WILL
“‘Will’ sees him revisit the housey side of his character and bless us with eight simply sparkling numbers, all of them delicate to the touch and full of the clever little touches that have come to typify Yokota’s music.”
Tom Robbins
Tom Robbins
The third album this year from Mr Yokota and there's still no need to alert the quality control police. Although he's more usually associated with avant-garde electronica, 'Will' comes over like a Japanese Jazzanova, with the magpie eye of his abstract productions turned to focus on eight tracks of global house beats. Deep-fried samba ('Red Door'), eerie ambient ('Black Sea') and trilling pianos ('Rabbit Earring') litter his nest and 'Will' stands firm as both a demonstration of Yokota's versatility and a distinctive and distinguished album in its own right.
Paul Clarke
October 2001
Susumu Yokota has emerged as the leading light of The Leaf Label's roster, partly through being phenomenally proficient, but largely though being immensely talented and versatile'.
‘Will’ sees him revisit the housey side of his character and bless us with eight simply sparkling numbers, all of them delicate to the touch and full of the clever little touches that have come to typify Yokota’s music. Ostensibly deep house, but more about jazz than anything else, ‘Will’ is immediately uplifting and should immediately be installed in house DJs boxes everywhere. Unfortunately, its vinyl release is limited to just 2000 copies, so you’ll have to move quickly to snag one. But trust me, you’ll love it. Oh, you will. You will, you will, you will.
Tom Robbins
October 2001
Japanese production whizz Susumu Yokota returns with the sixth
release through London's highly individual Leaf label, hot on the heels of his excellent Sakura and Grinning Cat LPs. Sounding more Western but no less inspired, Will skips along to a sturdy beat, further pursuing the beguiling, club-bound path he explored on last year's acclaimed Mix EP. As he grafts intoxicating rhythms over infectious melodies, Yokota's effortless fusion of classical and contemporary influences a beacon to seeking a purer form of house. Retaining the trademark Yokota warmth and naivete, Will is as fresh as daisies and just as sweet.
Andrew Richardson
September 2001
As people still reel from the impact of Yokota’s cerebral trio of LPs (‘Magic Thread’, ‘Sakura’, and ‘Grinning Cat’) he shifts again, and after introspection, comes the sound of him letting his hair down, with the jazz house of ‘Will’. Don’t confuse this with his other LP ‘Zero’, due for release at the same time, as it is frankly pants, because this is a glowing example of the deep, soulful, musical house music that Yokota does oh so well. The quality control is high, and this is Yokota in good time, celebratory mood, with the delicate Samba rhythms and twinkling piano of ‘Red door’, and the irresistible shuffling breakbeats of ‘Pegasus Man’ being the best examples of his deft dancefloor touch.
Steve Nickolls
October 2001
Tsutsui Yoshiaki
2002
There's a perceived wisdom in dance music that a truly creative artist can't also be a prolific one. They're mutually exclusive, so the theory goes, and quality control goes out of the window once a producer's output goes beyond a certain level. Look at Massive Attack, Leftfield or LTJ Bukem - it's years before they get round to making a new album, but it's always worth the wait. Japanese producer Susumu Yokota, however, confounds this theory.
Yokota has two albums out in the next few weeks, following on from 'Grinning Cat' released a couple of months ago. Yet there's no let-up in the quality from this highly talented producer, who can turn his hands to an impressive array of styles with consummate ease.
While the critically acclaimed 'Grinning Cat’ was basically an experimental electronic listening album, Susumu's latest projects, 'Zero' and 'Will', are in much more of a house vein. 'Zero’, released on the Exceptional label, is the most readily accessible of the two. The recent single, 'Could Heaven Ever Be Like This', is joined by 11 other tracks of joyous house music. and if you like the New York garage sound of Kerri Chandler and Joe Clausell this will be right up your street.
'Hallelujah', for instance, is simply divine. Susumu's musical roots lie with acid house and techno and you can also hear these influences coming through as he gives the music a subtle twist.
"Actually, 'Zero’ is the final album of a series only released in Japan.' he tells DJmag. "The first album, '1998". was released in 1998, then '1999' was released in 1999. and ‘Zero’ was released in 2000. I wanted to express the changes in dance music at the end of the 20th Century with this series. Some people see 'Zero' as having a Chicago house flavour, but for me it's a compilation of the past 10 years of house music."
Meanwhile, 'Will' is a limited edition vinyl only release. which previously came out on Susumu’s own Skintone label in Japan, home to five previous albums including 'Grinning Cat'. It was recorded at the same time and is very much a sister album but with a house flavour.
“I didn't want to limit my creativity," explains Susumu. “and I've always been interested in a wide range of music. I want to express 'the common and 'the sacred' in my view of the world." ‘Will’ is a far more reflective collection than 'Zero’, with a warm and jazzy Latin feel enhanced by some wonderful keyboard melodies. Check out 'Pegasus Man’ to see just how blissful this man's music can be.
With such a wide range of musical ideas you might expect Susumu to be forever searching out new music and checking out other producers for inspiration but this is far from the case.
“I was inspired by the vibe of the house and techno scenes rather than any particular artist. When I listened to the music I just thought, 'Maybe I can make my own music'. I don't really know many other artists as I hardly ever buy records."
He must be one of the most prolific producers around, so what drives him to make such a wide variety of music?
“I never think my music is perfect, so I always have a strong desire to produce new tracks. I prefer making music to listening to music that someone else has made."
If that isn't enough, another album will be coming out on Sublime Records in Japan at the end of this year and there are already plans for three or four more albums next year.
Susumu also designs much of the sleeve artwork himself, as well as pursuing his other interests including photography, swimming and trekking. So, all you slackers out there, take a leaf out of Susumu Yokota's book before he puts you all to shame.
'Zero' is out 28th August and 'Will' follows on 3rd September. Both released on Exceptional.
Matthew Duffield
August 2001