Susumu Yokota - The Boy And The Tree (2002)

Date Released: October 29, 2002
Origin: Japan
Genre: Ambient, Downtempo, Experimental, Modern Classical, Minimal

Label: Leaf
Site: http://www.susumuyokota.org/
Tracklist:
1. The Color Of Pomegranates
2. Live Echo
3. Fairy Link
4. Grass, Tree And Stone
5. Secret Garden
6. Rose Necklace
7. Beans
8. Plateau On Plateau
9. Red Swan
10. Thread Leads To Heaven
11. Future Tiger
12. Blood And Snow
__________________________________________________
The Boy & The Tree is Yokota’s eleventh album in eight years. The man is not only one of the most prolific musicians of his generation, but also without a doubt one of the most imaginative. He has equally made his mark playing techno, ambient, jazz and electronica, always taking his audience by surprise while building a surprisingly consistent piece of work, making him one of the most respected composers around. Yokota’s follow up to last year’s blissful Ginning Cat and similarly excellent Will is yet another fascinating recording. Contrasted and impressionist, The Boy & The Tree is a delightful collection of radically atmospheric compositions, built around ephemeral sonic trances, in the tribal sense of the word. From the opening moments of The Colour Of Pomegranates to the closing bars of Blood & Snow, Yokota delves into ethnic sonorities, using traditional Oriental percussions and instruments combined with founds sounds to focus on the most fragile aspects of music and life and create one of the most haunting pieces of music heard in recent times. Yokota admits a certain fascination for nature, particularly feeding on the mystery of the island of Yakushima, a designated world heritage site home to hundreds of secular trees, situated in the south of Japan. He also names one of the most successful animated films in Japan history, Mononokehime, a mystical tale depicting the battle between animal gods, as a source of inspiration for The Boy & The Tree. Yokota’s delicate compositions resound with spiritual references. Chimes, prayers and lamentations all contribute to the hypnotic effect of this record, while the tone of the flutes, tables and stings, intrinsic unworldly elements in the constructions, deflects the electronic characteristic of the record by injecting some vital energy at the heart of each track. Ethereal voices are integrated in the lush soundscapes in astonishing fashion, never really being prominent, yet exercising an incontestable pressure on the music by stressing the ephemeral nature of life. Yokota’s mastery at carefully organizing sounds together and crafting intriguing melodies is more obvious here than on any of his previous releases. It seems as if each component has a dedicated role to play, affecting the general mood of the listener while not entirely connecting with the physicality of its source, be it human. Yokota has perhaps produced with this album his most intimate work. Moreover, perhaps will it prove to be too intricate and intense for some. There is no doubt however that The Boy & The Tree is his most soulful and best record to date. A must.

Review taken from: http://www.themilkfactory.co.uk/reviews/yokota_boy.htm

Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/164397214/Susumu_Yokota_-_The_Boy___The_Tree.rar

Variation of A Mister With A Floors'shirt, 2007

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of A Mister With A Floors'shirt, 2007

Susumu Yokota - Live Or Die (2008)

Date Released: January 29, 2008
Origin: Japan
Genre: Ambient, Downtempo, Experimental, Modern Classical

Label: Lo Recordings
Site: http://www.susumuyokota.org/
Tracklist:
1. For The Other Self Who Is Far Away That I Can Not Reach
2. A Slowly Fainting Memory Of Love And Respect, And Hatred
3. The Loneliness Of Anarchic Beauty Achieved By My Ego
4. A Heart-warming And Beautiful Flower Will Eventually Wither Away And Become Dirt
5. The Sin Of Almighty God, Respected And Believed By The Masses
6. That Persons Hearsay Protects My Free Spirit
7. The Things That I Need To Do For Just One’s Love
8. The Scream Of A Sage Who Lost Freedom And Love Taken For Granted Before
9. A Song Produced While Floating Alone On Christmas Day
10. The Now Forgotten Gods Of Rocky Mountain Residing In The Back Of The North Wood
11. The Sacred Ceremony Conceived By Chance From An Evil Lie
12. The Destiny Of The Little Bird Trapped Inside A Small Cage For Life
__________________________________________________
Susumu Yokota returns with another glibly titled album (Love or Die) with ornately titled songs (“The Destiny of the Little Bird Trapped Inside a Small Cage For Life”, “A Heart-warming and Beautiful Flower Will Eventually Wither Away and Become Dirt”) that pairs classical melodies with Spartan, Japanese house beats. Also the modus operandi of his 2004 full-length Symbol, it’s not an entirely strange pairing, echoing as it does the melodic theatricality and mechanical functionality of Ryuichi Sakamoto’s early 80s soundtrack work, but the twist here is that the contrast between the high-culture melody and functional rhythm is heightened through the use of lush samples — not shop-worn synthesizer patches — for the orchestral instruments. Production quality has advanced so much since the halcyon days of early pop-electronics that the overlapping textures of the album can be contrasting where Sakamoto had to elicit contrast through ingenious arrangement.
It’s on the tracks which exploit the textural contrast and dramatically play the carbon-copy drums off the high-fidelity orchestral samples — like “For the Other Self Who Is Far Away That I Can Not Reach” — that the album comes closest to vibrancy. When the melodies are interpreted digitally (“The Loneliness of Anarchic Beauty Achieved By My Ego” and “That Persons Hearsay Protects My Free Spirit”) that contrast disappears and the songs more obviously belong in the contemporary Japanese canon. On these tracks the melodies are composed to compliment the sparse backing rhythms, but it’s to their detriment as these routine songs demand much less attention. When the tension of hearing classical western melodies filtered into minute repetitions is gone so too is the reason to be fascinated with Love or Die.
Yokota is an accomplished and prodigious composer, releasing one or two full-lengths every year for nearly a decade, but the vague identity of his songs – never mind the albums – is not overcome just by giving them unique, oblique names which seem like fey, Asian versions of Emo song titles. Where so much of Symbol coasted on the intense drama of the source material, drawing as it did from some of the greatest – and most overwrought — music ever composed, Love or Die is by comparison wan, thin and worst of all meandering. The album doesn’t demand attention by having a dramatic arc and simply drifts from one polished vista to another. It could be worthwhile to listen and meditate on the emptiness at the core of the electronic-music sect that considers embracing the contemporary world a betrayal of artistic vision, but as a lively musical experience Love or Die falls flat and lives in limbo between the two actions of the title.

