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new release

aus - Eau

“Eau” is the lovely new album from aus, the solo project of Tokyo-born composer and producer Yasuhiko Fukuzono. Having worked primarily with synthesizers and electronic sound up to this point, “Eau” is a slight yet fascinating shift for aus; the album, while still primarily an electronic work, revolves around the sonic world of a stringed acoustic sound source, the koto, that most characteristically Japanese of musical instruments. The very accomplished Eden Okuno provides the delicate-yet-rich koto sounds on offer here.

Centered entirely around the Koto, the record weaves a contemporary sound world that detaches the instrument from its traditional context. Bridging the lineage of Kankyō Ongaku or Japanese ambient exemplified, the experimental rigor of composers such as Jo Kondo, Makoto Moroi and the aesthetics of traditional Hōgaku, Eau reveals a new and compelling resonance for the koto in the present day.

Buy LP/CD/CASSETTE

A sound that conveys a sense of peace that settles on the world like drops carried from elsewhere, leaving indelible marks with their delicacy - Human vs Robots

new release

Henning Schmiedt - Schlafen (Reissue)

Henning Schmiedt’s new original variations of Bach’s famous Goldberg aria deal with the same theme as the original – to find rest in sleepless nights and the hope that slumber will finally come.

Accordingly the titles of the songs In Henning’s new album Schlafen tell the story of a hypnosis session.

Buy CD / Stream

lullaby that sways on its heels like a sleepwalker – Exclaim!

new release

The Future Eve feat. Robert Wyatt- gHoSt 07

gHoSt 07 (Extended Mix) is taken from the forthcoming album gHoSt by The Future Eve featuring Robert Wyatt, developed in collaboration with Eisuke Oooka. The track draws from the lyrics of Wyatt’s original composition Brian the Fox — “overnight, upstream, downwind, overland.” — isolating the word “downwind” as sung by Wyatt, which is repeated in a call and response with the voice of Rinko.

Limited release for bandcamp only right now.

Download

new release

aus - Fluctor

Originally composed as demos for a film project, these tracks have been reimagined into a chamber music work, centered around aus’s piano and the violin of Kumi Takahara. The intricate interplay of the piano and violin merges with subtle textures of early 2000s electronics, creating a lush and vivid melodic landscape.

Buy CD & LP / Stream

A melancholy that never turns into depression or gloom, that revels in the most delicate sounds of beauty. - Groove

new release

Henning Schmiedt - Orange

Henning Schmiedt’s latest solo piano album marks his first release in two years, reflecting a period of significant change. The album comprises 16 poetic and intimate pieces, performed on both muted upright and grand pianos, frequently enriched with delicate and warm electronic textures. The music is emotive and lyrical, evoking a sense of gentle whispering.

Buy CD&LP / Stream

new event

aus - IKAHO SURROUNDING | AMBIENT ONSEN

Ikao Onsen, a hot spring with a history spanning over 1.800years, is now offering a unique experience through music created by aus for twelve of its onsen.
Blending field recordings from the area, this composition invites you to immerse yourself in the soothing soundscape and indulge in a special sonic relaxation.
2025-10-28 ~ 2025-11-16

more info

new event

Susumu Yokota World Listening Tour

Our friend Lo Recordings present an unprecedented World Listening Tour celebrating the music of the late Japanese ambient and electronic pioneer Susumu Yokota. FLAU supports the event in Tokyo.

2025-11-18 at BAROOM in Minami-Aoyama, Tokyo.

more info

new release

Ocean Moon x aus ‘Dream Lagoon’

40mins sonic meditation by Ocean Moon and aus, created to commemorate Ocean Moon’s visit to Japan.

new radio

Objects & Sounds feat. FLAU

artist information

aus

• composed/produced the music for KAIJU NO.8 THE GAME, vocal by Tim Kinsella (Joan Of Arc / Cap’n Jazz etc.)

