New album by Japanese percussionist Midori Takada in collaboration with the Samgha group of the Shingon school of Koya-san, led by Reverend Syuukoh Ikawa, Buddhist chants meet ambient/environmental, sacred texts, sacred music.

Recorded at The Premises Studio (London) and in Tokyo in 2019, »You Who are Leaving to Nirvana« is a majestic work combining a suite of six Buddhist liturgical chants and a musical creation by Midori Takada. The Buddhist chants come from three types of repertoires: shomyo (»Teisan«, »Unga-Bai«, »Sange«, »Taiyo«), but also goeika (»Kannon-Daiji«) and mantra (»Hannya-Singyo«). After supervising the recording of the Buddhist chants, Midori Takada added her own compositions, with subtle layers of percussion and the melodies of her beloved marimba, giving full life to the sacred texts.

Original recordings of the Buddhist chants are held in the International Archives of Folk Music (IAFM) at the MEG Museum in Geneva.