Satomimagae: In Praise of Shadows

The elusive Japanese singer-songwriter on creating "something more than haiku but less than music"

In his famous essay In Praise of Shadows, writer Jun’ichirō Tanizaki explores the contrasting aesthetics between Western and Asian cultures.

Very broadly speaking, his theory is that Western aesthetics are usually defined by light, clarity and brightness, while Eastern cultures more often utilize shadows, greyscale and darkness.

That distinction is most …