A new work by Asa Tone, who released *Temporary Music* in 2020 and *○*, a collaboration with Ariel Kalma, in 2025. Created through a process of exchanging sounds remotely while traveling between Indonesia, Mexico City, Berlin, and New York, this work centers on the idea of a “shared language” that emerges among three individuals with different backgrounds, experiences, and musical approaches.
Tristan Arp’s electronic hand percussion triggers fragments of Melati ESP’s voice in real time, reconstructing spoken words and phonemes through a rhythmic process that incorporates elements of chance. While some tracks, such as “Second Language” and “Watertalk,” were born from one-take live recordings, the album also includes tracks that were painstakingly assembled over time through the remote exchange of sounds. The final session in Indonesia featured Balinese percussionist Putu Septa, who performed on the traditional kendang drum. This is a mysterious and vibrant form of electronic music where the raw resonance of the kendang intersects with modular synths, FM synthesis, electronic drums, MIDI wind instruments, and Melati’s ever-shifting vocals. (From the album notes)