
This shoulder tote bag is natural dyed by Yuko Kitta, a dyeing artist living in Okinawa, Japan.
The bags are produced in Auroville in South India, and are made of 100% organic cotton, which is tough and thick.
About kitta
–
The story of kitta begins in 1998, when the director, Yuko Kitta, started making clothing using natural dyeing techniques. In 2011, she established an atelier in Okinawa, after working in Tokyo, Hyogo Prefecture, and Chiba.At present, she (together with other kitta employees) is engaged in the production of art pieces, installations and clothing with the idea of shepherding objects from their birth to their return to the earth as a central motivating concept.
The dyes used by kitta are hand-produced using mainly the Ryukyu indigo we grow ourselves and the leaves, branches, bark and roots of various Okinawan plants. Heating via flame and fermentation are also important techniques in our dyeing process. In addition, so that the clothes kitta produces can be worn for long periods, we also redye kitta products when colors fade.
| width | 50cm |
| height | 35cm |
| gusset | 12cm |
| shoulder | 60cm |
This Meditations hand towel is made by a Japanese dyeing technique called 'Chusen', which was established in the early Edo period (1603-1868). Approximately 90 cm (W) x 35 cm (H), 100% cotton.
Through a delicious haze of delayed guitars, Pierre Bujeau’s Megabasse lures into deeply hypnagogic states of mind in the mode of his ace tapes for All Night Flight, adding to marvels of Melbourne’s Efficient Space.
In one satisfyingly extended piece and a pair of shorter parts Megabasse’s ‘Flamenca’ plucks out a slow motion petal-fall cascade of notes that linger on the senses like perfume and slot beautifully well into meridian of sounds found on Efficient Space’s prized folk and zoner country compilations ‘Sky Girl’ and ‘Ghost Riders’. The side-long ‘L’Último Sacrifacio’ yields a mesmerising 23’ ribbon of lissom rhythmelody enchanted by its own beauty and lodged somewhere in the outer realms of kosmiche and country folk music with Rafael Toral, Jules Reidy and Jim O’Rourke, for example, whilst ‘Marcia, Baila, Suogna’ comes down to earth gently with 9’ of chamber-posed minimalism elegant in its waltzing figure that sashays to a gorgeous, hushed vignette ’Suogna Piazzata’.
Jack Rollo is clearly really feeling it, as he expounds: “Pierre Bujeau is an expert at creating temporary escape zones - musical structures to evade the everyday. Sometimes he works collectively as part of the mysterious French groups Omertà and Tanz Mein Herz. But it’s when he’s on his own, performing as Megabasse, that he offers the most complete break from reality.
His kit is simple: a few bottles of cheap lager, twin Fender amps, and his double-necked guitar. An instrument like this normally signals maximum rockist excess - think Jimmy Page, Geddy Lee, or that dude from the Eagles. In Pierre’s hands, it becomes more like a zither or a dulcimer, producing soft chiming patterns that build against themselves until the sound of the room, passed back and forth between his two amps, starts to blur everything, and we are away in another world. Wait, though - let down your yoga bun and don’t light the palo santo yet. The new space he creates has nothing to do with smug wellness. It’s a rough, do-it-yourself psychedelia, scuffed but hopeful. Not a perfect blank space to be your best self in, but instead a communal dreaming, an uncanny place where all are welcome.
Until now, without catching him live, the Megabasse experience has been difficult to find: CD-Rs, short-run tapes, and one blink-and-you-missed-it LP. Thankfully, this record on Efficient Space, a reissue of some pieces that were previously only available on a small cassette edition, will put that right. Here are two long, intricate pieces, and something new - a shorter track that hints at a move toward beautiful, burnt-out guitar soli.
Unless you are very lucky, wise, or rich, life imposes its structures on you. Maybe a record of shimmering, tranced guitar is all you need to get out from underneath?”
“No second-guessing, no overthinking. The way I want to live my life is by doing the things that are important to me, and I think everyone should live that way,” says Mei Semones of her strengthened self-assurance. Through continuously honing in on her signature fusion of indie rock, bossa nova, jazz and chamber pop in a way that highlights her technical prowess on guitar, the 24-year-old Brooklyn-based songwriter and guitarist is quickly establishing herself as an innovative musical force. Since the release of her acclaimed 2024 Kabutomushi EP, a series of lushly orchestrated reflections on love in its many stages, Mei has gone on to tour extensively across the US, cultivate a dedicated following, and write and record her highly anticipated debut album, Animaru. Inspired by the Japanese pronunciation of the word “animal” in Japanese, Animaru is the embodiment of Mei’s deeper trust in her instincts – a collection of musically impressive tracks that see Mei sounding more adventurous, more vulnerable and more confident than ever before.