Review taken from: http://www.panpot.ca/reviews/renderAlbumReview.php?id=177
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/164157081/Susumu_yokota_-_Love_Or_Die.rar

Variation of Line With Water, 2007

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of Line With Water, 2007

Susumu Yokota - Image 1983 - 1998 (2004)

Date Released: April 20, 2004
Origin: Japan
Genre: Ambient, Downtempo, Experimental, Modern Classical, Jazz

Label: Leaf
Site: http://www.susumuyokota.org/
Tracklist:
1. Kaiten Mokuba
2. Tayutafu
3. Fukuro No Yume
4. Wani Natte
5. Sakashima
6. Morino Gakudan
7. Nisemono No Uta
8. Daremoshiranai Chiisuanakuni
9. Kawano Hotorino Kinoshitade
10. Yumekui Kobito
11. Amai Niyoi
12. Enogu
13. Amanogawa
__________________________________________________
This fascinating collection of wayward instrumentals reveals an entirely different side to this exceedingly talented experimentalist. Reaching as far back as 1983, Images draws on the most minimal of Yokota's decidedly minimalist canon, highlighting stark solo compositions that often subsist on nothing but a beautifully stated coda and some very pregnant pauses. With its carnivalesque strut and gauzy, distant tones, opener "Kaiten Mokuba" sets the languid pace; the impossibly delicate acoustic strains of "Tayutafu" follow and the broken-toy mangle of "Fukuro No Yume" comes after that. In accordance with the album's chronological sequence, Yokota's work becomes more intricate over time, but none of the tracks here ever veer from this album's implicit schema: deceptively simple melodies, Steve Reich-like repetition, and a penchant for organic, cloud-covered instrumentation. Intoxicating.
Review taken from: http://www.emusic.com/album/Susumu-Yokota-Image-1983-1998-MP3-Download/10914653.html

Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/164102367/Susumu_Yokota_-_Image_1983_-_1998.rar

Variation of Live The Experience, 2007

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of Live The Experience, 2007

Susumu Yokota - Sound Of Sky (2002)

Date Released: January 30, 2002
Origin: Japan
Genre: Ambient, Downtempo, Lounge, Jazz

Label: Universal/Polygram
Site: http://www.susumuyokota.org/
Tracklist:
1. Sea Blue
2. Nothing Time
3. Three Ripple
4. Crash Marble
5. Wind Wave
6. Sky Blue
7. King Of Darkness
8. Form An Idea
9. Right To Be Free
10. Make Peace
11. Sky And Diamond
__________________________________________________
Sound of Sky is filled with deep and jazzy house music. Japanese producer Yokota's album takes breakbeats and regular house beats and combines them with trumpet, vibes, bells and a few subtle vocals to create a very relaxing album. The opening track, "Nothing Time," is a great fusion of trumpet and breakbeats that proceeds at a mid-paced tempo. "Sky Blue" takes the voices of children and meshes them with crisp house beats, while "Crash Marble" bears an odd rhythmic resemblance to the Clash's "Rock the Casbah." Yokota has been producing music for many years, from techno to house to more experimental sounds, which can easily be heard in the piano work on "King of Darkness," and in the occasionally eerie synth sounds of the other tracks. As deep house goes, this is good material; he varies the tempo and the sounds he uses but still holds it together as a coherent album. It's also a very relaxing release that's easy to listen to at home. (Exceptional)

Review taken from:

http://www.exclaim.ca/musicreviews/generalreview.aspx?csid1=38&csid2=848&fid1=12177
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/164071251/Susumu_Yokota_-_Sound_Of_Sky.rar

Variation of FBC 49, 2007

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of FBC 49, 2007

Susumu Yokota - Wonder Waltz (2006)

Date Released: June 13, 2006
Origin: Japan
Genre: Ambient, Downtempo, Experimental, Modern Classical
Label: Lo Recordings

