Japanese vocal performer Hatis Noit will release her enigmatic EP, Illogical Dance, via Erased Tapes worldwide on March 23.

We’re told that the four-track record “creates unique song-worlds with transcendent vocal interpretations’ that “at once deconstruct and recombine Western Classical, Japanese folk and nature’s own ambience atmosphere.” Illogical Dance also features Björk-collaborators Matmos, who were so impressed with Hatis Noit’s recordings that they volunteered to edit the title track.

Hailing from the distant Shiretoko, a small town in Hokkaido, which is the largest island in north Japan, Hatis Noit’s accomplished range is self-taught, inspired by everything she could find from Gagaku—Japanese classical music—and operatic styles, Bulgarian and Gregorian chanting, to avant-garde and pop vocalists. It was at the age of 16, during a trek in Nepal to the Buddha’s birthplace, when she realised singing was her calling. While staying at a women’s temple in Lumbini, one morning on a walk, Hatis Noit heard someone singing. On further investigation, it was a female monk singing Buddhist chants, alone. The sound moved her so intensely she was instantly aware of the visceral power of the human voice.

The name Hatis Noit itself is taken from Japanese folklore, meaning the stem of the lotus flower. The lotus represents the living world, while its root the spirit world, therefore Hatis Noit is what connects the two.

“The human voice is our oldest, most primal yet most powerful instrument. I use it to describe nature’s many sounds, a language that isn’t logical. Yet it forms a beautiful conversation that isn’t restricted to words like the human language is. I want my music to remind us of that.” — Hatis Noit

Each track is made of multi-layers of vocals, all improvised and without words, before being carefully pieced together. No samples are used throughout; even the sound of crushing leaves came from Hatis Noit’s own vocal chords.

Tracklisting

01. Angelus Novus
02. Anagram c.i.y.
03. Illogical Lullaby
04. Illogical Lullaby (Matmos Edit)

Previously only available in Japan, Illogical Dance will receive a worldwide release on March 23, including a first edition on 12″ vinyl. Meanwhile, you can stream “Illogical Lullaby” in full via the player below.