MAREWREW - Ukouk. Round Singing Voices of the Ainu 2012-2024 '2024

Tracks list

Marewrew (pronounced: Ma-leoo-leoo) is a female vocal group that sings
traditional Ainu songs. The music of the long-suppressed people from northern
Japan has been a particular focus of the Pingipung output in recent years.
Following various re-releases by Umeko Ando, the late grande dame of traditional
Ainu music, the spotlight is now on the a cappella music of Marewrew, which by
the way means ‘butterfly’ in Ainu. Attentive listeners will
recognise the voices, as some of the band have already performed as backing
singers on recordings by Umeko Ando. Their a cappella versions of traditional
Ainu music shed a whole new light on the fascinating songs that have been passed
down through generations exclusively through song.

'Ukouk' means 'round singing', which refers to the form in which Marewrew
perform and record. Many of the songs are set as tightly interwoven canons: one
starts, the others join in, but slightly out of phase: Almost like dub echoes,
except that they are sung and not created in post-production. The short songs
sometimes unfold into a wondrous trance ('Sikata Kuykuy', 'Honkaya') that seems
to spin round and round - if singing can actually dance, then this is how.
Nature sounds and woodpeckers can be heard ('Hawsa’), and there is a
funny miniature in which the ladies imitate birdsong ('Takuro'). Things get
hypnotic with an evocative song about stranded whales ('Hunpe Yan Na’) or
an ode to the Orca as ‘Little Sea God’ (‘Pon Repun
Kamuy’). The album culminates in unexpected pop ('Yaykatekara') or cumbia
moments ('Kanerenren') with a band line-up including percussions and Oki Kano on
the famous Tonkori harp.

Marewrew are Rekpo, Hisae and Mayunkiki. Rim-Rim was a member of the group until
2022. Oki Kano is responsible for recording and production. Mayunkiki reflects
on the ambivalence of performing traditional music as a contemporary band: "When
we first started performing, we all thought we had to perform in an Ainu way.
But over time we have become more and more open to new ways of singing. I think
if our way of singing is seen as the only, correct way of our tradition, then it
won't spread, it's not alive. We like it when it's traditional, but it changes,
just like our voices have changed over time.” (Quote from the film
'Marewrew's Voice' by Eiko Soga (2021))

'Ukouk' is a selection of Marewrew's work from the last 13 years, compiled from
CD releases by Pingipung's Andi Otto. Oki Kano has contributed unreleased
material and added new versions of the songs which had only been released in
Japan. The album has been remastered by Kassian Troyer and is now available on
LP for the first time. 

Tracklist:
 1.01 - MAREWREW - Honkaya (1:04) 
 1.02 - MAREWREW - Etukuma Kara (1:16) 
 1.03 - MAREWREW - Uekap (1:51) 
 1.04 - MAREWREW - Cikap (0:58) 
 1.05 - MAREWREW - Sonkayno (2:12) 
 1.06 - MAREWREW - Hawsa (4:42) 
 1.07 - MAREWREW - Hetono He Karakara (1:34) 
 1.08 - MAREWREW - Yaykatekara (3:10) 
 1.09 - MAREWREW - Tacuro (0:29) 
 1.10 - MAREWREW - Sikata Kuykuy (2:05) 
 1.11 - MAREWREW - Horippa (1:32) 
 1.12 - MAREWREW - Hunpe Yan Na (1:43) 
 1.13 - MAREWREW - Hunpe Pa Wa (2:26) 
 1.14 - MAREWREW - Pon Repun Kamuy (1:40) 
 1.15 - MAREWREW - Orouru Roahun (3:38) 
 1.16 - MAREWREW - Kanerenren (3:42)

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