Site: http://www.susumuyokota.org/
Tracklist:
1. 1000 Wing Beats Per Second
2. My Energy
3. Capital Daisy
4. Siva Dance
5. Pegasus 150
6. Don’t Go To Sleep
7. Merrygoround
8. Robed Heart
9. Strma A Uzka
10. Eternity Is The Beginning Of The End
11. L’etranger
12. Rainbow Dust
13. Your Shining Darkness
14. Holy Ground
__________________________________________________
Susumu Yokota is undeniably a genius of modern music. Originating from Japan's minimal techno scene he has strived to create compositions of such complex depth and at the same time dazzling simplicity. His most praiseworthy work however has taken on a more abstract quality and still very much in his prime he has created three classic albums that defy comparison. Grinning Cat saw Yokota depict the Alice In Wonderland story through atmospheric soundscapes while The Boy And The Tree and his master work Sakura follow a similar path creating multi layered sounds out of sampled and live percussion and strange noises never before heard by the human ear. The result can barely be described as music but touches on a kind of ugly beauty that is absolutely captivating. Wonder Waltz is his recent album on Lo Recordings and while it still has his trademark touch it is nowhere near as interesting. Listening to the three previously mentioned records can be a frustrating experience as they never quite give you what you think you want and quite often what you think you want is some sort of beat or rhythm to emerge out of these soundscapes to bring some form to the abstract. This album proves that you shouldn't trust those form searching instincts as he gives you exactly what you have craved for years and it is disappointing. There is too much form here and the result is a little ordinary. When I say ordinary I mean by Yokota's standards, as this is far better than most other down tempo music trickling out of the tired 'chill out' scene. There are however glimmers of Yokota's genius throughout the album, the finest moment being Pegasus 150 with its eastern horns and vocal harmonies floating over a beat sampled entirely from galloping horses hooves. Another highlight comes with Robed Heart, a beautiful violin piece accompanied by a delicate percussion beat and vocals sung in English which sees yet another departure for Yokota. So on the whole this is a solid album with many genuinely rewarding moments but seen in the context of his back catalogue Yokota proves that it's not always best to get what you want.

Review taken from: http://www.chimpomatic.com/reviews/?id=256
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/163838970/Susumu_Yokota_-_Wonder_Waltz.rar

Variation Of Mayran, 2008

Alfredo Esparza - Variation Of Mayran, 2008

Susumu Yokota - Symbol (2005)

Date Released: July 19, 2005

Origin: Japan

Genre: Ambient, Chillout, Downtempo, Experimental, Lounge, IDM, Modern Classical

Label: Lo Recordings
Site: http://www.susumuyokota.org/

Tracklist:

1. Long Long Silk Bridge

2. Purple Rose Minuet

3. Traveller In The Wonderland

4. Song Of The Sleeping Forest

5. The Plateau Which The Zephyr Of Flora Occupies

6. Fairy Dance Of Twinkle And Shadow

7. Flaming Love And Destiny

8. The Dying Black Swan

9. Blue Sky And Yellow Sunflower

10. Capricco And The Innovative Composer

11. I Close The Door Upon Myself

12. Symbol Of Life, Love And Aesthetics

13. Music From The Lake Surface __________________________________________________

Having made an almost perfect musical statement with 2000's 'Sakura', Susumu Yokota is often accused of not living up to that album's sprawling scope and diffused ambience. Marking his 25th album (25!) Yokota has decided to answer those critics with a record that combines the detached aura of 'Grinning Cat' with the directness of his more truculent offerings, claiming it to be his "masterpiece". Built around hordes of classical samples (Puccini, Debussy, Mahler and Beethoven amongst them) 'Symbol' is a grand document that raises two pertinent questions; is it pretentious and is it any cop? The answers; probably and certainly. Opening with 'Long Long Silk Bridge' it's easy to stare cynically at the crate load of Juniper scented strings Yokota conjures up, dipping in and out as over-wrought choirs take to the stage with bare floorboard beats underfoot, but somehow it all works wonderfully. Yokota is barely finished on this prologue epic before he sends the listener into another huge arrangement ('Purple Rose Minuet') that sets harpsichords against some eerily echoing Japanese vocals, again to startling effect. Although his panache for bloody stupid song titles pervades throughout ("The Plateau Which the Zephyr of Flora Occupies"/"Fairy Dance of Twinkle and Shadow"), you get the feeling it's not as po-faced as you are first led to believe with a playful spirit evident on most tracks. Closing with the effeminacy of 'Music from the Lake Surface', 'Symbol' is undoubtedly overblown but in Yokota's affable hands it becomes an indulgent treat. Lovely.

