SHIMA on using Kontakt to reimagine Japanese tradition in modern electronic music

SHIMA’s debut album, Welcome to SHIMAJIMA, captures a rare balance between tradition and modern production. Born in Tokyo and now based in Los Angeles, she’s built her sound around cultural memory, storytelling, and field recordings that blur the line between heritage and digital experimentation. The record moves fluidly between koto lines built in Kontakt, taiko drum recordings from Japanese festivals, and ambient textures shaped to feel both traditional and immediate.

At the very center of Welcome To SHIMAJIMA is SHIMA’s reflection on curiosity about where sound comes from. Kontakt plays a central role in that process, giving her access to instruments she might never have in front of her physically while allowing her to reshape those tones into something new...

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