• remix for Craig Armstrong out now, with Mogwai, Alva Noto, Robert Ames remix

The Boats

• DJ Koze mentions The Boats’ Our Small Ideas in Pitchfork

It’s sweet and super timeless, super interesting. It’s difficult to make ambient-style music which is not cliche. It’s a bit folky. For me, it was a miracle. The quietness.

Cuushe

• Russ samples Cuushe‘s Strange Animal

Kazumichi Komatsu

• supports Herbert & Momoko Japan Tour Kyoto show

Sylvain Chauveau

• Paolo Sorrentino’s new film LA GRAZIA (opening film for the 82nd Venice International Film Festival) features “t s” from his album Life Without Machines in the soundtrack.

new release

aus - Fluctor

After making a strong comeback with the release of the single Until Then on Seb Wildblood's all my thoughts label, and his first full-length album in 15 years, Everis, aus now unveils a brand-new album. Originally composed as demos for a film project, these tracks have been reimagined into a chamber music work, centered around aus’s piano and the violin of Takahara Kumi. The intricate interplay of the piano and violin merges with subtle textures of early 2000s electronics, creating a lush and vivid melodic landscape.

In contrast to the sound collage approach of Everis, which heavily incorporated field recordings, this new album takes a more defined compositional path. Like a reflection on a still pond, the music is gentle yet leaves a lasting impression, evoking the emotional resonance of Studio Ghibli soundtracks. At the same time, it recalls the essence of Japan’s "image albums" — a genre of music popular in the 1980s, often created to evoke a particular mood or atmosphere rather than to serve as a direct soundtrack for a film.
The album features contributions from Julianna Barwick, Meg Baird, Henning Schmiedt, Danny Norbury, Glim, Eunice Chung (ex-Cicada), Arisa Yokote, Kumi Takahara continuing their seamless integration into aus’s sonic world.

Buy CD & LP / Stream

futuristic, low gravity chamber music for orbiting space stations...The album’s a lovely ambient neoclassical listen which will sound great on a Sunday evening - Slow Music Movement

Henning Schmiedt - Orange

Henning Schmiedt’s latest solo piano album marks his first release in two years, reflecting a period of significant change. The album comprises 16 poetic and intimate pieces, performed on both muted upright and grand pianos, frequently enriched with delicate and warm electronic textures. The music is emotive and lyrical, evoking a sense of gentle whispering.

Henning Schmiedt describes his inspiration: “For me, orange is much more than a color. It’s a smell, a feeling of warmth, balance, and a desire to create. It embodies summery warmth, fruity sparkle, and the healing golden light of orange. It represents an active state of creativity and happiness, a warm, all-encompassing sound, like a refreshing swim in a forest lake.”

Buy CD&LP / Stream

CRYSTAL - In A Cocktail Glass

Tokyo’s synth duo, CRYSTAL, proudly announces the release of their third album, ‘In A Cocktail Glass.’ This album is a grand collaboration with the renowned lyricist Yutaka Takamatsu, resulting in a poignant and wistful urban pop and techno kayō explosion.
Inspired by 80s TV commercials and trendy dramas, this album tells the story of a city boy wrestling with memories of summer and embarking on artistic adventures. It’s like stepping into a time machine, whisking you away to the dazzling world of bubble-era city pop.

‘In A Cocktail Glass’ stands apart from the current city pop revival, maintaining CRYSTAL’s unique “Suburban Pop” style. Their sound, a twist on the conventional city pop, brings both nostalgia and freshness in equal measure. This playful homage to the bubbly city pop of the 80s and 90s is crafted with fragments of poignant visions reflected in a cocktail glass.

BUY LP / Stream

new release

Kazumichi Komatsu - Computer Music

Kazumichi Komatsu returns with his first album in four years. The album delves deeply into the embodiment of listening — an exploration of how sound interacts with the body, rendering its presence tangible. Throughout the album, multiple layers of processed voices weave in and out, creating a sonic tapestry that oscillates between distinct atmospheres and disintegrating noise that lies just beyond the boundaries of the tracks themselves.