Review taken from: http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=17650 Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/163555823/Susumu_Yokota_-_Symbol.rar

Variation of Dead Cat, 2008

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of Dead Cat, 2008

Susumu Yokota - Grinning Cat (2001)

Date Released: June 26, 2001
Origin: Japan
Genre: Ambient, Downtempo, Experimental, IDM, Glitch
Label: Leaf Records
Site: http://www.susumuyokota.org/
Tracklist:
1. Imagine
2. King Dragonfly
3. Card Nation
4. Sleep Eye
5. Lapis Lazuli
6. Balloon In The Cage
7. Cherry Blossom
8. Love Bird
9. Fearful Dream
10. Tears Of A Poet
11. So Red
12. Flying Cat
13. Lost Child
__________________________________________________
Unless I somehow learn how to read Japanese, I'm a long way from understanding the Susumu Yokota story. My introduction came via a compilation track called "Azukiio No Kaori," a delicate slice of drifting ambient beauty striking enough to convince me to buy last year's Sakura. No regrets, believe me; it wound up being one of my favorite records of the year. Poking around online, I discovered that Yokota had been making music since at least 1992, and his releases numbered in the dozens. Most of his productions were house and techno variations geared toward the dancefloor, and most were only available as imports.
I've since purchased a double LP of his called 1999 (found it in a cut-out bin, oddly enough), and I could tell from the cheap, garish cover it was one of his dance releases. It's fascinating to me to think that the same person responsible for Sakura also created this. The music, at first pass (and there have not been many since), seemed stiff, without personality, and silly without the attendant humor. It's obvious that 1999 is a DJ tool and not an album, as the tracks are beyond repetitive, with no real end or beginning. This utility only served to put more distance between me and the music.
More than anything, Yokota's 1999 made me realize that I have a lot to learn about dance music, and my living room is probably not the best classroom. But it didn't affect the strong affinity I feel for Yokota's home listening material, a connection only strengthened upon hearing Grinning Cat. Where Sakura found Yokota exploring the sonic properties of the reverberating guitar, Grinning Cat focuses heavily on piano. The acoustic keyboard treatments vary from looped lullaby fragments, fuzzy with white noise on "Sleepy Eye," to the more traditional "Tears of a Poet," which seems like incidental film music from the 40's. Some of the piano parts are definitely sampled, with the loops cut in an intentionally jarring and disorienting manner. Others featuring winding melodies stretching across several bars which are surely played by Yokota.
The thematic unity of the piano aside, this record finds Yokota moving in ten different directions at once. It's almost as if these pieces were composed as singles, such is the varied feel. "Imagine" is a minimal affair, haunting and sad, with a floral melodic pattern set against samples and looped vocals. And then "King Dragonfly" comes right back with flanged drum programming, tribal clapping music and buoyant piano flourishes. "Card Nation" could be using a sampled Chopin Nocturne as its centerpiece, but it surrounds the tight keyboard loop with deep electronic percussion and distended Popol Vuh-style choir.
Grinning Cat runs the rhythmic gamut as well. "Cherry Blossom" chugs along on a 4/4 bass thump, dripping almost unbearably poignant shards of stained piano tone on top. "Love Bird" uses only handclaps and a shaker to set the tempo for the simplest melody on the record, Windham Hill as imagined by a computer. "So Red" takes a stab at laptop jazz, with tightly programmed snare rolls and a double bass ostinato.
The beautiful thing about this many-headed beast of a record is the possibilities for future directions. Yokota has a deep well of inspiration to draw from, and is extremely comfortable with a staggering array of styles. I may never begin to know and understand exactly where he's coming from, but I'm content to explore this patch for now. We'll see where I can go from here.

Review taken from: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/23371-susumu-yokota-grinning-cat
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/163731634/Susumu_Yokota_-_Grinning_Cat.rar

Variation of Diaspora XXIII, 2007

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of Diaspora XXIII, 2007

Susumu Yokota - Laputa (2003)

Date Released: 2003
Origin: Japan
Genre: Ambient, Downtempo, Experimental, IDM, Modern Classical
Label: Skintone

Site: http://www.susumuyokota.org/
Tracklist:
1. Rising Sun
2. Lost Ring
3. Gong Gong Gong
4. Iconic Air
5. Light Of The Sun
6. Grey Piano
7. 23 Degrees Dream
8. Hidden Love
9. Trip Eden
10. True Story
11. Dragon Place
12. I Am Flying
13. Dizzy Echo
14. Heart By Heart
__________________________________________________
Susumu Yokota’s 2000 album Sakura was a landmark for ambient music. Fluid, ethereal and breathlessly beautiful from start to finish - it stands as possibly the best long player of the decade so far. Yokota’s two subsequent ambient releases - Grinning Cat and The Boy and the Tree - continued his restless search for new sounds, but paled next to their predecessor. Both records failed to flow as smoothly and effortlessly as Sakura - but still contained enough lushly beautiful songs for us to keep listening. Yokota has frequently spoken of his need to make music in relaxed conditions - and up until now, his records have certainly possessed a calm, meditative quality. On Laputa, things take a darker turn – it would seem that Yokota now makes music to soundtrack his worst nightmares. Once an artist whose music sought to soothe, he is now covering more chaotic and disturbing emotional terrain. On some tracks, this makes for a frustrating, jumbled listening experience. “Gong Gong Gong” is as uncomfortable as a night spent tossing and turning – any attempts to drift into a blissful sleep are disrupted by sharp blasts of static and manic, chattering laughter. “Dizzy Echo” piles frustratingly random noise on top of loud bell-ringing: needless to say, it’s about as enjoyable as being awoken with a bucket of cold water. On songs like these, it’s easy to yearn for the return of the old, peaceful Yokota. It would be foolish to give up so easily, though. Hidden among these tests of endurance, Yokota treats us to some of the most beautifully molten sound he’s concocted since his high-watermark. “Grey Piano” is an all-too-brief dark lullaby – a gentle piano melody coated in chilling synth effects. “Degrees Dream” combines organ washes, ripples of distorted guitar and a mysterious, detatched vocal to mesmerizing effect. These moments of greatness are well worth weeding out. And there’s plenty more, too: witness the terrifying alien voices counter-pointing one of Yokota’s sweetest melodies on “True Story”. And the alarming single note hammered throughout “Hidden Love”, underpinning delicious layers of strings and keyboards. This is ambience with a sharp edge. “I am Flying” provides some welcome relief: light, airy piano chords chime peacefully – giving the listener a brief moment of respite from the sinister soundscapes elsewhere. True, this album is best appreciated on a stereo with a program function: at 55 minutes and 15 tracks, a little home editing makes it significantly more palatable. But, it remains a towering achievement – frustrating at times, but still a gripping mood piece from one of the greatest living sculptors of sound. Yokota towers above his peers: always moving forward, even in his sleep.

