Currently based in Massachusetts USA, Niagara Moon formed during a three-year period of living and studying in Kyoto, Japan.
The name itself inspired by a 70’s Japanese pop artist, the NM ethos is that of finding calm, balance, and room for self-expression in a world of close-mindedness, over-activity and malaise.
A whimsical forest to escape to in solitude, and let the mind wander to new and exciting places.
In the past few years of accruing a modest following through online videos, a weekly Niagara Moon Podcast (featuring many guest artists), and livestreams, I’ve been able to holistically develop my branding, look, and fan avatar to better reach the most engaged audience – writers, vinyl collectors/Beatles and ELO diehards, art & film school students, etc.
“Niagara Moon” started while I was living in Kyoto, Japan for 2.5 years as a student. The name is an homage to one of my favorite artists, Eiichi Ohtaki.\ It was a name for the “just by myself” music. I also led a band in Kyoto called Otadehan and had a great time, but then eventually moved back to the US when I realized I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life abroad.
I kept trying to start other bands and collaborate with others, all the while keeping Niagara Moon going as “the side thing”. Gradually it became “the only thing”, and I’ve now come to embrace its own lil uniqueness.
I did some self-releases for a while, and made videos. Now the videos are getting better, and I’ve started to team up with some nice folks who are helping me get the songs out to more people. So here we are. We’ll see how it goes.”
He reveals
While the world fell into discord and confusion, Niagara Moon calmly and comfortably sussed out the situation from afar – injecting his wry observations into songs that assure the listener “the world may not be ok, but you can be.”
The enigmatic Willy Wonka-meets-Thom Yorke composer showcases vastly lush, ambitiously intricate “Pet Sounds”-inspired arrangements and songwriting. The craft and scope of keyboard/MIDI-driven production is candy to the ears of Steely Dan, XTC, Rufus Wainwright and Studio Ghibli soundtrack fans alike.
Lyrical themes include finding love (“Surprise For You” was written as a song to propose to his fiance Huimin, who also appears on the album), aging, seeking mindfulness, the rise of misinformation, and much more – with healthy doses of both humor and cynicism.