Simultaneously, Komatsu introduces familiar yet recontextualized elements: guitar tones and preset-like rhythms that nod to shoegaze and improvisation. The repetition of simple, almost mundane melodies offers a meditation on parallel structures and the potential hidden within them. This repetition doesn’t just build, it bets on the possibilities that emerge from the cracks within it.
The album’s title gestures towards an infinite archive of past works, suggesting a hyper-saturated experience of nostalgia that transcends mere memory and points toward something more elusive — a generative engagement with what has come before.

The album mastered by Jim O’Rourke

Download / Stream

new event

aus, Ulla & Hinako Omori - Ceremony

Excited to announce an installation Ceremony with aus, Ulla, and Hinako Omori at the Tokyo National Museum.

7th DECEMBER 2024
Tokyo National Museum Garden & Teahouses
curated by aus

new exhibition

Kazumichi Komatsu at Nakanoshima Museum of Art

Kazumichi Komatsu’s exhibition at Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka ends this weekend.

new remix

aus remixes for Matthew Herbert

aus made two remixes for Matthew Herbert’s ‘The Horse’ special edition, out now via Accidental Records.

aus also made the remix for Elintseeker.

new video

Li Yilei & aus - 音形物像 - 詩聲茶會

sound installation for Mejiro Garden, collaboration between Li Yiei and aus

As a typhoon approached, the tranquil tearoom of Mejiro Garden became the stage for a sound installation by Li Yilei and aus. During asia tour, Li Yilei crafted a multi-sensory experience that combined sculptural and auditory elements. Using found objects gathered throughout their travels, Li constructed improvised sculptures that served not only as visual focal points but also as sound sources. These were paired with two contrasting sonic layers: one derived from organic field recordings and the resonances of the sculptures themselves, and the other, an inorganic, sci-fi-like drone. This interplay of tactile and mechanical sounds created a fascinating dialogue with the traditional tea room’s serene atmosphere (as captured in the first part of the video).

aus delved into the historical roots of this tearoom, referencing Akai Tori, Japan’s first literary magazine for children. Reading prose poems written by children from that era, aus interwove the rhythmic sounds of water used in tea preparation with the ambient noises of the surrounding garden, creating a delicately layered sonic tapestry (featured in the middle section of the video). The two artists’ contributions, unfolding across two tatami rooms, occasionally converged, blending into a harmonious interplay of sound that filled the tearoom. In a space traditionally reserved for quiet contemplation, sound became the centerpiece, transforming the serene afternoon into a rare dialogue between silence and resonance.

new release

CRYSTAL - In A Cocktail Glass

Tokyo’s synth duo, CRYSTAL, proudly announces the release of their third album, ‘In A Cocktail Glass.’ This album is a grand collaboration with the renowned lyricist Yutaka Takamatsu, resulting in a poignant and wistful urban pop and techno kayō explosion.
Inspired by 80s TV commercials and trendy dramas, this album tells the story of a city boy wrestling with memories of summer and embarking on artistic adventures. It’s like stepping into a time machine, whisking you away to the dazzling world of bubble-era city pop.

‘In A Cocktail Glass’ stands apart from the current city pop revival, maintaining CRYSTAL’s unique “Suburban Pop” style. Their sound, a twist on the conventional city pop, brings both nostalgia and freshness in equal measure. This playful homage to the bubbly city pop of the 80s and 90s is crafted with fragments of poignant visions reflected in a cocktail glass.

BUY LP / Stream

new release

Kazumichi Komatsu - Computer Music

Kazumichi Komatsu returns with his first album in four years. The album delves deeply into the embodiment of listening — an exploration of how sound interacts with the body, rendering its presence tangible. Throughout the album, multiple layers of processed voices weave in and out, creating a sonic tapestry that oscillates between distinct atmospheres and disintegrating noise that lies just beyond the boundaries of the tracks themselves.
Simultaneously, Komatsu introduces familiar yet recontextualized elements: guitar tones and preset-like rhythms that nod to shoegaze and improvisation. The repetition of simple, almost mundane melodies offers a meditation on parallel structures and the potential hidden within them. This repetition doesn’t just build, it bets on the possibilities that emerge from the cracks within it.
The album’s title gestures towards an infinite archive of past works, suggesting a hyper-saturated experience of nostalgia that transcends mere memory and points toward something more elusive — a generative engagement with what has come before.

