Mono No Aware is a compilation album of ambient songs by various artists, released by the Berlin-based record label PAN. Titled after the Japanese term of the same name, meaning "the pathos of things" or "an empathy towards things",[1][2] Mono No Aware features previously unreleased tracks by artists under the PAN label, including Yves Tumor and Jeff Witscher.
| Mono No Aware | |
|---|---|
_-_Mono_No_Aware_album_cover.jpg) | |
| Compilation album by various artists | |
| Released | 17 March 2017 |
| Genre | Ambient |
| Length | 76:00 |
| Label | PAN |
Release
editMono No Aware was first released on vinyl record as a "special art edition" at the Los Angeles Art Book Fair in February 2017, limited to 100 copies.[1][3] The album later received a general release on physical and digital media on 17 March 2017.[1]
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Crack | 8/10[4] |
| Mixmag | 9/10[5] |
| Pitchfork | 8.6/10[6] |
| Tiny Mix Tapes |   [7] |
Mark Richardson of Pitchfork gave the album a positive review, writing that "Each piece of the 80-minute compilation has its own unique identity, yet together it feels like the work of one mind."[6] Crack Magazine's Tom Watson, in his review of the album, wrote that, "Often, mono no aware achieves something transcendental with music that is hypnotic, diverse and tenebrous but clearly forged by the sensitive hands of humans"; Watson concludes by calling it "a Spirograph of uniquely experimental artists merging together to create something even more beguiling. A truly arresting listen."[4] The album was listed as Mixmag's compilation of the month for May 2017, with reviewer Nina Posner describing it as "an incredibly strong ambient compilation."[5]
Jake Witz of NPR praised Yves Tumor's track "Limerence", calling it "a heartbreaking look at how mono no aware transpires within the context of a romantic relationship."[8] Witz commended the track's use of audio samples of romantic partners in a home video as "a haunting ceremony", and wrote that, "mono no aware is painful, but only if you see the past and present as disconnected worlds. By fusing decayed recordings with modern ambience, "Limerence" transforms death from a negative experience into a universal bond of empathy."[8]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Fr3sh" | Kareem Lotfy | 3:51 |
| 2. | "Held" | Malibu | 6:21 |
| 3. | "Limerence" | Yves Tumor | 5:29 |
| 4. | "Eliminator" | HELM | 3:26 |
| 5. | "Open Invitation" | ADR | 4:49 |
| 6. | "Second Mistake" | AYYA | 7:15 |
| 7. | "Lugere" | Flora Yin-Wong | 2:46 |
| 8. | "justforu" | Mya Gomez | 5:30 |
| 9. | "VXOMEG" | Bill Kouligas | 3:36 |
| 10. | "ok, American Medium" | Jeff Witscher | 6:19 |
| 11. | "C6 81 56 28 09 34 31 D2 F9 9C D6 _BD 92 ED FC 6F 6C A9 D4 88 95 8C 53 B4 55 DF 38 _C4 AB E7 72 13" | TCF | 3:42 |
| 12. | "Stretch Deep" (feat. Eve Essex) | James K. | 4:20 |
| 13. | "Huit" | SKY H1 | 3:50 |
| 14. | "Exasthrus (Pane)" | M.E.S.H. | 3:43 |
| 15. | "Heretic" | Oli XL | 4:17 |
| 16. | "Zhao Hua" | HVAD and Pan Daijing | 6:46 |
| Total length: | 1:16:00 | ||
Personnel
edit- Production
References
edit- ^ a b c d "V/A - mono no aware". Bandcamp. PAN. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ Cliff, Aimee (20 March 2017). "This Stunning PAN Compilation Gives New Meaning To The Word "Ambient"". The Fader. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ Iadarola, Alexander (8 March 2017). "TCF's New Track on PAN Is an Encrypted Midi Vortex". Vice. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ a b Watson, Tom (3 April 2017). "Various Artists – 'mono no aware' review: A celebration of ambient experimentation". Crack Magazine. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ a b Posner, Nina. "May: 7 bass & club releases you need to hear this month". Mixmag. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
- ^ a b Richardson, Mark (4 April 2017). "Various Artists: Mono No Aware Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ Scavo, Nick James. "Various Artists (PAN) - mono no aware". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ a b Witz, Jake (17 March 2017). "Songs We Love: Yves Tumor, 'Limerence'". NPR. Retrieved 19 November 2021.