Shima Announces Upcoming Debut Album 'Welcome To SHIMAJIMA' With New Single 'MAITAKE' via Young Art Records

Japanese female electronic artist SHIMA today announces her forthcoming debut album Welcome To SHIMAJIMA, set to arrive September 26 via Young Art Records. The announcement arrives with a brand new single ‘MAITAKE’ out now.

Set to serve as her biopic debut full-length, Welcome To SHIMAJIMA is an imaginative 10-track journey through the eyes of a global wanderer. Weaving together her Japanese roots and cross-cultural experiences, the album builds off previously released singles ‘EIYAA’, ‘INVISIBLE’ ‘KARMA’, ‘AWA’, and ‘1807’.

An energetic fusion of folklore and futurism, ‘MAITAKE’ continues SHIMA’s adventurous blend of East-meets-West electronica. Inspired by a Japanese tale about a magical, mind-altering mushroom, she soundtracks the origin story with hypnotic flute melodies, textured basslines, and tribal-leaning percussion. Radiating with psychedelic whimsy and rhythmic command, SHIMA’s effervescent vocals float through an illusory arrangement as ‘MAITAKE’ channels her flair for experimental production and vivid storytelling. Spirited and playful, the track offers a fantastical glimpse into the sonic world of Welcome To SHIMAJIMA.

“The word “maitake” in Japanese means “dancing mushroom”. I was curious as to how this mushroom got its name, and came across an old folktale that goes like this: Long ago, a group of lumberjacks got lost in the woods and came upon a group of nuns, who were dancing very strangely and intensely. The lumberjacks asked the nuns why they were dancing, and the nuns replied that they had also gotten lost in the woods, and became so hungry that they decided to eat some wild mushrooms. Since then, they haven’t been able to stop dancing for hours. The lumberjacks were spooked, but were also getting hungry at that point, so they decided to risk it and also eat the mushrooms. Soon, they too began to feel drunk and dance uncontrollably. Together, the nuns and the lumberjacks danced for hours and hours until they gradually returned to normal and continued on with their separate journeys. And that’s how the “maitake” mushroom got its name. I was fascinated by this story so I decided to turn it into a song.” – SHIMA

Watch ‘MAITAKE’ Official Lyric Video https://youtu.be/NFFWXlxYuLc

Pre-Save Welcome To SHIMAJIMA https://idol-io.ffm.to/welcometoshimajima

SHIMA Upcoming Tour Dates

• August 2 – Nuits Bazart at New City Gas – Montreal, QB
• August 30 – Metamorphosis Festival – Orlando, FL
• September 5 – Breakaway Music Festival – Boston, MA
• September 28 – Same Same But Different – Lake Perris, CA
• October 11 – Momentous Festival – Bentonville, AR
• October 25 – Wicked Oak – Burnet, TX
• October 31 – Hulaween – Live Oak, FL