The album mastered by Jim O’Rourke

Download / Stream

new release

Cuushe - Faded Corners

Faded Corners focuses on Cuushe’s beautiful voice and the resonance of “Ryojin”, referencing the legendary anthology of Heian-period songs. This piece brings to life the famous song “Asobi wo Sento Ya~” from the Ryojin Hisho, a collection of superb songs from the late Heian period.
including remixes from Salamanda, Melati ESP from ASA TONE and aus.

Buy CD / Stream

new show

aus supports Efterklang

2024-10-20 WALL&WALL

new show

Kazumichi Komatsu - By This River

2024-10-19 DAICHI silent river
with Mikael Lind, QOA, Tenniscoats, Yumea Horiike & many more

new show

aus DOME’24

2024-10-27 UNIT/SALOON/B1FLAT
with Christian Lillinger, Dazegxd, DJ KRUSH, Rachika Nayar, ZULI & many more

new event

aus - IKAHO SURROUNDING | AMBIENT ONSEN

aus making a soundtrack for 8 Onsen.
Ikaho Onsen, a hot spring with a history spanning over 1.800years, is now offering a unique experience through music created for eight of its onsen. Blending field recordings from the area, aus invites you to immerse yourself in the soothing soundscape and indulge in a special sonic relaxation.

new release

Cuushe - Faded Corners (CD/DIGITAL)

Cuushe has captivated audiences worldwide with her airy, mesmerizing vocals and dreamy soundscapes. Her music, influenced by dream pop and ambient, carefully wraps delicate emotions and memories into her creations. Today, Cuushe proudly announces the release of her new single, Faded Corners. This song, a gem of a lullaby, was specially composed for the shop Daughter x photographer Kazuhei Kimura ‘s work 湖Awaumi. Faded Corners focuses on Cuushe’s beautiful voice and the resonance of “Ryojin”, referencing the legendary anthology of Heian-period songs. This piece brings to life the famous song “Asobi wo Sento Ya~” from the Ryojin Hisho, a collection of superb songs from the late Heian period.

Adding to the excitement, this release includes remixes by three talented artists. The Korean electronic duo Salamanda, Indonesian producer Melati ESP from Asa Tone, and Japanese electronica/ambient artist aus each bring their unique touch, breathing new life into Faded Corners.

Buy CD / Stream

new release

Noah - 風とマーメイド

Hailing from Hokkaido, this enigmatic artist reveals her latest opus, marking a pivotal shift in her creative trajectory. Her recent travels and encounters have unlocked new dimensions in her vocal expression, transforming her approach to music. Previously treating her voice as an auxiliary element, she has now boldly ventured into pop, culminating in a fresh summer track.
This new release captures the ephemeral beauty of seasonal transitions, drawing inspiration from serene moments by the sea. The music evokes the sensation of a gentle ocean breeze under a clear sky, encapsulating a serene joy that feels almost tangible—a sonic experience that softly grazes the listener's senses.

Download / Stream

new release

CRYSTAL - 彼女のオートバイ、彼の島

Tokyo-based synthesizer duo CRYSTAL is set to release their latest single, Her Motorbike, His Island ahead of their upcoming album In A Cocktail Glass. This passionate duet captures the spirit of a carefree summer love vacation, spinning a tale of a free-spirited art girl and the whirlwind romance that follows.

Commenting on the single, CRYSTAL said, "We've always wanted to try our hand at a duet, and we’d love to see this song in karaoke playlists someday." With its depiction of a liberating, sun-soaked moment, the track is poised to become a new karaoke favorite for summer anthems.

