Deeply informed by the inhertance of a world made increasingly smaller and by a shared love of both traditional and non-traditional music forms, the duo cites a heady range of influences, from Neil Young and Nina Simone to Radiohead and Sigur Ros, all the way over to Iannis Xenakis and John Cage.

Enduring harmonies are backed by strong guitars and a host of vivid sounds collected from the studio and from the streets. Present here are not just two strong voices, but also the intermittent hiss of a tape-recorder, the chatter both of Venice Beach and Silverlake birds, the hard work of roofers in the canyon, and childhood encounters with the ocean. 

In a thoughtful but sweeping debut, TOTONOKO have excavated a striking landscape populated by cherished ghosts, curious dreams, and the promise both of rich toil and well-earned warmth. A simple folk song asks a difficult question, and a stranger tune boils down just to this: the noise we make.