Mei’s newfound assertiveness comes in part from her experiences in the past year, as 2024 was a transformative year for the Mei Semones band. They shared bills with the likes of Liana Flores, Elephant Gym and Kara Jackson, among others, and Mei transitioned to doing music full-time. Amidst the frequent touring, Mei and her five-piece band recorded the album in the summer of 2024 at Ashlawn Recording Company, a farm studio in Connecticut operated by their friend Charles Dahlke. To these sessions, she brought a batch of tracks that, not unlike Kabutomushi, are sophisticated declarations of non-romantic love: love of life (“Dumb Feeling”), love of family (“Zarigani”), love of music and her guitar (“Tora Moyo”). Animaru exemplifies Mei’s enchantingly wide range as a songwriter and musician, including some of the most challenging and most straightforward songs Mei has ever written.
Though her music might inherently evoke feelings of romance and softness, the crux of the album lies in Mei and her band’s skillful balance of tension and release. Often within individual tracks, there will be moments of pared-back acoustic guitar adorned by Mei’s infectious vocalizations that, in a moment’s notice, transform into orchestral swells of sweeping strings and complex guitar rhythms. Album opener “Dumb Feeling” is a prime example, a bossa/samba blend complete with indie rock sensibilities in the choruses as Mei details her contentment with her life in New York City. Mei actively seeks out musical challenges throughout Animaru, like on “I can do what I want,” the album’s most technically ambitious track. But she still manages to make the quickly cascading guitar harmonics and odd meters sound like a breeze to play, her breathy, lilting voice cutting through the track’s energetic dynamics. It epitomizes the album as a whole – she sings of doing things her own way, on her own terms, in hopes of inspiring others to make the same active switch in their own lives.
The simpler moments on Animaru are equally as captivating as when Mei is shredding on guitar or her bandmates are carrying out an intricate arrangement. “Donguri,” a stripped-down jazz duo performance between acoustic guitar and upright bass, is the simplest song Mei has ever written, brought to life by Mei sweetly chronicling (mostly in Japanese) what she imagines life would be like as a woodland creature living in the forest. The album’s penultimate track also encompasses themes relating to the titular “animaru.” Translating to “crayfish,” the bright, effervescent “Zarigani” is a nostalgic expression of love for her twin sister, with Mei singing “We’ll always have each other / I love you like my guitar / I love you like no other.” Family is one of the primary loves of Mei’s life, with her mom, Seiko Semones, making all of her album and single artwork. Despite Animaru being a statement of Mei’s autonomy and confidence at this point in her life, it's the various loves that she surrounds herself with – her family, her friends, her band, her music – that empower her to do things her own way.
“No second-guessing, no overthinking. The way I want to live my life is by doing the things that are important to me, and I think everyone should live that way,” says Mei Semones of her strengthened self-assurance. Through continuously honing in on her signature fusion of indie rock, bossa nova, jazz and chamber pop in a way that highlights her technical prowess on guitar, the 24-year-old Brooklyn-based songwriter and guitarist is quickly establishing herself as an innovative musical force. Since the release of her acclaimed 2024 Kabutomushi EP, a series of lushly orchestrated reflections on love in its many stages, Mei has gone on to tour extensively across the US, cultivate a dedicated following, and write and record her highly anticipated debut album, Animaru. Inspired by the Japanese pronunciation of the word “animal” in Japanese, Animaru is the embodiment of Mei’s deeper trust in her instincts – a collection of musically impressive tracks that see Mei sounding more adventurous, more vulnerable and more confident than ever before.
Mei’s newfound assertiveness comes in part from her experiences in the past year, as 2024 was a transformative year for the Mei Semones band. They shared bills with the likes of Liana Flores, Elephant Gym and Kara Jackson, among others, and Mei transitioned to doing music full-time. Amidst the frequent touring, Mei and her five-piece band recorded the album in the summer of 2024 at Ashlawn Recording Company, a farm studio in Connecticut operated by their friend Charles Dahlke. To these sessions, she brought a batch of tracks that, not unlike Kabutomushi, are sophisticated declarations of non-romantic love: love of life (“Dumb Feeling”), love of family (“Zarigani”), love of music and her guitar (“Tora Moyo”). Animaru exemplifies Mei’s enchantingly wide range as a songwriter and musician, including some of the most challenging and most straightforward songs Mei has ever written.