Download / Stream

show archived

Li Yilei Japan Tour 2024

Li Yilei, aus & Kumi Takahara, iu takahashi
Ennoji Temple, 2024-09-24 presented by FLAU

new radio

FLAU HKCR Mix

featuring Carlos Niño, Ludwig Berger, Corker Conboy, Fabiano Do Nascimento,
Bethany Ley, øjeRum, Mia Doi Todd, Ecovillage, Alvidrez, Hinako Omori and many more

artist information

marucoporoporo interview by Cloud Collecting

cloud collecting

cloud collecting #8: marucoporoporo

cloud collecting includes 3-question interviews with women and gender-expansive artists discussing their creativity. I'm excited to have Japanese-based musician marucoporoporo share a few insights into her process. Her latest album via Flau Records has been one of my favorites this year and I loved learning more about the intention and love she pours in…

Read more

2 years ago · 11 likes · marine eyes

Noah

Loraine James plays aus & Noah on Japan Special program @NTS Radio

https://www.nts.live/shows/loraine-james/episodes/loraine-james-9th-may-2024

warehouse find

Ensemble 0 plays eight composition ~

ensemble 0 plays eight compositions and it lasts 38​:​36 CD warehouse find!

The original idea of the Brussels section of ensemble 0 was to create an acoustic repertoire with few instruments, so that all the equipment could be carried to perform the music anywhere (in the street, in parks, in appartments and in music venues). Finally a few touches of electricity have been added on the album with the presence of Antoine Pasqualini’s modular synth.

the realm of orchestrated lullaby or a kind of regenerative ambience that bounds with lightness and beauty and sweetness and peace, like an arctic fox navigating Spring’s first thaw – Tiny Mix Tapes

pop-and-avant-garde aesthetic of the early 1980s that straddles Minimal Music by Steve Reich and Philip Glass and the world music and ambient-inspired jazz of the massively rediscovered and re-launched Penguin Cafe Orchestra and Midori Takada – Groove

new release

CRYSTAL - One More Chance

Expanding on the windswept, soft-focus synth pop of ‘Autumn Story’– like Prefab Sprout if they landed on Yukihiro Takahashi & Haroumi Hosono’s Yen Records – CRYSTAL return with a sugar-coated, analogue vision of past futures, defined by a dazzling, irrepressible take on Italo house. Enriched by subtle echoes of acid house and the distinctive sound of the Prophet-6 synthesizer, ‘One More Chance’ is a work of euphoric Hi-NRG pop evoking New Order circa ‘Technique’ and the Pet Shop Boys circa ‘Introspective’ if fronted by Miharu Koshi. 

A story in a song, ‘One More Chance’ features the sweet, infectious vocal debut of CRYSTAL’s very own Sunao Maruyama, who sings of destiny, nostalgia, and bygone memories - timeless paradigms of pop – amidst the backdrop of Ohashi Junction, a unique urban interchange in Tokyo and a place so enigmatic it might as well be its own city. 

Situated at their own kind of aesthetic interchange, between synth pop, Italo house and city pop, balancing multiple timelines, and with the city sprawl in their eyeline, CRYSTAL craft vibrant, intoxicating, time-traveling music on ‘One More Chance’; the product of both looking back and thinking of the future, and the soundtrack to razor sharp suits, iridescent skyscrapers, and endless city nights.

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A very authentic 80s Pet Shop Boys type sound 🤣 - Deb Grant (BBC 6 Music)

new release

Kumi Takahara - See-through (live at Okurayama Memorial Hall)

Kumi Takahara's inaugural album, "See-through", released in 2021, marked a milestone with a resplendent launch party held last November 15th at the serene Okurayama Memorial Hall, overcoming the trials of the COVID-19 pandemic. Joined by six talented chamber musicians, Takahara not only showcased the album's core tracks but also unveiled three new compositions, enchanting the audience with her musical finesse.

