Duo (Merzbow album)

Duo, subtitled Masami Akita & Kiyoshi Mizutani Selected Studio Sessions 1987–89, is a box set album by the Japanese noise project Merzbow. It is composed of unreleased studio sessions recorded with Kiyoshi Mizutani. Some of these recordings were used as raw material for solo releases like Scissors for Cutting Merzbow, but the original recordings were unreleased until now. These recordings mirror albums like Ecobondage, Enclosure, and Storage. The art edition comes with a bonus CD with a recording from 1979.

Duo
Box set by Merzbow
Released	January 1, 2013
Recorded	September 20, 1987 – September 15, 1989; November 23, 1979
Studio	ZSF Produkt Studio, Studio Penta, and Tad Pole Studio, Tokyo
Genre	Noise, improvisation
Length	630:40 (normal edition) 671:43 (art edition)
Label	Tourette
Producer	Masami Akita
Merzbow chronology
Ko To No O To (2012) Duo (2013) Takahe Collage (2013)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
All About Jazz	favorable[1]
Vital Weekly	favorable[2]
Musique Machine	[3]

During the 1980s, Merzbow was divided between Masami Akita's solo works and improvised works with Kiyoshi Mizutani.[4] Akita also frequently used recordings made with Mizutani as raw material for solo recordings. It was also during the time of these recordings that Merzbow (with Mizutani) first played outside Japan; Russia in 1988 and Western Europe in 1989. Mizutani left Merzbow in 1989 and continues his own solo career.

Track listing

All music is composed by Masami Akita and Kiyoshi Mizutani.

CD 1

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Duo 1987" ([lower-alpha 1])	24:10
2.	"26 September 1987" ([lower-alpha 1])	23:52
Total length:		48:02

CD 2

No.	Title	Length
1.	"19 June 1988 Part 1" ([lower-alpha 2])	23:42
2.	"19 June 1988 Part 2" ([lower-alpha 2])	23:16
Total length:		46:58

CD 3

No.	Title	Length
1.	"25 June 1988" ([lower-alpha 1])	41:09
2.	"27 August 1988" ([lower-alpha 1])	32:38
Total length:		73:47

CD 4

No.	Title	Length
1.	"25 June 1988 A" ([lower-alpha 1])	44:10
2.	"Duo 1988 Penta 2" ([lower-alpha 2])	23:29
Total length:		67:37

CD 5

No.	Title	Length
1.	"9 October Part 1" ([lower-alpha 3])	29:26
2.	"9 October Part 2" ([lower-alpha 3])	11:17
3.	"9 October Part 3" ([lower-alpha 3])	20:11
Total length:		60:54

CD 6

No.	Title	Length
1.	"1 May 1988 B" ([lower-alpha 1])	30:43
2.	"15 September 1989" ([lower-alpha 2])	37:06
Total length:		67:49

CD 7

No.	Title	Length
1.	"16 April 1989 Part 1" ([lower-alpha 2])	46:42
2.	"16 April 1989 Part 2" ([lower-alpha 2])	25:18
Total length:		72:00

CD 8

No.	Title	Length
1.	"1 May 1988 A" ([lower-alpha 2])	46:16
2.	"Duo 1988 Penta Part 3" ([lower-alpha 2])	18:45
Total length:		65:01

CD 9

No.	Title	Length
1.	"15 September 1989 B" ([lower-alpha 2])	33:57
2.	"Penta 1988 A" ([lower-alpha 2])	38:58
Total length:		72:55

CD 10

No.	Title	Length
1.	"20 September 1987" ([lower-alpha 1])	23:34
2.	"28 February 1988" ([lower-alpha 1])	32:03
Total length:		55:37

CD 11 (bonus disc)

No.	Title	Length
1.	"23 November 1979" ([lower-alpha 4])	41:03

Notes

1. Recorded at ZSF Produkt Studio, Tokyo
2. Recorded at Studio Penta, Otsuka, Tokyo
3. Recorded at Tad Pole Studio, Kyodo, Tokyo
4. Recorded at local studio, Tokyo

Personnel

All personnel credits adapted from the album notes.[5]

Merzbow

• Masami Akita – metal box with piano wires, guitar, violin, byan, mixer, junk metals, keyboards, drums, Synare 3, tapes, radio, motor, electric fan, egg cutter, flute, rubber, paper tube, percussions, effects, etc.
• Kiyoshi Mizutani – guitar, bass guitar, audio mixer, metal box with piano wires, tapes, balalaika, byan, violin, drums, keyboards, flute, effects, etc.

Production

• Masami Akita – recording, mixing, mastering, artwork
• Robert Schalinski – design, layout

Release history

Each disc comes in its own full-color sleeve, all packed in a hardcover box. The art edition includes a bonus CD with a recording from 1979 and a signed postcard.

Region	Date	Label	Format	Quantity	Catalog
United States	January 1, 2013	Tourette Records	CD	400	tourette 032
				100	tourette 032 art

References

1. Corroto, Mark (May 22, 2013). "Art Strike!". All About Jazz. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
2. de Waard, Frans (February 11, 2013). "869". Vital Weekly. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
3. Batty, Roger (January 14, 2014). "Merzbow - Duo". Musique Machine. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
4. Pouncey, Edwin (August 2000). "Consumed by Noise". The Wire (198).
5. Duo (album notes). Merzbow. Tourette Records. 2013. tourette 032.CS1 maint: others (link)

External links

• Duo at Tourette Records
• Duo (Masami Akita & Kiyoshi Mizutani Selected Studio Sessions 1987-89) at Discogs (list of releases)
• Duo: Masami Akita & Kiyoshi Mizutani Selected Studio Sessions 1987-89 at MusicBrainz (list of releases)