My career as a creative in Japan has afforded me the chance to meet some very luminary characters across the projects I do. Swedish architect and designer, Eero Koivisto, best known as one-third of Claesson Koivisto Rune (CKR), the Stockholm-based studio he co-founded with Mårten Claesson and Ola Rune in 1995 is one such character. The few times I’ve met Eero, have all be in professional contexts; Japan has been inviting him here since the 90s where he’s both studied on scholarships and worked for some incredible clients on some awe-inspiring design, from the Sfera Building in Kyoto to the boutique Hotel K5 in Tokyo (Read up about the hotel’s turntables). All their projects are acclaimed (and often awarded) for contemporary designs that respectfully weave together Japanese and Scandinavian materials and sensibilities.
(And all my prior encounters with Eero had been mostly forgettable for him, I’d assume, considering my mug was always hiding behind a camera making a photos of his mug.)
…But on this particular encounter, I suppose you could say we were one neutral ground, neither working, both duly off duty, just enjoying a coincidently and unbeknownst shared passion for music and record-collecting. I serendipitously bumped into him at HMV in Shibuya while he was taking some downtime from exhibiting or presenting some of the aforementioned acclaimed works while on an umpteenth visit to Japan. It was a lovely little discovery to find out that, besides architecture and design, music is another constant in Koivisto’s life. Before his career with CKR, he apparently played bass in Swedish heavy-metal outfits, including a stint with pioneering band Heavy Load and later Red Baron, hinting at the depths of his musical roots.
Eero was so kind, welcoming, and forthcoming about his passion for music, he shared his eclectic tastes and had what seemed like an almost whimsical way of selecting records, (“I’ll take this.” “This looks good” “Oh, I’ll take that, too.” “Don’t mind if I do!” “Ah! Been looking for this for ages”.) There was a un-preciousness about it, that made it all the more precious, and passionate, a little bit like kid in a candy shop. He shared with about owning a very large physical music collection, uncountable, so large and space-taking in their home, that his Lovely Lovely seemed to wonder a little about Eero’s “Passion” (read: “Obsession” – Don’t worry Eero, we get you!)
Amazing encounter. Charismatic designer, Larger-than-Life character. Gregarious man, Eero Koivisto. It was a privilege and an honor …and a damn good little hang. Memory made.
More Tokyo Record Style on the way!
Haruka Nakamura – 青い森 III -蔦屋書店の音楽-
Label: 灯台 – T-006
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Country: Japan
Released: Jun 26, 2024
Genre: Electronic, Classical
Style: Neo-Classical, Contemporary, New Age, Ambient, Score
https://www.discogs.com/release/31188571-Haruka-Nakamura-%E9%9D%92%E3%81%84%E6%A3%AE-III-%E8%94%A6%E5%B1%8B%E6%9B%B8%E5%BA%97%E3%81%AE%E9%9F%B3%E6%A5%BD-
Haruka Nakamura – Twilight
Label: Kitchen. Label – AMIP0361LP, p*dis – AMIP0361LP
Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Deluxe Edition, Reissue, Remastered, Repress
Country: Japan
Released: Oct 25, 2024
Genre: Electronic
Style: Modern Classical, Downtempo, Ambient
https://www.discogs.com/release/32089554-Haruka-Nakamura-Twilight
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