The Okurayama Memorial Hall, celebrated for its subtle embrace of the ancient architectural style referred to as pre-hellenic, echoes with a delicate fusion of Eastern and Western influences, crafting an ambiance both refined and captivating. Within this ethereal setting, Takahara's album, imbued with the artist's heartfelt essence, underwent a graceful transformation through nuanced arrangements, ascending to a realm of rich and evocative musical expression.

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new release

marucoporoporo - Conceive the Sea

marucoporoporo is a singer, musician & guitarist, based in Ama, Aichi Prefecture in Central Japan. Influenced by an eclectic array of music, from innovative electronic works and experimental noise to folk and South American music, 
she orchestrates every element in her output, from songwriting and recording to sound processing and mixing.
With poignant songs that explore contemporary selfhood and profound interiorities, marucoporoporo creates quietly extraordinary music that resonates acutely. Drawn from relationships and the everyday, the music of marucoporoporo is made with piano, acoustic guitar, and electronics. A project that creates vivid movements of sound both enveloping and ethereal.

Fusing off-kilter acoustic guitars with gorgeous vocals that undulate from shaded intonations to crystal-clear high-pitched illuminations, ‘Conceive the Sea’ forms ambient reveries with echoes of gossamer folksong, creating arrangements that seem to float and drift to oceanic depths. Eight tracks representing soft, faint yet subtly absorbing pools of sound, infused with delicately treated electronics. Impressionistic music as warm as the midday sun on closed eyelids; music that shimmers, like bioluminescent marine life, sparkling in the rain

Pre-Order / Stream

liquid and delicate sounds that plumb the depths of the oceans and the soul – Impatto Sonoro

new release

CRYSTAL - Autumn Story

Tokyo based synth duo CRYSTAL, garnering attention from their previous album Reflection Overdrive and appearances at Brainfeeder' The Hit, is set to drop their evolved track, "Autumn Story." Following their exploration of retro-future pop and techno Kayou in the last album, the duo is fueled by the sense that their journey is far from over, expressing a resolute commitment to further exploration in the upcoming release.
Building on their previous success, the lyrics in "Autumn Story" maintain the nostalgic charm of 80s Japanese Kayo pop and city pop. Embracing a hands-on approach, the duo, navigating unfamiliar vocals, intricate chords, and challenging instrumentation, fearfully reveals the illusion of achieving it all with just a single computer.

Buy/Stream

new show

aus supports Whatever The Weather Tokyo Show

new radio

Li Yilei HKCR Mix

artist information

aus releases new remixes for Niia & Sogen

revisit

The Future Eve ft. Robert Wyatt - KiTsuNe

Japanese producer The Future Eve (fka Tomo Akikawabaya) released a landmark collaboration “KiTsuNe / Brian the Fox” spanning continents and planes of existence 5 years ago. Going under the new name of The Future Eve, he has worked together with the legendary Robert Wyatt to create an electronic journey of sound. But it isn’t the usual musical cooperative.

Summer 2013

towards the end of the 20th century, Th sent me a message asking something like;
"do you have any piece of new material we could work on"-----?
I did have. Brian the Fox was an un-placed,
un-worked basic idea I had.
unusual for me in that it had no strict tempo, and the words were an attempt to write a text even shorter than a Haiku!
(I just recorded it directly onto tape at home, on cassette, no 'production'.)
the music ending was improvised – the delay before the final chords was me trying to choose the final few chords…
I sent this to Th and Rinko.
they have enhanced the idea beautifully.

- Robert Wyatt

Japanese producer The Future Eve – known for his minimalist, synthesised pieces under the moniker Tomo Akikawabaya such as The Castle (1984), reissued alongside other works on New York's Minimal Wave as The Invitation of The Dead in 2015 – has announced a landmark collaboration spanning continents and planes of existence. Going under the new name of The Future Eve, he has worked together with the legendary Robert Wyatt to create an electronic journey of sound.

Buy 2LP

vaporous farewell drones – Popmatters

truly innovative journey through sound – Soul Jazz Records

“Brian” becomes the shapeshifting kitsune of Japanese legend as each iteration finds something new in Wyatt’s major-minor lilts.  – WIRE