AMPM RELEASE DEBUT ALBUM TRAVELING WITHOUT MOVING
A SONIC JOURNEY THROUGH TOKYO, JAKARTA, AMSTERDAM AND NEW YORK CITY
Tokyo-based electronic duo AmPm released their debut album ‘Traveling Without Moving.’ The long-player takes listeners on a sparkling sonic journey through Tokyo, Jakarta, Amsterdam and New York City. The album features ten guest vocalists from the UK, Singapore and Japan, including hotly tipped Lilly Ahlberg and RAENE.
‘Traveling Without Moving’ encapsulates the essence of exploration, experiences, and personal reflections on travelling. AmPm and their featured vocalists delve into the emotions, memories, and impressions associated with these vibrant metropolises through their imaginative lyrics. “Traveling is an integral part of our lives, and we have drawn inspiration from our journeys,” explains the band.
“This album provides a window into our personal stories, inviting listeners to experience the diverse emotions of travelling. Each city represented in the album holds significance to us, whether it be Tokyo, Jakarta, Amsterdam, or New York City. We wanted to create a musical narrative that captures the essence of these cities and the unique feelings they evoke.”
In addition, an animated music video featuring a DJ mix of songs from the album has been released. The video was produced in collaboration with UltraSuperNew, an up-and-coming creative group from Asia crowned Independent Agency of the Year for two consecutive years, with offices in Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and Sri Lanka.
The animation in the video references each city featured on the album in unique and playful yet connected ways. From illustrator OA to animator Katsushika Shusshin, creative artists overflowing with extraordinary talent and inspired ideas gathered to express the experience of travelling beyond time, space and dimensions through animation. The video glows with the joy of travel, packed with innovative ideas and a visual story that feels fresh and fun.
AmPm made their blistering debut in 2017 with ‘Best Part of Us feat. Michael Kaneko’. The same year, they were the only Japanese artist to perform at Spotify On Stage in Indonesia. Following this, they dominated stages worldwide, from Ultra Miami to shows in Korea and Japan and a headline concert in New York. In addition to releasing their original music, AmPm has remixed tracks for the great and good of electronic music, including Afrojack, R3HAB and Nicky Romero.
The duo has become known for wearing masks, keeping them entirely anonymous. The decision to hide their identities was born out of practicality and a desire to transcend barriers. The duo’s experiences as Asian DJs in global music scenes revealed prejudices and discrimination, leading them to seek a way to let their music speak for itself.
“Before AmPm, we DJ’d under different names,” says the band. “We remember many people rejecting Asians performing dance music in Western clubs. They would not listen to the music because it was dance music made by Asians. We had even been harassed, like having the power unplugged and beer poured on us while DJing.”
Taking additional inspiration from the anonymity and storytelling power of the audience wearing masks in the immersive show ‘Sleep No More’ in New York City, AmPm adopted masks as their symbol, allowing their music to communicate directly with listeners.
‘Traveling Without Moving’ draws inspiration from a broad spectrum of electronic genres, with house at its heart. The album combines a collection of lighter-than-air pop songs that immerse listeners in a world of sonic bliss. Each track takes on a unique identity, blending infectious melodies, lush harmonies, and pulsating rhythms.
“We have created a work that can give an individually unique experience to our listeners,” said the band. “We also wanted to fully express house music, which is at the core of our sound. It’s a very original sound, a sense of pop, but also with speed and exuberance, with house music at the heart of it. This album is a signature of what AmPm is, and we’re proud to say that we’ve made a house music album that represents the year 2023.”
‘Traveling Without Moving’ track listing:
- Interlude – Tokyo
- Tokyo on My Mind feat. Nathan Hartono
- Streets of Tokyo feat. Michael Kaneko
- Fall Back feat. MoMo
- Interlude – Jakarta
- Wake Up feat. Lilly Ahlberg
- Haven feat. Hana Hope
- Holding You Back feat. Kenya Fujita
- Interlude – Amsterdam
- Cinnamon Chai
- Sweet Escape feat. RAENE
- Amsterdam Maybe feat. SHIMA
- Interlude – New York City –
- Good Life feat. mimiko
- West Side
- Stranger Things
Download & streaming links: https://ampm.lnk.to/20230714_digi
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