Review taken from: http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/susumu-yokota/laputa.htm
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/163577452/Susumu_Yokota_-_Laputa.rar

Variation of Flooding Space, 2008

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of Flooding Space, 2008

Susumu Yokota - Acid Mt. Fuji (1994)

Date Released: 1994
Origin: Japan
Genre: Ambient, Chillout, Downtempo, Experimental, Lounge, IDM
Label: The Leaf Label

Site: http://www.susumuyokota.org/
Tracklist:
1. Zenmai
2. Kinoko
3. Meijiingu
4. Saboten
5. Oh My God
6. Tambarin
7. Oponchi
8. Ao-oni
9. Akafuji
10. Alphaville
11. Tanuki
__________________________________________________
I am so tired, so I really apologize for this time review… but at least you got an small one: “An overlooked ambient techno classic, this album (Yokotas first venture into modern electronic music) showcases his unique talent for composition and atmosphere.”

Review taken from: http://acrocosm.blogspot.com/2008/08/susumu-yokota-acid-mt-fuji.html
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/163532072/Susumu_Yokota_-_Acid_Mt._Fuji.rar

Variation of Memorable V, 2008

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of Memorable V, 2008

Susumu Yokota - Sakura (1999)

Date Released: November 30, 1999
Origin: Japan
Genre: Ambient, Chillout, Downtempo, Experimental, Lounge, IDM
Label: The Leaf Label

Site: http://www.susumuyokota.org/
Tracklist:
1. Saku
2. Tobiume
3. Uchu Tanjyo
4. Hagoromo
5. Genshi
6. Gekkoh
7. Hisen
8. Azukiiro No Kaori
9. Kodomotachi
10. Naminote
11. Shinsen
12. Kirakiraboshi
__________________________________________________
"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" has been a huge hit in more than thirty countries, but it failed miserably in Japan. Apparently, the Japanese consider public displays of wealth embarrassing, so the money-grubbing show never had a chance. Failed culture translation can work both ways, of course. Here in America, it's generally considered embarrassing for grown adults to read comics whose heroines are scantily clad prepubescent girls with stripper-sized tits. At least we all agree on Cheap Trick and the Beastie Boys.
I'm thinking about these kinds of differences right now because I'm trying to get to the root of my fascination with the gentle electronic music coming out of Japan. Though they're working in dramatically different styles, I think it's safe to say that artists like Nobukazu Takemura, Aki Tsuyuko, Neina and Susumu Yokota share a sensibility. Each is capable of crafting subtle music that's not afraid to be warm and pretty, but they shade the tender melodies and childlike naiveté with hints of violence and loss. With now-familiar techniques like malfunctioning technology (Neina's Oval-style glitch is the sound of the digital world colliding with nature) and clipped vocal fragments (Takemura's "Kepler" traps Tsuyuko's innocent voice inside a machine), the pretty music becomes something more balanced and complex.
Susumu Yokota made his name in Japan as a House DJ and producer, and this functional background could explain why his ambient music is the most outwardly "pleasant" of the artists mentioned above. Sakura is his latest home-listening entry, a placid display of slow, careful movement with a few unexpected twists.
Much of this album features Yokota's dreamy, processed guitar as a distinctive sound tool. On the lush, cascading "Saku" and "Tobiume" he drowns the electric strings in reverb, and the plucked melodies are hard to trace to their source. The faint guitar melodies work well against the synthetic drones, offering a subtly percussive counterpoint to the electronic tapestry. On "Genshi," Yokota pulls out his this-old-House tools, wielding a gentle, steady kickdrum and shimmering high-hat to push along a gurgling guitar pattern reminiscent of Manual Göttsching. Adding further variation to the six-string texture, "Hagoromo" loops an acoustic guitar pattern to hypnotic effect.
Despite its use in the above tracks, this is by no means a "guitar album," not even in the Fripp & Eno sense of the word. Each of the elements, the guitars, the occasional beats, the vocal samples (heartbreaking on "Azukiio No Kaori," which reminds me of Nobukazu Takemura's amazing remix of "Proverb" on Reich Remixed) and the flowing synthesizers, are used to further the dreamy, contemplative mood. There are a few missteps, most notable the oddly jazzy "Naminote," which seems to strive for Amon Tobin territory but mucks up the flow of the album considerably. Still, this is a worthy artifact from what seems to be an incredibly fertile scene.

