Shinichiro Yokota - Ultimate Yokota 1991-2019

  • The Japanese house master and Soichi Terada collaborator gets an overdue retrospective.
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  • House and techno has deep roots in Japan. The first records came out of the Midwest, but the music itself emerged in synergy with a generation of Japanese-built machines, among them Roland's holy trinity of TR-808, TR-909 and TB-303. Shinichiro Yokota was an early adopter in every way: an enthusiastic fan of US-made dance music and a dedicated home-brewer, eager to try out the latest synthesisers and computers, inspired by his heroes in Yellow Magic Orchestra. In the early '90s, Yokota forged what would become a lifelong creative relationship with Soichi Terada, releasing 12-inches on their Far East Recordings label until they were distracted by other things (Terada moved into making jungle around 1995, while Yokota focused on his other passion: customising sports cars, a business he still runs today). Yet most Western fans knew little about Japan's early house and techno bloom until Hunee compiled Sounds Of The Far East for Rush Hour in 2015, affirming the genius of two artists whose melodious, neon-bright house moods evolved almost symbiotically. In fact, one of Yokota's most popular tracks, the luxuriously groovy "Do It Again," became an anomalous YouTube hit around the same time—but, annoyingly for him, the video wrongly credited it to Terada. Along with his continuing commitments at the auto shop, this small mishap was another obstacle preventing Yokota from gaining proper international recognition. Now, though, another Amsterdam label has stepped up to compile the best tracks from his two-decade career in a single package. Released by Sound Of Vast, a label run by the Tokyo-born Knock, Ultimate Yokota 1991-2019 is a career-spanning compilation spread over four sides of vinyl, though the 12 tracks are in fact drawn from Yokota's two albums, both of which have previously been available only on CD. His ear for melody and a snappy sample provides endless variety, but the basic recipe tends to combine the bossy, velvet-lined grooves of classic New York house with a certain Japanese accent—playful earworms and plasticky organs straight from an arcade game, or notes of laidback electro-boogie that make you want to start your engine and cruise through the neon-lit bustle of south Tokyo. It's fair to wonder if you'd notice this stuff if you weren't aware of the record's provenance—is it just my naff, hopelessly Western-eared interpretation of a deeply personal sound palette, a kind of contextual prejudice? But there's no denying that Sega Mega Drive crunching through the radiant piano-house of "Gaming Man," and if you can't imagine drifting through the streets of Shibuya soundtracked by "Night Drive" then you're not trying hard enough. Also, compare Larry Levan's remix of Soichi Terada's "Sunshower" (the two were mutual admirers) to the chirpy original—it's rougher and darker, virtually perspiring: a gritty mood you'd never hear on a Far East Recordings production. The first disc of Ultimate Yokota 1991-2019 contains six of the best cuts from Do It Again And Again, Yokota's first full-length from 2016, including the irrepressibly chirpy "Bells" and the haunting "Machibouke," which comes off like a Balearic spin on the Fairlights, Mallets and Bamboo sound. (Also worth listening out for is his sensual, worldy remix of "Sora Sky Magic" by Manabu Nagayama & Masakazu Uehata, not available on the Spotify album version.) Many of these tracks stretch back to the beginning of Yokota's career, while some have been reworked in recent years. Either way, it's hard to put an age on any single cut—Yokota has remained loyal to his upbeat, faux-naive style for two decades. The second disc continues with six cuts from this year's I Know You Like It LP, a set of newer productions including the beachy "Time Traveling," with its notes of Italian dream house, and the Crystal Waters-infused "Take Yours." This chunk isn't quite as memorable, but it's all impeccably produced and arranged, polished to a mirror-like shine. Regardless of age, Ultimate Yokota 1991-2019 is the first vinyl outing for all of these tracks, and alongside the Rush Hour compilation it should be a much-deserved boost to Yokota's international profile. The producer recently revealed that he'd turned down a gig at Panorama Bar because he was too busy customising cars—hopefully this belated burst of attention will be enough for him to down tools and finally take up that offer.
  • Tracklist
      01. Shinichiro Yokota - Bells 02. Shinichiro Yokota - Night Drive 03. Shinichiro Yokota - Gaming Man 04. Shinichiro Yokota - Right Here! Right Now! 05. Shinichiro Yokota - Machibouke 06. Manabu Nagayama & Masakazu Uehata - Sora Sky Magic (Shinichiro Yokota Remix) 07. Shinichiro Yokota - Timeless 08. Shinichiro Yokota - This Moment 09. Shinichiro Yokota - Time Traveling 10. Shinichiro Yokota - I Know You Like It 11. Shinichiro Yokota - Take Yours 12. Shinichiro Yokota & Soichi Terada - Tokyo 018 (Watashiwa Tokyo Suki) (Ultimate Version)
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