"Shiosai RADIO" is a playlist curated by musicians and DJs, featuring songs inspired by the ocean.
Volume 8 features Ritsuko Sakata, who composes and performs under the name "pagtas" while also working as a DJ. She has been captivated by the music born in port cities around the world. She has selected tracks that evoke a "sound journey" by ship, from North and Central America, Asia, Africa, and Northern Europe.
Hong Kong, Brazil, Tottori to Hyogo Seascapes
—I hear that Mr. Sakata used to be a train enthusiast and visited various coastal areas.
I remember taking the train and seeing the sea. I like to travel along the Pacific coast from Aomori to Hiroshima and Onomichi on the Seto Inland Sea (excluding southern Miyagi), and also along the Sea of Japan coast, including Kyushu.
Do you have a favorite coastline?
If I had to pick one place, it would be the Sea of Japan side, somewhere between Tottori and Hyogo. When I took the "Uradome Coast Island Cruise" near Oiwa Station in Tottori, I could see a string of small islands, and I liked that it wasn't too crowded or too lively.
Next, there's Ine, a town on the coast in northern Hyogo Prefecture. The sight of rows of "funaya" (houses with boat docks on the ground floor) that seem to float on the sea was truly striking.
—What do you think of the seas abroad?
It was quite a while ago, but I went to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As you'd expect from a warm tourist destination, there were cobblestone streets with wave patterns along the coast, which I think matches the mood of the Brazilian music I've always loved listening to, like Tamba Trio's "Beira-Mar," which I chose for this post.
I was more impressed by the sea in Salvador, a port city in northern Brazil. The coast I visited was rugged and rocky, which reminded me of the sea I saw in Iwate Prefecture.
In Salvador, there's a festival where people pray to Yemanjá, the goddess of the sea. In Brazil, there are also many songs that are based on Yemanjá.
—Are there any other beaches that you would say are particularly special?
I think it was Cheung Chau Island in Hong Kong, where I stayed about two years ago. There were countless small fishing boats, presumably owned by individual business owners, moored at the pier.
The roads were so narrow that cars couldn't pass, and there were many old, small, single-story houses. I remember thinking, "You can only see a sight like this here," and it left a lasting impression on me.
A sonic journey like sailing around the world
—What kind of image did you have in mind when selecting the songs for this playlist?
Perhaps it's a sea that isn't too bustling, but retains a touch of loneliness. People drown in the sea, and planes crash. It's not just bright; it also has a scary side. I think the tone leans towards a slightly melancholic feel, while still retaining both the bright and dark aspects.
For the playlist, I selected songs from artists of over a dozen countries, and I noticed that there were quite a few from countries bordering the Atlantic Ocean. There's also an artist from a landlocked country, Ethiopia (a nun and pianist, Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru). Shanghai, China, has "sea" in its name, but the city center isn't really on the coast; instead, a large river (the Huangpu River) flows through it. I thought that contrast was interesting.
The first track is by 33EMYBW, an artist from Shanghai, followed by a collaboration between CHIYORI × YAMAAN (Japan) and MARIAPEPINOS (Chile), and then Chelique Sarabia (Venezuela). Dotorado Pro is from Angola, Paraadiso is from the UK, Caetano Veloso & Gilberto Gil are from Brazil, and Cecilia López is from Argentina, so as you said, there is a strong Atlantic vibe.
The next artist, Dinamarca, is a producer from Chile, based in Sweden. Incidentally, the profile picture of him that you can find in various places is a back shot taken on a beach.
And following Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru from Ethiopia, we have "Granada" by Ernesto Hill Olvera from Mexico. This is a cover of a famous Latin classic by Agustín Lara.
I learned about Ernesto from YOSHIRO Hiroishi's autobiography, "YOSHIRO: The Legendary Japanese Latin Singer Who Amazed the World" (Takushosha). YOSHIRO was invited to a Venezuelan television station in 1965, which led to him making a name for himself in North and Central America, the former Soviet Union, and other countries around the world, and he is now active in Japan. The book mentioned that he had performed with him.
Although Ernesto lost his sight at a young age, he took a job as a pianist playing in restaurants. However, when he arrived at a restaurant, there was no piano, only a Hammond organ to play. Moreover, he was asked to sing as well, so out of desperation, he developed a technique using the organ's slide bars to express the subtle fluctuations of a human voice.
—Are there any other songs that deserve special mention?
Could it be "Oreja Ácida" by Lechuga Zafiro from Uruguay? He's a dance music producer, but he incorporates field recordings (recordings made outdoors) and modulates them to create his music. He's recorded the sound of waves on rocky shores, the sounds of frogs croaking, and even recorded the reverberation characteristics (echoes) of caves in Puerto Rico and the Canary Islands.
—Finally, a message to our listeners: How do you think this playlist would be best enjoyed?
I hope you enjoy listening to it as if you were on a ship. I'd be happy if you listened to it whenever you like, whether you're traveling or doing chores at home.
Thank you so much for today!
TRACKLIST
33EMYBW – Ediacaran Ghost (feat. Marina Herlop)
CHIYORI, YAMAAN, MARIAPEPINOS – WATER (feat. Skinny Dolphin)
Chelique Sarabia – Mare Mare / Por Comer Zopoara / El Pájaro Guarandol
Dotorado Pro – Love Marimbas
Tamba Trio – Beira-Mar
Paraadiso – Blue Marble
Caetano Veloso & Gilberto Gil – Boas Vindas
Cecilia López & Ingrid Laubrock – FABULACIONES NY/DE
Dinamarca – Peri
Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru – Evening Breeze
Ernesto Hill Olvera – Granada MXC
Mioko Yamaguchi – Someday, Swaying To a Distant Country (New ver.)
The Modern Jazz Quartet – The Martyr
Prefab Sprout – Carnival 2000
Yuji Ohno – The Marine Express (From the album "Yuji Ohno Best Hit Live at Tokyo International Forum Hall A 2022.1.28")
Lechuga Zafiro – Oreja Ácida
T5UMUT5UMU – Sea of Trees
Olga López – Suite Criolla: III. Danza
14 Bis – Todo Azul do Mar
Profile
Ritsuko Sakata | Sakata Ritsuko
As a DJ, I play music inspired by different regions around the world.
MIX CDs: Brazil 'Mágica Canária', motorcycle exhaust 'rev', Caribbean bass 'Mi Dembow', Taiwanese mood 'A Night In Taipei Vol.3', and global atmosphere 'velamix'.
He is active as a vocalist and guitarist in the band "pagtas," and also plays motorcycle exhaust sounds and other instruments in "fuelphonic."
IG: @pagtas
Interview and text by Hanazawa Ou
Illustration by Oki Masahide
