I'm elated with the news I have today.
DJ Krush's 4th album "Mirai [future] (Mi Light)" has finished
mastering and is slated to hit the streets out here in early
November. Its a mindblower.
I only had a chance to peruse the first few tracks off a sample
cassette a friend had brought to a meeting yesterday (he's
completing an interview with Krush for a local rag today), and
all I can say is prepare for Krush to turn the tables on the
doubters. He's about to vindicate himself in the Jazz and Hip
Hop fields with some INCREDIBLE cuts, start to finish. Of the
many guests, the ones I recall off hand are Rino (of local hip
hop group "Lamp Eye"), DJ Cam, Kemuri Productions (Krush's 5
man DJ crew), Most Desh and others. My sample package should
be in hand by tuesday, so I may provide another update again
later...
Also, former Bellissima producer Mineuchi Tarou is currently
preparing to release a new all Japanese abstract compilation
in the coming months. Apparently there's no specific plans to
release the works on vinyl, but I have yet to hear any of the
material and can't really comment on its quality anyway, so we'll
have to wait and see if its worth the trouble. No word on whether
distribution is planned outside of Japan, but I wouldn't count
on it.
Other projects of note include Hip Hop releases by Twigy (single),
Scha Dara Parr (oddly good album "Guuzen no Arubamu (the accidental
album)", Kaminari, Soul Scream (pretty damn fine album "The Deep"),
Rhymester ("The GOD/ The MAD (remix)" b/w "Kuchi Kara Demakase" 12")
etc. Otherwise, while I've heard that UFO is scheduled to release
a new album fairly soon, the jazz scene is not as all-out active as
it used to be...
-b