Haiku Music Challenge 22

Welcome to the twenty-second iteration of the Haiku Music Challenge, hosted by Naviar Records.

I came across this poem by Takahama Kyoshi on the Masterpieces of Japanese Culture website.

The clear day in the rainy season.

The madder red of the twilight appeared

And vanished instantly.

Kyoshi was the editor of the haiku magazine Hototogisu, which promoted a more traditional style of haiku compared to other contemporary schools which were not following the pattern of seventeen on at that time. Kyoshi also highlighted the symbolic function of the kigo (the season word), even though the more modern trends were already tending towards seasonless haiku. He was active during the Shōwa period of Japan.

This poem inspired nineteen compositions. Here are the three tracks I selected this week:

Track: red twilight
Artist: earthborn visions
Genre: ambient, electronic

This cinematic short piece by earthborn visions feels like a prelude to a more elaborate composition. Enigmatic and timeless.

Track: the clear day in the rainy season
Artist: Tunnelwater
Genre: electronic

In this track by Tunnelwater the rhythm eventually leaves room for liquid ambient textures, gradually leading the listener into the depth of this immersive soundscape.

Track: lune afterglow
Artist: sevenism
Genre: ambient

10 minutes of ambient sound waves by sevenism, each wave adding a new layer to this hypnotic sonic journey.

Thank you for listening. Next week we’ll be posting music inspired by Mark Gilfillan’s haiku:

the shepherdess calls

a distant clang of goat bells

mountain music

The deadline to submit your track is 19 June. To find out more and participate, please visit the Naviar Records site.