Though her music might inherently evoke feelings of romance and softness, the crux of the album lies in Mei and her band’s skillful balance of tension and release. Often within individual tracks, there will be moments of pared-back acoustic guitar adorned by Mei’s infectious vocalizations that, in a moment’s notice, transform into orchestral swells of sweeping strings and complex guitar rhythms. Album opener “Dumb Feeling” is a prime example, a bossa/samba blend complete with indie rock sensibilities in the choruses as Mei details her contentment with her life in New York City. Mei actively seeks out musical challenges throughout Animaru, like on “I can do what I want,” the album’s most technically ambitious track. But she still manages to make the quickly cascading guitar harmonics and odd meters sound like a breeze to play, her breathy, lilting voice cutting through the track’s energetic dynamics. It epitomizes the album as a whole – she sings of doing things her own way, on her own terms, in hopes of inspiring others to make the same active switch in their own lives.
The simpler moments on Animaru are equally as captivating as when Mei is shredding on guitar or her bandmates are carrying out an intricate arrangement. “Donguri,” a stripped-down jazz duo performance between acoustic guitar and upright bass, is the simplest song Mei has ever written, brought to life by Mei sweetly chronicling (mostly in Japanese) what she imagines life would be like as a woodland creature living in the forest. The album’s penultimate track also encompasses themes relating to the titular “animaru.” Translating to “crayfish,” the bright, effervescent “Zarigani” is a nostalgic expression of love for her twin sister, with Mei singing “We’ll always have each other / I love you like my guitar / I love you like no other.” Family is one of the primary loves of Mei’s life, with her mom, Seiko Semones, making all of her album and single artwork. Despite Animaru being a statement of Mei’s autonomy and confidence at this point in her life, it's the various loves that she surrounds herself with – her family, her friends, her band, her music – that empower her to do things her own way.
"Kurayami" the newest single from Mei Semones features some of the mathiest riffs and one of the most bombastic musical climaxes of her career thus far. An exhilarating track to cap off a star-making year for Mei. Mei on the new songs: "Kurayami" means "darkness" in Japanese, and this song is about growing up in Michigan and reminiscing on what it was like hanging out with my friends. Being a kid was really fun and I was happy, but I remember there was a point where we started to lose our innocence and I think this song is about that feeling. It's one of the more technically difficult songs I've written, and it took some practice to get to the point where I could sing and play it at the same time. There's lots of fun tempo changes, odd meters, wide interval arpeggios, and fast licks, and I think the band arrangement is really creative too. Get used to it: "Get used to it" is about the beauty in solitude and being alone, how to move on from something that was important in your life but still leave space for it, and my love for the guitar and music. It's the second song I wrote on my nylon string, and the changes and melody are somewhat inspired by Thelonious Monk. The instrumentation is more minimal than our other songs -- just me (guitar & vox), upright bass, and drums. We were going for a live jazz trio sound, so there's not really any layers or anything. It's just a straightforward recording of the 3 of us playing the tune, and I think that was the best way to capture the feeling behind the song.
Mei Semones’ sweetly evocative blend of jazz, bossa nova and math-y indie rock is not only a way for her to find solace in her favorite genres, but is an intuitive means of catharsis. “Blending everything that I like together and trying to make something new – that's what feels most natural to me,” says the 23-year-old Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter and guitarist. “It’s what feels most true to who I am as an artist.” ‘Tsukino’, Mei’s debut, self-released EP, is being released physically for the first time ever on Bayonet Records! The EP will be released by itself on CD & Tape formats, and will be included in a vinyl pressing on the B-side of Semones’ landmark EP, ‘Kebutomushi’! Plinking guitar tones and asymmetrical time signatures exemplify Semones’ forays into angular indie rock more now than ever before. Originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, Semones began playing music at a young age, starting out on piano at age four before moving to electric guitar at age eleven. After playing jazz guitar in high school, she went on to study guitar performance with a jazz focus at Berklee College of Music. College is where she met her current bandmates, including string players Noah Leong and Claudius Agrippa, whose respective viola and violin add softness and multidimensionality to Mei’s intricate guitar work. After releasing a slew of singles and an EP in 2022, coinciding with her move to New York City, Mei and her band have since gone on to collaborate with post-bossa balladeer John Roseboro and embark on their first-ever tour with the melodic rock outfit Raavi. Semones chronicles infatuation, devotion, and vulnerability in her songs, complete with sweeping strings, virtuosic guitar-playing and heartfelt lyrics sung in both English and Japanese, that have all become part of her sonic trademark: ornately catchy, genre-fusing compositions serving as the backdrop to tender lyrics touching on the universalities of human emotion.
