Hiroshi Ebina — In Science and the Human Heart

Tokyo based Hiroshi Ebina is back on Kitchen with his latest, In Science and the Human Heart. Making his debut in the onset of the COVID pandemic and lockdown, Hiroshi continues to explore the themes of isolation and solitude, however this time with an airy ambiance focused more toward what happens to the human heart. Floating weightless, the listener is not suspended by heavy sounds that interfere with thought, but rather open spaces for their mind to wander and allow proper, uncompromised communication between their head and heart

Sparse, bright, and airy, like light reflecting off of dust particles floating through one's room on a sunny morning, In Science and the Human Heart puts the listener in a very relaxed and isolated state. Not lonely, but deliberately allowing them to sit, be, think, and feel. Opening with the NAGRA IV tape machine turning on, the slight warble presented manages to continue throughout the album in varying intensity, echoing the oscillation of emotions one goes through on a daily basis. Highs, lows, and everything in between, these feelings must be experienced in order to be understood, and In Science provides the adequate space to listen and analyze. Hiroshi Ebina composed this album as a therapeutic process to work through his own depression, and the seven songs here are perfectly designed to help others through this process as well. The titles themselves serve as inspiring and empowering slogans for those looking to get back on track as well as for those looking for reminders to keep going. The sparse ambiance of the work allows the listener to focus on what is being played without overburdening the senses, presenting an opportunity to be mindful and in the moment. Couple that with titles like "The Past Is Already Gone" and "The Future Hasn't Come Yet," and In Science and the Human Heart is a perfect reminder to live in the present. As Ram Dass stated, "be here now." 

Hiroshi Ebina's second release on Kitchen is a wonderfully inspiring work that allows the listener the opportunity to take a deep dive inside themselves and analyze their thoughts and feelings (science and heart). Soft and sparse, the album uses light, airy construction to take the pressure off the listener so that this analysis can be performed without the stress and pressure of the outside world. Somewhat warbling and distant, like the periphery of a memory, In Science and the Human Heart gracefully dances through the speakers and welcomes all who want to take the journey into their own heart and mind. To sample it for yourself