Mushin was recorded over a three day period in March 2021. The idea was originally based on the music set out by The Taj Mahal Travellers freeform soundscapes, Midori Takada’s marimba and harmonium excursions and Usuma Yakoto’s minimalistic rhythms. The Zen Buddhist approach of No-Mind or Mushin was adopted in the freewheelin’ way the album was created which was in a consciously unconscious manner with no actual idea or blueprint beforehand. Pick up whatever instrument is around and play and see what happens.

The instruments that were around at the time of recording were – Organ, Guitar, Bouzouki, Shakuhachi Flute, Dizi Flute, Temple block, Tibetan bells, biscuit tin, a buddha radio, one of those drums that hippy buskers plonk about on outside Scope, congas and a Gakken Synth. Some field recordings were created by capturing a leaking faucet in a garden centre and the eerie sound of some bamboo chimes recorded in Fred's garden the day after the first lockdown started (no traffic on the roads, up in the air or out in the street).

'Mushin' means no-mind or empty mind that you attain through meditation or if you’re a martial artist through your patterns (Poomsae, Kata etc). However recording an album on achieving Mushin, would be the sound of silence. So, the idea was to create drifting pieces of music like when tiny thoughts or images drift in and out of your head whilst trying to achieve Mushin – The distractions so to speak.

'Zanshin' which is a more dynamic track which in martial arts terms means relaxed but focused. There’s a kind of build up to something more urgent with this track but chilled out too.

'The Empty House' has that Carnival of Souls kind of organ to give it an eerie vibe like wandering around some old shitty house at twilight like my old Nan’s house which was horrible.'

Psychrock review: https://thepsychrock.com/2022/02/21/empty-house-mushin-is-minimalist-psych-soundscapes/