Biography
Born Paul T. Kirk in Scotland, the musician later moved from his native country to settle in Japan. Previously he had operated the label Human Condition Records, which released Idlewild’s debut recording. His adopted performing name, Akatombo, comes from the Japanese term for a dragonfly species prized for its striking appearance, a designation that also belongs to the piece widely regarded as Japan’s most exquisite song. The choice carries an ironic edge, given that Akatombo’s dense layers of noise seldom evoke conventional notions of beauty. The project’s first album, Trace Elements, appeared in 2003 after Kirk developed an obsession with “the layering of sound - any type of sound, not necessarily those that most of us think as musical.” Everyday elements such as mobile telephones, radios, overlapping voices and ambient street recordings were woven into the neo-industrial pieces, which he shaped into frequently heavy, foreboding and occasionally heightened dramatic passages. Reinforcing his preoccupation with sustained tones, one composition was titled “Cicada” in reference to insects of the Cicadella genus. The sessions took place in Hiroshima at a facility known for producing music for television commercials, assisted by an engineer with no command of English. Additional contributions came from Colin Greig (formerly of Long Fin Killie), Grant McNamara, Gavin Henderson and Masaru Saeki. Each piece was captured and balanced within a single day in order to retain a sense of immediacy. The resulting record was released on Swim, the imprint founded by Wire’s Colin Newman.
Albums
