NEW TEA LAB # 009
Shotaro Aoyama / Musician


[THEME] "Sound" and "Brown"

Tea leaf shop pursuing the potential of Japanese tea [ GEN GEN AN phantom ]
Tea experiment discussion with professionals of various genres gathering around it " NEW TEA LAB ". The 9th time is "Tea and Otodangi" with the creator Shotaro Aoyama who works on the new GEN GEN AN phantom music that opened in Hasami, Nagasaki Prefecture. He talked about the new product "250ml of mind journey" that was born from the encounter with tea.



Space and music

New GEN GEN AN phantom "OUCHI" in Hasami Town, Nagasaki Prefecture, which opened in October 2021. Music is constantly echoing in this store, which utilizes an old folk house in the park " HIROPPA " set up by Hasami ware maker Maruhiro . This is an original sound source produced by Mr. Aoyama, who was given the themes of "past" and "future".

"Mr. Aoyama was involved in the launch of the GEN GEN AN phantom Ginza store. After that, I came to EN TEA's tea plantation in Ureshino, Saga Prefecture, and Hasami, where HIROPPA is located. I had the opportunity to ask. While thinking about what to do with the music that flows in the space called "OUCHI", I can only ask those who actually know the space and have a proper relationship value. I was thinking. Basically, I made it in a round-throwing state. "(Mr. Maruwaka)

" I was involved in a certain job before, and made sounds in a space that was not clearly separated. I had the opportunity to learn about Japanese houses in a project I participated in, " NF ". There was no complete partition and the door was not sealed. The theme was how to make the sound that is unique to Japanese houses by connecting "between" and "between". I think it was the culmination of what I had been working on in the last few years. "(Mr. Aoyama)



Past and future

Two songs to match the theme of "past" and "future". The title of "Past" is "TEA NOSTALGIA". It's a song that feels nostalgic and relaxed, spun with acoustic-only sound sources such as piano, guitar, and strings. Children's voices of sampling in kindergarten sometimes echo, making it even more nostalgic. The tape design itself looks like a sample of an old cassette tape.
The title of "Future" is "FUTURE REFLECTIONS". Creating a sound that feels a little light with beats. Unlike "TEA NOSTALGIA", this song, which was composed with a digital sound source, surely makes you feel the "future" while brewing tea and becoming familiar with the space to taste.

"The space of OUCHI itself is a little" future "rather than" modern "as an impression when you step into the interior, appearance, and while using the relics of the" past "of old folk houses as they are. There was a feeling that the space was updated to feel that. From there, the themes of "past" and "future" were born. "(Mr. Maruwaka)

" "Separate It was an effort to "mix things". The theme was "past" and "future", so when you mix the two, it becomes "present". In the summer of 2021, I went to Hasami and actually built the building. After seeing and feeling the atmosphere of the place, I proceeded with the production.By using two cassette players as sound sources and arranging them in different places and playing them, when you go to the entrance of OUCHI, you can hear exactly the two sounds overlapping. "(Mr. Aoyama)

In OUCHI, depending on where you are. The two songs are mixed and float in the space as a new sound. Sound creation that takes advantage of the characteristics of Japanese houses that connect "ma" and "ma" without partitions with ambiguous boundaries. Even though they are two different songs, no matter where they start to merge, they are mysteriously formed as one piece of music. It is a "sound" that you cannot understand without experiencing it, and that moves your heart when you experience it.



Analog and digital

In Mr. Aoyama's studio, musical instruments and equipment from all over the world are scattered all over the place. The work of taking in all of analog sounds, digital sounds, daily life sounds, and natural sounds and putting them together in a "song". And the product to be released this time is a specification that comes with a digital sound source that can be downloaded with a QR code along with an analog medium called "cassette tape".

The cassette tapes are produced by an analog method, in which the two cassette tapes are disassembled once and then reattached to each other on one side. The "past" and "future" exist on both sides of a single cassette tape. (This cassette tape was produced by Junichi Matsuzaki, a consumer electronics collector who is also involved in the interior of GEN GEN AN Gen Shibuya. It's all a tremendous amount of manual work.)

Stylish songs Sato is an "act" that seems to play a game and the "time" that it takes. Only when they overlap will it converge on the fun of the product. I feel a lot of love for the product and the existence of friends who can be interesting.

Left: "TEA NOSTALGIA" with the theme of "past"
Right: "FUTURE REFLECTIONS" with the theme of "future"

Tea and sound

A sound source and a mug named "250mL of mind journey." It wasn't just "interesting". Due to the influence of the times, it is difficult to reach Hasami now. It is also a product that was born with the desire to somehow deliver this experience.

"I made goods that you can enjoy tea in your house." (Mr. Aoyama)
"It will lead to the release of the sound source after there is a real place." I had been thinking about it from the beginning, but I'm glad that it was realized. I want you to bring back the feeling of temperature that was born in the place called "HIROPPA" to your house. From OUCHI to your house, isn't it? "(Maruwaka) )

Hasami Town, Nagasaki Prefecture, far from Tokyo. An original work that was conceived after considering how close the two songs that resonate in "OUCHI", where goats live comfortably, can be delivered. While playing a song on a cassette player in my house, I try to play the downloaded digital sound source from my PC. Overlay two songs from different sound sources. Then, you can experience the fusion of the two songs at home. It is a new musical experience that can be a relive of the place for those who have been to "OUCHI" with a feeling for "
OUCHI" in the distance.

We also paid particular attention to the mug. GEN GEN AN The eternal theme of the illusion is "how to make tea delicious." This mug is a limited quantity original with a print on Maruhiro's B product mug.There is a 250mL scale on the inside so that you can drink any tea deliciously.
"It's really simple, but the relationship between the amount of hot water and the ratio of tea leaves is very important. EN TEA tea bag Is made to be brewed with about 250 mL of hot water regardless of the type. It is troublesome to have it brewed by weighing it every time. It will be clear if there is a scale. We realized what we couldn't do because we wanted to do it at this timing. "(Maruwaka)

" Tea and sound ", which Maruwaka has been raising since the opening of the GEN GEN AN illusion. Theme. In collaboration with Mr. Aoyama, it has been gathered in the form of "cassette tape and mug" this time over five years.


“250mL of mind journey.”
The time to listen to music and taste a cup of tea invites you to a journey of mind.
This title represents the optimal relationship between "tea and sound".



(How to enjoy 250mL of mind journey.)
・ Prepare a cassette player.
TEA NOSTALGIA
FUTURE REFLECTIONS Let's play one of the songs.
-Let's download the song to your PC from the download code.
Let's play one song that is not played on the cassette player.
・ Let's brew tea relaxedly while listening to the two sound sources.
The required hot water is 250 mL.
・ Let's enjoy tea while taking a deep breath.
・ It is the beginning of “250mL of mind journey.”.


■ Product details
①Cassette & mug 4,950 yen
②Cassette (with jacket sleeve) 1,980 yen

■ Sales information
Sold out
Orders and sales start: Starts from 18:00 on February 11 (Friday)
* Cassettes & mugs are scheduled to arrive around 3/14 after the orders start.

■ Sales store
-GEN GEN AN Phantom online store
https://gengenanginza.stores.jp/
* Mug is sold only in "Green"
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-GEN GEN AN Phantom in Shibuya
* Cassette only available.
* It will be on sale from February 15th (Tuesday).

-Hyogu Online Store
https://www.hyogu.jp/
* Mug is sold only in "Gray"



Edit & Text: Kana Takeyama ( PARK 365 )

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GEN GEN AN NEW TEA LAB

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