Review taken from: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/23370-susumu-yokota-sakura

Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/162757733/Susumu_Yokota_-_Sakura.rar

Variation of Memorable IV, 2008

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of Memorable IV, 2008

Thievery Corporation - DJ-Kicks (1999)

Date Released: May 18, 1999
Origin: United States
Genre: Trip-Hop, Chillout, Acid Jazz, Downtempo, Soft Trip-Hop, Dub, Lounge
Label: K7

Site: http://thieverycorporation.com
Tracklist:
1. Tropicando - Thievery Corporation, Baxter, Les
2. Rebirth - Thievery Corporation, Kunz, Bernd
3. Beija-Flor - Thievery Corporation, Forge, P.
4. Mother Africa Feeding Sister India/2001 - Thievery Corporation,
5. Rainbow - Thievery Corporation, Bangs, Chris
6. Success - Thievery Corporation, DJ Cam
7. Emerald Alley - Thievery Corporation, Senor Roody
8. Exploration - Thievery Corporation, Dingle, M.
9. Coming from the Top - Thievery Corporation, Thievery Corporatio
10. Ponteio - Thievery Corporation, Lobo, Edu
11. Guiro Electric - Thievery Corporation,
12. Fedime's Flight - Thievery Corporation, Leisering, Stefan
13. Janine - Thievery Corporation,
14. Imperial - Thievery Corporation, Carey, Dan
15. Transmission Central - Thievery Corporation,
16. Mathar - Thievery Corporation,
17. Reign Dub - Thievery Corporation,
18. It Takes a Thief - Thievery Corporation, Garza, Rob
__________________________________________________
Artists & titles selected by Washington, D.C. based DJ's Thievery Corporation (Eric Hilton & Rob Garza). Features many great lounge / chill-out moments, including cuts from Les Baxter, A Forest Mighty Black, Jazzanova & many more.
It seems Studio K7 do no wrong when its comes to their widely adored DJ Kicks series. The German label has showcased the record-selecting talents of DJs and producers from around the world, and in doing so has become a reliable brand name for quality home listening. This installment has Thievery Corporation, Washington, D.C.'s masters of the mellow groove, flexing their skills. The mood across the disc's 18 tracks is decidedly laid-back, but eclectically so. Les Baxter's '60s cinematic lounge sets the scene, but the second track is a quick fast-forward into modern lounge, as provided by Kraut-chillers A Forest Mighty Black. The vibe spans the gamut from sitar-and-tabla world beat (Up Bustle & Out) to dubby (Rockers Hi-Fi), but in the end, it's the Corp's own works that are the true standouts. This is easy listening for the hipster set; background music for the space-age dinner party.

Review taken from: http://www.music-city.org/Thievery-Corporation/DJ-Kicks-708850/
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/162420481/Thievery_Corporation_-_DJ-Kicks.rar

Variation of Memorable III, 2008

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of Memorable III, 2008

Thievery Corporation - Radio Retaliation (2008)

Date Released: September 23, 2008
Origin: United States
Genre: Trip-Hop, Chillout, Acid Jazz, Downtempo, Soft Trip-Hop, Dub
Label: Eighteenth Street

Site: http://thieverycorporation.com
Tracklist:
1. Sound The Alarm
2. Mandala
3. Radio Retaliation
4. Vampires
5. Hare Krisna
6. El Pueblo Unido
7. The Forgoten People
8. 33 Degree
9. Beautiful Drug
10. La Femme Parallel
11. Retaliation Suite
12. The Numbers Game
13. The shining Path
14. Blasting Through The City
15. Sweet Tides
__________________________________________________
The beautiful people are restless. Radio Retaliation retains the glazed-velvet façade, groin-grabbing bass beats, talented guest vocalists and nicely balanced international spice of Thievery Corporation's four prior albums, but this time producer-DJs Rob Garza and Eric Hilton, judging by their lyrics, are pissed. Closer in sound and sense to 2002's reggae-driven The Richest Man in Babylon than to 2005's psychedelightful Cosmic Game, Retaliation is a multinational dancefloor call to arms. There's definitely a party going on, but only after everyone has debated the ballot versus the bullet with their neighborhood MoveOn cadre.The fightin' words of Fela Kuti, Manu Chao and the Clash echo the loudest through Thievery's righteous (if relatively quiet) riot. Fela's son, Femi, could be quoting his father when he sings of, "Guns and debt/ Life and death/ IMF" over Afrobeat rhythms in "Vampires"; Jamaican crooner Sleepy Wonder rages and croons against Babylon atop the Sly and Robbie inspired riddims of the title track and "Sound the Alarm"; and Go-Go godfather Chuck Brown is all about "takin' back the power, gonna share the wealth" in "The Numbers Game."Luscious instrumentals like "Mandala" (featuring Anoushka Shankar's sitar), "Retaliation Suite" (acid afrojazz), and "The Shining Path" (shimmering lounge-adelica) are the less-retaliatory flip side to Thievery's sonic uprising. Likewise, Brazilian singer Seu Jorge's "Hare Krisna" (a plea for inner peace) and chanteuse LouLou's "Sweet Tides" once again find the Corporation smack dab in the eye of a quiet storm, making music so elegantly designed that any corporation would want to attach it to a car, a perfume or a hotel lobby, so universal is Thievery's appeal.

