Foodman pairs sushi with machine learning in 'Hoshikuzu Tenboudai'

Thousands of images of sushi were fed into a neural network to create an incredibly satisfying GAN animation.

On Yasuragi Land, the debut album for Hyperdub from Japanese experimental stalwart Takahide Higuchi, better known as Foodman, the producer finds enduring inspiration in life’s simple pleasures. Translated as ‘Tranquility Land’, the album takes relaxation and pleasure as its core themes, paying tribute to visits to local sento, Japanese public baths, rest stops at michinoeki, Japanese motorway service stations and, most crucially, a profound and abiding love for food, all wrapped in a singular sound that touches on footwork, jazz and minimal electronics.

“When I go to these places, I’m able to enjoy the atmosphere,” says Higuchi. “I wanted to create an honest album that combines the sound of guitar and percussion with the sense of peace and community I feel in here amidst the uncertainty of the future. Yasuragi Land is that place of tranquillity.” This is exactly the tone the producer strikes on the album’s first single, ‘Hoshikuzu Tenboudai’, a polyrhythmic ode to the love of sushi. Higuchi corrals clipped percussive snippets, elastic sound design and a variety of edifying plinks and plonks into a kinetic minimalist workout.

For the track’s hugely satisfying video, thousands of images of various kinds of sushi were fed into a neural network for a suitably hyperactive GAN animation. The visual also include elements from Plusminus Studio’s design for the album’s cover, which features an airbrushed design of a full-size bento box.

‘Hoshikuzu Tenboudai’ is taken from Yasuragi Land, which arrives on July 9 via Hyperdub.

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