Kizaki Ondo

‘Kizaki Ondo’ is an Edo-period folk song that originated in the bustling post town of Nitta Kizakicho, Gunma Prefecture. It apparently started as a drinking song performed by sex workers at inn parties, but was later adopted by the town as a Bon odori (festival song). This release features a field recording of ‘Kizaki Ondo’ from 1980, as well as an instrumental version captured the following year. The 1980 recording has a wonderfully tactile energy. Pounding taiko (drums) threaten to overload the speakers, while the intermittent vocal phrases are drenched in live reverb. Shouts from the crowd and the booming resonance of the percussion create a sense of space and excitement. The instrumental version is slightly more sedate, with emphasis on the shinobue (flute) and a languid groove. The two versions complement each other perfectly.

On previous folklore releases by EM Records, the original recording is often accompanied by one from the present day. This can provide insight into how differing interpretations of a folk song may vary. Here instead is a 2018 reimagining of ‘Kizaki Ondo’ by trap artist Clark Naito, which references the original lyrics of the song. While well produced, this remix bears no musical resemblance to the original, and as such, its inclusion here feels a little perfunctory.