Kenichi Tamura is a musician from Japan who does every single part of his work himself. He writes the music, plays the instruments, and fixes the sound all on his own. Because he works this way, his new song, “Himlen styr allt,” feels very personal and honest. The name of the song means that the sky is in charge of everything. Through this music, he wants us to think about how we live on this earth and how the world around us is changing in ways that can be scary.
The song has a very strange beat that does not follow a normal pattern. It feels a bit jumpy and never stays the same for long. This is a lot like our own lives, where things often happen that we did not plan for. We might think we have everything under control, but the wind and the rain do not care about our plans. This shaky rhythm helps us understand that we are just a small part of a much bigger system that we cannot rule over.
Himlen styr allt
The musician combines two extremely diverse styles in this composition. He plays a quick, tapping style from Spain and mixes it with a form of rock music from frigid, northern places. This reminds us that the difficulties our world is facing aren’t only happening in one place or country. We all own this narrative. The sound of hands clapping together in the music tells us that we are still here, breathing and standing on the earth, even when the world seems big and out of control.
The song gets a lot louder and heavier as it goes on. At first, only a guitar plays crisp, sharp notes. Then, more and more layers are added. It seems like a large storm is getting closer and closer. It shows how the world is getting warmer and how our trees and water are in danger. It makes us feel the same way we do when we hear bad news about the environment. It highlights how delicate our lives are and how much we need clean air and healthy soil.
Near the end, the music changes. It stops being fast and messy and starts to sound very wide and calm. It feels like the earth is finally taking a long, slow breath after a hard time. The artist leaves quiet spots in the song where there is no music at all. These empty spaces are there so we can sit in silence and think about what we just heard. He wants us to use that time to wonder what will happen to our home if we do not take care of it.
This song really makes me remember that the sky and the earth are what keep us alive. The musician makes sure his message is clear by creating the full song himself. He is telling us to care for the world around us. It is a wonderful work of art that makes us pause and look at the world. It reminds us that we are all part of one large, living entity that requires our help to be healthy.
For more, follow Kenichi Tamura on Spotify, Kenichi Tamura on Facebook, kenichitamura.com