Mitsune is a Japanese neo-folk fusion band based in Berlin, with members hailing from Japan, Australia and Greece. Fronted by two powerful female shamisen players, accompanied with percussion and double bass, Mitsune take their love of Japanese folk music and infuse it with psychedelic, jazz and cinematic influences to create an evocative music fusion experience.
The heart and soul of Mitsune is the Tsugaru shamisen, a 3-stringed Japanese lute once favoured by blind folks and itinerant musicians of olden Japan. Mitsune both honours and modernises shamisen tradition, conveying folklore imagery, personal and cultural stories and raw emotion through this ancient instrument. They perform reimagined Japanese folk songs and original compositions filled with virtuosity, driving beats and wild group vocals. On stage, Mitsune delivers a visual and sartorial feast, where traditional meets avant-garde, their shows spiced with an ever-present sense of joy and fantasy.
Since their formation in 2018, Mitsune have performed extensively across Europe, sharing the stage with acts such as Hiatus Kaiyote and surprising audiences at festivals of all kinds, from techno to folk. Their debut album was praised in Songlines Magazine as “consistently excellent. If you need a contemporary introduction to the world of Tsugaru shamisen, this is it.” They released their album Hazama in 2022, featured in Songlines and Rolling Stone and entering the Transglobal World Music Chart’s Top 10. Mitsune is set to release a follow-up album in 2024, supported by shows across EU and UK.
Links
Website: mitsune.de
Instagram (@mitsunemusic): instagram.com/mitsunemusic
YouTube: youtube.com/Mitsune
Facebook: facebook.com/mitsune.music
Bandcamp: mitsune.bandcamp.com
Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/mitsunemusic
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3lSFQIxf3wrUpUIUYrku49
Press Quotes
Songlines Magazine, 2022
“SINCE THEIR INCEPTION, THE GROUP HAVE CULTIVATED A SENSE OF MATURITY THAT SHINES ON THEIR SOPHOMORE ALBUM HAZAMA, WHICH EXUDES CONFIDENCE, ENERGY AND CREATIVITY.. FUN AND ECLECTIC, WHILE MAINTAINING A STRONG SENSE OF IDENTITY, HAZAMA IS A FANTASTIC SECOND RELEASE FROM AN ENSEMBLE WITH AN OCEAN OF CREATIVE POTENTIAL.”
Rock N Reel Magazine, 2022
“MITSUNE HAVE CARVED OUT A UNIQUE NICHE THANKS TO THEIR RESPECT FOR THE TRADITION AND FOR THE OPEN-MINDED APPROACH THAT LED TO THE CREATION OF THIS STARTLINGLY ORIGINAL MUSIC.”
Rolling Stone India, 2022
“THROUGH THEIR VOCAL HARMONIES AND USE OF TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENTS..THE OUTFIT DELIVERS IMMERSIVE PERFORMANCES ACROSS THE RECORD.”
Songlines Magazine, 2019
“CONSISTENTLY EXCELLENT. IF YOU NEED A CONTEMPORARY INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD OF TSUGARU SHAMISEN, THIS IS IT.”