Mitsune is a Japanese neo-folk fusion band based in Berlin, with members hailing from Japan, Australia, Germany and Greece. Fronted by a powerful trio of female shamisen players, accompanied with percussion and double bass, Mitsune take their love of Japanese folk music and infuse it with psychedelic, jazz and cinematic influences to create an evocative music fusion experience.
The heart and soul of Mitsune is the Tsugaru shamisen, a 3-stringed Japanese lute once favoured by blind folks and itinerant musicians of olden Japan. Mitsune both honours and modernises shamisen tradition, conveying folklore imagery, personal and cultural stories and raw emotion through this ancient instrument. They perform reimagined Japanese folk songs and original compositions filled with virtuosity, driving beats and wild group vocals. On stage, Mitsune delivers a visual and sartorial feast, where traditional meets avant-garde, their shows spiced with an ever-present sense of joy and fantasy.
Read moreSince their formation in 2018, Mitsune have performed extensively across Europe, sharing the stage with acts such as Hiatus Kaiyote and surprising audiences at festivals of all kinds, from techno to folk. Their debut album was praised in Songlines Magazine as "consistently excellent. If you need a contemporary introduction to the world of Tsugaru shamisen, this is it." They released their album Hazama in 2022, featured in Songlines and Rolling Stone and entering the Transglobal World Music Chart's Top 10. Mitsune is set to release a follow-up EP in 2023, supported by shows across EU and UK.