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JOTON has delivered a nine-track techno album titled Hikikomori, a Japanese term whose meaning contrasts with the collaborative nature of the album. Each song resulted from a collaboration between the Spanish producer and a separate artist. It released on his own Newrhythmic Records in digital and vinyl format on May 4th.
In Japanese, “hikikomori” refers to acute social withdrawal and describes individuals who isolate themselves to an extreme degree. It is the title of the album as well as that of each individual track, with only the featured artist distinguishing each listing.
The songs themselves explore techno-adjacent sounds while remaining anchored to familiar core themes. From Sarf‘s ambient overtones to Mzdz‘ minimal atmospheres to the industrial musings of Keyp, the album covers its fair share of sonic ground.
Joton (real name Jose Angel Palacios) inaugurated Newrhythmic Records in 2005 with Super Point, a collaborative EP alongside fellow Spanish producer Aitor Ronda. Quite many of the label’s releases are collaborations with other artists, and it has also championed solo works by the likes of Olëka, Michal Jablonski, Flug and Alarico.
Hikikomori is available for purchase in both digital and 12-inch vinyl record format via Newrhythmic Records Bandcamp.
