
Release Date
2024 November
Format
LP + DL CODE
Product Number
conatala (conatala-006)
Tracklist
Side A
1. ORGAN-AUTOMATIK
2. LESSON #3
3. TIPOGRAFICA
4. NASCA
5. EDISON AND HAMMERS
Side B
1. S.F.(Dedicated to VERNE) ~ A SONG OF ESCALATORS(Love And Sex)
2. QUARTET
3. SWEET HOME
Composed, Arranged, Produced, Performed: Toru Yamanaka, Teiji Furuhashi 山中透/古橋悌二
Art Direction & Designed: Material
Remastered: Makoto Oshiro
DUMB TYPE is a multimedia performance art group based in Kyoto that was formed in 1984 and continues to be active at the forefront of the art scene. We are excited to announce the simultaneous release of two cassette book works produced by musician Toru Yamanaka and the late Teiji Furuhashi, a central figure of the group, for works from the early DUMB TYPE Theatre era: "Every Dog Has His Day (recorded in 1985)" and "Plan For Sleep (recorded in 1986)," now available for the first time on vinyl.
Since the founding of DUMB TYPE, Yamanaka has primarily been responsible for music production, while the late Furuhashi played a crucial role in translating Yamanaka’s compositions into stage direction. Their collaboration began with previous groups ORG and R-STILL, and was influenced by the NEW WAVE and progressive rock trends they were pursuing at the time, as well as by artists like Laurie Anderson, Meredith Monk, and Robert Wilson, who fused minimal music and avant-garde performance. Moreover, their bold incorporation of cutting-edge sampling and house music during that era laid the foundation for DUMB TYPE's sound, marking an important intersection in the history of minimalism, ambient music and performance art in Japan.
In the performance of "Plan for Sleep" (1986), which was produced simultaneously with “Every Dog Has His Day” (1985), Yamanaka took charge of sound operation. The performance began with a minimal number that featured the sounds of an electronic organ, accompanied by striking piano and saxophone phrases that raced along in syncopation. Following this, various sound fragments floated above a piercing industrial beat reminiscent of machine drive noises. There was also a piece that transformed the typing sounds of a typewriter into a rhythmic number, showcasing various attempts inspired by the still-novel sampling music of the time, beautifully connecting with the physicality of the performance. Additionally, influenced significantly by film music, Yamanaka's work introduced melancholic melodies that evoked a range of scenes from secular jazz to colorful, rich melodies. This resulted in a completely original and sophisticated worldview that is unmatched in the realm of performance art worldwide during the postmodern era.