Intuitive Music

Ian Cho is one these multi-talented artists who can combine perfectly different art disciplines to create a whole beautiful project. In this case, Ian Cho’s latest album “The Waking Woodsâ€? features wonderful ambient music with his excellent illustration work. The album has been recently featured in Intuitive Music’s list of Best Albums of 2006: a beautiful atmospheres and rich electronic ambiental soundscapes that drives you to a different dimension. Being myself a professional illustrator and an amateur musician and a fan from the art of animation, I found Ian’s work one of the most interesting latest discoveries. If you are interested in any of these three things you should have a look at his wonderful work. At his web site you can find samples of his art, music and a couple of videos from the album that are also featured here.

Ian Cho talks to Intuitive Music and gives a few hints about other great illustrators and musicians not to be missed.

- My first musical influence:

Growing up I’ve always loved soundtracks a little more than other genres. While visuals can illustrate musical ideas, I believe music also has a great capacity to illustrate stories. My all-time favourite soundtrack is “The Fifth Element� by Eric Serra.

- The album that changed my life:

The album that changed my life is Bjork’s “Vespertine”. I remember browsing a music store and coming across it with some curiosity. Even though I had never actually heard a Bjork song before, I thought the album cover looked incredibly gorgeous, foreign and ethereal. And true enough, when I listened to “Vespertine” it was all those things and more.
The biggest influence her music has had on my own is the idea that there’s great joy to be had in being different and a greater satisfaction in doing your own thing. Not everyone will get you, but at least you’ll always be true to yourself…

- My last music discovery:

My latest musical discovery is a Nordic artist called Toy. The entire album is predominantly made from toy sounds (i.e. xylophones, gears and cartoon-like gadgetry). I love the album not just for its wonderful melody but for the amazing concept.

- My last illustration discovery:

Massimiliano Frezzato (of the Maser trilogy fame). I greatly admire his pencil style – his illustrations are simple, elegant and whimsical.

- My favorite illustration album cover:

Anything by Storm Thorgerson. He’s the guy who shot to fame with the Pink Floyd covers. The one he did for The Cranberries “Wake Up And Smell The Coffeeâ€? is absolutely brilliant.

- The illustrator I’d use on one of my albums:

If I could have any illustrator, I’d choose Moebius (Jean Giraud) if he’s still alive?. He’s one of the coolest Sci-Fi pioneers. His work on the Incal and other amazing stories/comics has undeniably changed the way Science Fiction is designed and portrayed.

- The band/artist I’d like to design an album cover for:

Múm. I love their music and they rarely ever use the standard jewelcase boxes… so as a fantasy design job it’d be cool to produce another ‘book’-shaped package in the series.

- Recommended album that influenced me while doing “The Waking Woods�:
I actually wasn’t focusing on any specific album during the recording process for “The Waking Woodsâ€?. It will probably sound kooky, but I was more interested in real sounds than actual ‘music’. Over the three years that it took to make the album, I catalogued a lot of nature sounds, animal sounds and strange noises.
I think it’s fascinating that so many sounds in everyday life actually sit between the border of noise and musicality. The middle segment of “Get Free!â€? was inspired by a bus I rode once that had a musical droning, while the song “Blakeâ€? is modeled on beach sounds (like the sound of a shell placed next to your ear). All these sounds inspired me and helped me come up with what I imagined a forest would sound like.

- My MysPace band/artist recommendation:
Tor Bruce . He hasn’t got an album out yet, but Tor is working on it currently. His work is composed almost entirely out of retro beeps, blips and synthesizers reminiscent of music from old computer game platforms.

- My YouTube music video recommendation:
Ryuichi Sakamoto “Merry Christmas Mister Lawrence” (Live Performance 2004).
The remarkable thing about this theme song (the instrumental version – not the version with vocals) is its ability to touch people who don’t even know what the film is about. I have never seen the movie, but I’ve always found it really very moving.