Kentaro Takizawa

The young producer fronts a host of new Japanese dance releases

Two decades since its birth in New York and Chicago, and almost as long since it migrated to Japan, house music is spawning a new generation of DJs and producers to guide it into the future.

Among those in Japan is 25-year-old Tokyoite Kentaro Takizawa. First exposed to house while still in elementary school and already producing his own tracks in junior high, Takizawa has an album under his belt, as well as numerous club residencies and remixes for the likes of Ayumi Hamasaki.

His follow-up to 2004’s Impressive Time is this month’s Gradual Life, out on top Japanese house imprint Flower Records. For the new album, Takizawa teamed up with some of the better young musicians in Japan, including singer Medby and keyboardist Hajime Yoshizawa (of jazz combo Sleep Walker), as well as New York vocalist Lisa Shaw.

“As I approached the new album, I wanted to make music that would put a smile on people’s faces and a warm feeling in their hearts,” Takizawa says. “In terms of music theory, there is the groove, harmony and melody, but most important is that certain ‘something.’ When I thought about it, I decided that ‘something’ is the feelings of the people involved in making the music. I hope we responded to each other’s feelings in recording these tracks.”

Launching in with the mellow, guitar-driven “Starship” featuring Medby, the album progresses through the hypnotic, ricochet drums of “Knuckle Dub” to the upbeat, Earth, Wind and Fire funk of “Floating Memory” to the chill-out vibes of the closing title track. Rather than an orthodox, four-to-the-floor house album, Gradual Life takes in everything from pop to Caribbean influences, showing Takizawa to be one of the more versatile young producers in Japan today.
Also on a warm note is the new mix compilation by drum’n’bass DJ Aki, resident of Womb’s 06S parties. Released by trendy clothing brand Garcia Marquez, Mimo: Mixed by DJ Aki has selections by a number of recent 06S guests. The emphasis is on accessible, vocal drum’n’bass, with standout tracks including English babe Jenna G’s luscious “Ooo” and Brazilian producer (and host of Aki’s frequent Brazil tours) DJ Patife’s tropical album closer “Diariamente.”

In a harder vein, the venerable Disco Twins team of DJs Tasaka and Kagami have issued an amped up, tweaked out slice of electro in the form of Twins Disco. Out on Sony’s hip Ki/oon imprint, the album includes an over-the-top collaboration, “SupaZokki 2300,” with leather-clad garage rocker Seiji (a Ki/oon stablemate) of Guitar Wolf trying to shout his lungs right out his mouth over pummeling beats.

Appealing to a more underground crowd will be the new disc by techno producer Dr. Shingo. An aspiring jazz guitarist, Shingo went to study music at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he ended up catching the electronica bug. Since his return he’s been a stalwart of the Tokyo techno scene as a resident of Womb’s Crossmountain Night, working with DJs like electro German-style maven Torsten Feld. Initiation, on Japanese indie electronica imprint Music Mine, sees Dr. Shingo laying down dark, techy laptop tracks that he not only composes but then mixes himself.

Kentaro Takizawa@Loop, Oct 21. Dr Shingo@Ageha, Oct 27. 06S@Womb every first Saturday. DJ Tasaka@Club Citta, Oct 29. See club listings for details.

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