We Speak Music
Mieko Shimizu presents hypnotic new EP ‘Breathe Out’ alongside visually arresting music video
Mieko Shimizu returns with a powerful new EP, ‘Breathe Out’. A boldly nonconformist Japanese singer, songwriter, composer, and producer, Shimizu uses the EP to build on the success of her acclaimed album ‘My Tentacles’, which drew praise from Electronic Sound magazine and airplay on BBC Radio 6.
The new EP features two immersive tracks that showcase her signature blend of emotional depth and sonic experimentation. Dropping alongside a visually arresting music video by diz_qo, this project invites listeners on an immersive journey of texture, movement, and atmosphere, reaffirming Mieko Shimizu’s place as a pioneering force in avant-garde music.
‘Breathe Out’ echoes the light and sound that rise from the horizon, where humanity meets the boundless realms of gods and spirits, the veil between the earthly and the divine. Emerging as a sonic meditation in motion, ‘Breathe Out’ is a two-track EP that drifts between serenity and momentum. The ‘Breathe Out’ EP brings together two distinct yet complementary tracks that showcase Mieko Shimizu’s ability to create emotionally resonant, finely detailed music.
The title track, ‘Breathe Out’, unfolds with airy atmospheres, delicate sample percussion, and fast-moving flute melodies that weave like rushing wind through open space, creating a sense of release and expansion. Its counterpart, ‘Breathe In’, draws the listener inward, mirroring the first track’s fluid energy but with a more introspective pull, evoking the quiet rhythm of breath cycling back into the body. Together, the EP captures a dynamic tension between stillness and movement, offering an ambient journey that feels alive, transient, and deeply human, highlighting Mieko Shimizu’s unique artistic prowess.
Speaking on the release, Mieko Shimizu shares, “In Breathe Out, I wanted to echo the light and sound that rise from the horizon, where humanity meets the boundless realms of gods and spirits, the veil between the earthly and the divine.”
Mieko Shimizu’s ‘Breathe Out’ EP is out now via Street Records.
We Speak Music
Christian Balvig releases gorgeous new album ‘Find And You Will Seek’ in collaboration with Ensemble Hermes.
Acclaimed composer and arranger Christian Balvig is known for his work with an array of artists and bands like Jade, Efterklang, Lowly, When Saints Go Machine and Mew, as well as his work with some of the most acclaimed orchestras like Royal Northern Sinfonia (BBC Proms), The Royal Danish Orchestra, Copenhagen Phil, London Contemporary Orchestra, The Danish Radio Broadcast Orchestra and The Norwegian Wind Ensemble.
The cinematic sound on his new album might echo Balvig’s work in the world of film and TV music. Scoring the 2025 Oscar shortlisted short movie ‘Eternal Father’ and the Danish hit series ‘Cry Wolf’ (Ulven Kommer), which has been shown on television in more than 30 countries around the globe, including Channel 4 in the UK. He was also nominated for a Harpa award for ‘Best score’ last year at the Berlinale for ‘The Son and the Moon (Min Arv Bor I Dig)’.
Balvig’s new album, ‘Find And You Will Seek’, backed by Danish string group Ensemble Hermes, grew organically out of this background of experiences and is music that appeals to listeners seeking original, immersive music with space for reflection and contemplation.
‘Find And You Will Seek’ is a collection of chamber works that explore the combination of piano and strings in new ways. Recent single ‘The BirdSuite II – Praesentia’ is part of a 3-part Suite running throughout the record, written and performed on a custom made “Keybird” piano, which is an una-corda (one string pr note) piano that gives a more subtle and intimate sound. On top of it is a lush and emotional string ensemble arrangement with Ensemble Hermes in multiple layers fluctuating in and out of the keybird piano.
Balvig’s second single from the record is ‘What Happened To The World’, an ultra transparent neo-classical inspired piece, with slow melodic structures, a simple chord progression and emotional performance starting with a floating viola solo. It is written from the feeling that the world sometimes goes backwards, and you feel left on the platform wanting to take the train in a different direction.
From film music inspired pieces to experimental chamber music over piano concerto inspired movements, to more neo-classical productions with almost orchestral sounding dubs of strings, ‘Find And You Will Seek’ flows with emotions and lush sound worlds, always with a tangible organic texture.
Find Christian Balvig and Ensemble Hermes on tour in Denmark:
27.5 Ansgars Kirke (Odense)
28.5 Folkegaarden Festival (Aalborg)
29.5 Gnisten (Ry)
30.5 Musikhuset (Aarhus)
1.6 Basement (Copenhagen)
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