New Tominaga: Pain Is Mine

Electronic artist Tominaga hasn’t avoided using her voice in previous releases, but Pain Is Mine features some of the most direct usage of it yet. Primarily, the first two songs. “A Song For Blue Witch” skitters to life, but mostly hangs in the air, allowing space for Tominaga’s stretched-out singing to take up the center of the song. It almost feels like to the following number, the title track, which ends up being the highlight. It’s a rubbery dance number featuring horn notes and Tominaga’s rough-around-the-edges singing, backed by a particularly delectable saxophone. The rest of Pain Is Mine jumps all over the place — “Bamboo Rain” teases atmosphere but transforms to a lively number sampling hip-hop, while “La Mer” barrels forward. Her voice isn’t always present, but when it is, it adds an enchanting layer. Get it here, or listen below.