Review taken from: http://www.emusic.com/album/Thievery-Corporation-Radio-Retaliation-MP3-Download/11278917.html

Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/161502845/Thievery_Corporation_-_Radio_Retaliation.rar

Variation of R.W.' portrait, 2008

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of R.W.' portrait, 2008

Thievery Corporation - Versions (2006)

Date Released: May 16, 2006
Origin: United States
Genre: Trip-Hop, Chillout, Acid Jazz, Downtempo, Soft Trip-Hop
Label: Eighteenth Street

Site: http://thieverycorporation.com
Tracklist:
1. Tarana – Ustad Sultan Khan
2. Habanos Days – Damian
3. This Is Not A Love Song – Nouvelle Vague
4. Beloved – Anoushka Shankar
5. Who Needs Forever – Astrud Gilberto
6. Desert – Emilie Simon
7. Lemon Tree – Herb Alpert
8. Originality – Thievery Corporation Ft. Sister Nancy
9. In Love – Fear Of Pop
10. The Girl’s Insane – The Januaries
11. Strange Days – The Doors
12. Revolution Solution (TC Remix) – Thievery Corporation
13. Shiva(TC Remix) – Thievery Corporation
14. Khalghi Stomp – Transglobal Underground
15. Angels – Wax Poetic Ft. Norah Jones
16. Nothing To Lose – Isabelle Antena
17. Cada Beijo – Bebel Gilberto
18. Dirt Little Secret – Sarah McLachlan
__________________________________________________
Michael Balzary, known to many as Flea from the Chilli Peppers, was once quoted as saying that when he hears a good bass line it makes him want to fuck. Thievery Corporation’s latest release “Versions” blends fat bass lines, melodic swells and yes, the desire to procreate for pure gratification when one hears the music. Driving south from LA to San Diego on the 5 South past San Clemente you pass the nuclear power station that is featured in many movies such as the Naked Gun. These two cone shaped nuclear reactors are to one a reminder of a pair of heavenly mammories. If Thievery Corporation was a pair of breasts they most certainly would be this pair – the most explosive set of tits in the world. Nearly 7 years after their first remix album “Abductions and Reconstructions” Thievery Corporation unleashes “Versions.” A new collaboration of rare and sublime remixes of songs by The Doors, Sarah McLachlan, Astrud Gilberto, Nouvelle Vague, Wax Poetic with Norah Jones, Anoushka Shankar, and Transglobal Underground, among many others. “Versions” signals a return to form for the duo Rob Garza and Eric Hilton. Released in 2005, “Cosmic Game” as a whole did not embody the sound that clearly defined Corp’s prominence. There were however some notable moments from Perry Farrell and David Byrne on the record. “Versions,” the 18-track collection showcases Thievery Corporation’s versatility and studio production talent to transform music by a wide range of artists into sonic gems baring the distinct Thievery sound.The opening track of “Versions” sets the tone with a haunting remix of Ustad Sultan Khan’s “Tarana” that glides along lazily through a haze of atmospherics. The sultry tones of Nouvelle Vague’s Camille leaves one dreaming of walking through an ominous forest at night yet calmed by the swells of a flute and the almost unearthly hum of a sitar. “Who Needs Forever” featuring Astrud Gilberto stands out as the strongest track on the album. This track sees you seated in a red leather booth wallowing in the blur of whiskey and then suddenly plucked out by a jazzy moving bass line that would bring death back to life – this coupled with the provocative tone of Astrud Gilberto’s voice is reminiscent of Thievery’s defining moment -- The Mirror Conspiracy.Corp’s brand new track “Originality,” a sub-heavy collaboration between Thievery Corporation and Sister Nancy, is a reggaelicious smoke infused anthem for the ages. On Angels, Nora Jones, an unlikely collaborator, surprises. Her voice glides through a rhythm- heavy underwater trance that brings back strong visions of Smoke City’s Underwater Love. Garza and Hilton managed to amass some of today’s sweetest songbirds and successfully couple them with an adventurous and compelling mix of their seminal electronic beats and bass lines. Versions stands to see Thievery once again spread their exotic blend of music which like rain absorbs moisture and then spreads its goodness for all to thrive.

