That many people hate the sound of their own voice is one of the miniature tragedies of the human condition. The reason for this aversion is that, normally, physical vibrations caused by our vocals accompany our speech. But when we hear recordings of our own voices played back, they’re robbed of those vibratory stimuli, and the results often feel foreign or unpalatable.
Yet, what a miracle the voice is! For starters, it’s the only musical instrument, aside from the theremin, that can be played without physical interaction. The voice is capable of incredible nuance; the Mandarin language alone contains 4,200 unique words. And singing can be just as, if not more, versatile. Case studies: Björk’s Medulla (created almost entirely from vocal snippets), Tanya Tagaq’s Inuit throat singing, Janis Joplin.
Add Japanese vocalist Hatis Noit to the list. How’s this for an origin story: singing found her in Nepal when she was only 16, after she witnessed a female monk’s Buddhist chant singing. She’s been hooked on singing ever since.
Noit just participated in Milan Fashion Week and Mutek’s Japan edition. Her forthcoming four-track EP Illogical Dance, arriving via Erased Tapes on March 23, includes a rework by Matmos, who not coincidentally have collaborated with Björk in the past.
Today, we’ve got “Illogical Lullaby” below for your listening pleasure. Hear her live with Peter Broderick at the Jazz Cafe on April 15 or at the UK’s Sea Change Festival in August, pre-order the album here, and marvel that she’s self-taught.
Illogical Dance tracklisting:
01. Angelus Novus
02. Anagram c.i.y.
03. Illogical Lullaby
04. Illogical Lullaby (Matmos Edit)