biography
2007–2008 // sapporo netlabel era
started releasing as ryonkt while based in sapporo, hokkaido. emerged during the golden age of netlabel culture, putting out works through prominent platforms including noise-joy, dog eared records, resting bell, and audiotalaia. characterized by intimate guitar-based compositions and pastoral minimal folk influenced by natural phenomena and the northern landscape.
key works include the world that was surrounded by a deep forest and warm light (resting bell, 2008), which established the foundation of my sound, and gray sky (2008), marking a dramatic shift toward dense, continuous ambient drone.
2009–2010 // physical media transition
transitioned from digital-only releases to physical formats through respected labels including experimedia, students of decay, and smallfish. this period saw the development of more constructed, refined compositions while maintaining the exploration of transparency and flow.
released small conversations (experimedia, 2009) as a limited 150-copy pressing and contributed to important compilations, solidifying international recognition.
2011–2012 // methodological innovation
contributed return to the landmark compilation air texture vol. 1 alongside oneohtrix point never, loscil, and biosphere — a recognition of my work as part of contemporary atmospheric electronic music.
released troposphere (twice removed, 2012), a pivotal work created entirely from processed guitar recordings without synthesizers. utilizing ableton live for extensive filtering and processing, this album showcased a sculptural approach to sound design, creating vast soundscapes from minimal source material.
2013–present // analog return & collaboration
shifted focus toward collaboration and organic recording methods. formed rion with ian hawgood (home normal), deliberately eschewing computers in favor of cassette recorders, reel-to-reel tape, and acoustic instruments. fireflies (hibernate recordings, 2013) combined drone guitar with field recordings and church organs, capturing the quiet magic of rural summers.
collaborated with offthesky on breathing (dronarivm, 2013), a dialogic two-disc work exploring mutual sonic spaces. these projects represent a full-circle return to organic warmth and physical materiality after intensive digital experimentation. now based in tokyo, the work continues as an archive of quiet listening.
philosophy
my work embodies the broader trajectory of 2000s–2010s ambient music: from digital democratization through netlabels, to sculptural sound design via DAWs, and ultimately to renewed appreciation for analog warmth and physical media. each piece seeks not merely to provide atmosphere, but to invite listeners into meditative spaces where sound and silence exist in dialogue.