Whether you love or hate Tycho’s new creative approach of adding vocal components to their ambient soundscapes, the Scott Hansen project has released a two-part single that will satisfy whichever side you’re on.
Described as an auditory journey through the imagery and experiences from a recent trip to Hakone, Japan, “Japan” is sliced into two halves: a shorter, airy cut accented by Saint Sinner’s soft, lingering falsetto and a separate instrumental B-side.
A sedated bass line, gentle, buttery riff and aerobic percussion melt underneath lamplight, and move around Saint Sinner’s plush and breathy vocals on the track’s A-side. When turned over and stripped of its vocal component, the instrumental version is filled with additional melodies to create a separate and richer soundscape.
Speaking of releasing the two versions of the track, Hansen said in a statement: “I wanted to explore the idea of approaching songs from two entirely different perspectives.”
Whether Hansen is sonically evolving and pushing for a greater vocal presence in his project, Tycho is Tycho through and through—and it’s clear the magnetizing, ambient instrumentation is still the gold-plated center of the track.
“Japan” is the latest cut from Tycho’s forthcoming album Weather, set for release July 12 via Mom + Pop Music/Ninja Tune. Hannah Cottrell of Saint Sinner, who penned the track’s lyrics, previously joined Hansen on the past two Tycho singles, “Easy” and “Pink & Blue.”
The track arrives with a new music video, finding Cottrell backlit in the historic neighborhood of San Francisco’s Japantown and featuring a clear overuse of the wave warp video effect, which, uh, isn’t received too kindly in the YouTube world.
Tycho will embark on an extensive world tour in support of Weather and will be joined by Saint Sinner on all dates. You can find the band’s tour dates and the details of Weather below, but first, check out the two versions of “Japan” and Tycho’s 2012 Daytrotter Session.
Weather Album Artwork:
Weather Tracklist:
01. Easy
02. Pink & Blue
03. Japan
04. Into The Woods
05. Skate
06. For How Long
07. No Stress
08. Weather
Tycho Tour Dates:
July
21 – Byron Bay, Australia @ Splendour In The Grass *
23 – Melbourne, Australia @ Forum Melbourne
24 – Sydney, Australia @ Sydney Opera House
26 – Niigata Prefecture, Japan @ Fuji Rock Festival ‘19 *
September
05 – Los Angeles, Calif. @ Greek Theatre ^
06 – Berkeley, Calif. @ Greek Theatre #
07 – Portland, Ore. @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall #
08 – Seattle, Wash. @ Paramount Theatre #
11 – Denver, Colo. @ The Mission Ballroom #
13 – Minneapolis, Minn. @ Palace Theatre #
15 – Chicago, Ill. @ Aragon Ballroom #
16 – Toronto, Ontario @ Sony Centre for the Performing Arts #
18 – Boston, Mass. @ Wang Theatre – Boch Center #
19 – New York, N.Y. @ Summerstage #
20 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ Franklin Music Hall #
21 – Slippery Rock, Pa. @ Resonance Music & Arts Festival *
23 – Detroit, Mich. @ The Masonic #
24 – Columbus, Ohio @ Express Live #
26 – St Louis, Mo. @ The Pageant #
27 – Kansas City, Mo. @ CrossroadsKC #
February
09 – Oslo, Norway @ Rockefeller #
10 – Stockholm, Sweden @ Vasteatern #
11 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Vega Main Hall #
13 – Hamburg, Germany @ Uebel & Gefahrlich #
14 – Cologne, Germany @ Live Music Hall #
15 – Paris, France @ Elysée Montmartre #
17 – Brussels, Belgium @ AB Ballroom @ Ancienne Belgique #
18 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso #
19 – Berlin, Germany @ Huxley’s #
21 – Warsaw, Poland @ Praga Centrum #
23 – Prague, Czech Republic @ Roxy #
24 – Budapest, Hungary @ Akvarium #
25 – Vienna, Austria @ WUK #
27 – Milan, Italy @ Fabrique #
28 – Bologna, Italy @ Estragon #
March
01 – Barcelona, Spain @ Sala Apolo #
05 – London, U.K. @ Printworks #
(* = w/ Festival Performance)
(^ = w/ Chrome Sparks)
(# = w/ Poolside)