DJ KAWASAKI’S NEW ALBUM ‘ONE WORLD’ FEATURES LIVE PERFORMANCE

Japanese DJ Kawasaki has established himself as something of a crown jewel of the Tokyo underground, providing magnificent NYC-influenced club sounds with meticulous attention to detail. Throughout his career, his work has been consistently musical, replete with live instrumentation, and imbued with an overwhelming sense of organicism. Musician and producer who has released music on the Japanese incarnations of Blue Note and Columbia records as well as on labels such as Sonar Kollektiv, Especial, and Pantone, among many others. His sound incorporates elements of jazz funk soul disco disco Latin music and classic house and garage music.

In spite of his blazing standards, ‘One World’ stands out boldly – largely due to the dazzlingly live feeling sound characteristic that characterizes the track. Each and every note played on the whole spectrum of tracks featured in the collection has been performed live, with the compositions containing guest performances from a stunning ensemble of guest players, as has been the case throughout the entire collection. Sauce81, a regular on Eglo Records, is on the bill, with famed jazz vocalist Ayana, while the Kyoto Jazz Sextet, Root Soul’s Kenichi Ikeda, and Hiderow Nishioka of Central all make appearances to add their own special touches to the music. The record has been in the works for a long time, having been released 11 years after his previous studio album, the critically praised ‘Paradise,’ which was released in 2010. Even though ‘One World’ has been accessible to stream since the summer, the vinyl version has just recently made its way into stores due to the manufacturing and delivery delays that have plagued independent vinyl labels in recent years. When faced with such a diverse and impressive collection, it’s difficult to single out standout tracks, but the rallying energy of ‘Sun Run & Sun’, the jazz-funk bend of ‘Now It Comes’, and the rolling bass and driving chords of ‘Midnight Escape’ all make for intriguing first listens.

Over the course of his four-decade-long career, Kawasaki has collaborated with artists like as Mark De Clive-Lowe, Phil Asher, KON, Rasmus Faber, and Lady Alma, and his regular nights at Shibuya club, The Room, have long been regarded as a Mecca for lovers of soulful dance in Tokyo.