Jouhatsu (Japanese: 蒸発, "evaporation") or johatsu refers to the people in Japan who purposely vanish from their established lives without a trace. However this phenomenon can be seen all over the world.
A recent conversation with a friend on social media led me to a documentary on Youtube which focused on the culture which is prevalent in Japan, it followed various peoples stories;
Those who have arranged their own evaporation and those who are searching for missing loved ones, I found these accounts to be incredibly sad yet fascinating, that in this modern
age of information that someone could start a completely new life without a trace.
This phenomenon of Jouhatsu resonated with me & various tracks that I composed after viewing the documentary seemed to be of a similar tone/emotion, almost reflecting what It must be like for those forced into such drastic measures to leave a life & loved ones behind, to start again and also not forgetting the turmoil & anguish of those left in the dark regarding the whereabouts of someone they care about.
The seven distinct pieces of “Jouhatsu” appear to tell a story of their own, although I was not particularly aware of this during the creative process. It was sitting down and selecting the various works that I began to realise that a coherent sonic narrative had developed.
Mick Chillage July 2021 
 
 
Released July 6, 2021
 
Written, produced, recorded & mastered by Michael Gainford
at the Igloo Dublin spring 2021
 
Graphic design by Tony Obr.

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