Review taken from: http://www.kevchino.com/review/thievery-corporation/versions/872
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/158563591/Thievery_Corporation_-_Versions.rar

Variation of Dead Horse, 2007

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of Dead Horse, 2007

Thievery Corporation - The Cosmic Game (2005)

Date Released: February 21, 2005

Origin: United States

Genre: Trip-Hop, Chillout, Acid Jazz, Soft Tripo-Hop, Downtempo

Label: ESL Music, Inc / Eighteenth Street

Site: http://thieverycorporation.com
Tracklist:
1. Marching The Hate Machines (Into The Sun) (Ft. The Flaming Lips)
2. Warning Shots (Ft. Sleepy Wonder & Gujan)
3. Revolution Solution (Ft. Perry Farrell)
4. The Cosmic Game
5. Satyam Shivam Sundaram (Ft. Gunjan)
6. Amerimacka (Ft. Notch
7. Ambición Eterna (Eternal Ambition) (Ft. Verny Varela)
8. Pela Janela (Through The Window) (Ft. Gigi Rezende)
9. Sol Tapado (The Covered Sun) (Ft. Patrick de Santos)
10. The Heart’s A Lonely Hunter (Ft. David Byrne)
11. Holographic Universe (Ft. Gunjan)
12. Doors Of Perception (Ft. Gunjan)
13. Wires & Watchtowers (Ft. Sista Pat)
14. The Supreme Illusion (Ft. Gunjan)
15. The Time We Lost Our way (Ft. Loulou)
16. A Gentle Dissolve
__________________________________________________
What makes a great collaboration? At its worst, the collabo is a marketing tool and predictable, at its best, a creative detour and a catalyst for inspiration. For Thievery Corporation's fourth full-length of original material, the group turns increasingly to the aid of some handsome strangers to distill their prime influences of African diaspora music into a modern beat dub. The Corporation, the duo of Rob Garza and Eric Hilton, draws up an eclectic guest list and merges it into a characteristic chill-out collage. While the Flaming Lips, South Asian superstar Gunjan, and David Byrne anticipate a meeting of major minds, the results are admittedly subdued and subtle. Similar to how recent celeb-fest Handsome Boy Modeling School wrapped odd orgies in the loveage of Paul and Dan, the Corporation weaves each artist into its recognizable patchwork. Each contribution blends neatly together, and creates a cohesive whole.
The Cosmic Game unfolds in a steady and consistent manner, much like a mixtape segmented neatly by mood and theme. "Marching the Hate Machines (Into the Sun)" opens the album with a notable appearance from an Air-headed Wayne Coyne. Like Yoshimi sipping Virgin Suicides, the Corporation crafts hollow atmospheres, lonely guitar leads, and twinkling keyboards. The peaceful backing provides a counterpoint to the confrontational title and upfront lyrics: "Let's start by, making it clear / Who is the enemy here / And we'll show them / That it's not them / Who is superior." The song's chorus continues on to dream an abstract Armageddon for the negative ones, a bold statement from a group associated more with chill-outs and sessions. Given the current political rhetoric, the schism in social discourse, and the group's base in Washington, D.C., the tension is more appropriate than out-of-place. However, the Corporation sticks to its tried and true moves, and bathes Coyne's critique in such cozy warmth that the assault feels more like a well-oiled Trojan Horse.
Similar to how the Corporation molds a track around Coyne's recent maturation to slick-psych, the production throughout the album is tailored around the guests. The hard-breaking "Warning Shots" is unusually aggressive for the two, but its knocking drums, punchy guitar accents, and Tech9 loop back Sleepy Wonder's underwater toasting with necessary heat. The feverish gargle in the first half of the song also works within the context of the album by detonating the ambivalence established in the opening track. Gunjan's warm voice gradually weaves in and replaces Sleepy's rasp, transitioning to the soothing cool-down of the lightly tripping "Revolution Solution". In contrast to the complete immersion of its guests into the music on "Shots", the Corporation provides sparse backing for Perry Farrell, whose voice functions as an instrument, channeling Horace Andy through a modern Madchester beat dub. Singing now in a subdued tone, filling out the lower end of his range and displaying a throaty tenor not often heard, Farrell sounds convincing. Admittedly, when he sings, "I hope for comfort / But I never felt safe", his beat down Babylon sermon sounds like fodder from the privileged hippie camp, but crisp production supports Farrell's diatribe dance with just the right amount of substance.
The title track "The Cosmic Game" strips vocals and any specific rhetoric, functioning as a moment of respite that actually brings the album into focus. Although each voiceless track functions as a similar transition piece, "Game" reintroduces the group's career-long exploration of South Asian, Caribbean, and Afro-Latin roots. The quiet "Shiva" follows as Gunjan stretches out on one of her several features, fusing modernist reading with sleek mod production. Notch, featured on the Corporation's last album, takes a step deeper into the pocket by heavily buttering his toasts on "Amerimacka"; his critical warning shot is lover's rock smooth, but runs roots deep: "If she had only stood for love / That would have been enough / But now we all burn in her plan". Although "Amerimacka"'s critique parallels the tone of the first section of Game, it contrasts with the Corporation's trademark subtlety; Dark Days drums swaying below slow-mo bass, and keys and strings washed in echo are the group's bread and butter. The effects become tired toward the end, because they are used repeatedly and often in a predictable manner -- echo is often in triplet and eighth increments -- but this seems more a product of digitized quantizing than any fault of the duo's creativity. Although the majority of the album does not contain such thematic consistency as the opening salvo, the whole's abstract exploration of ambivalence and soft funk suits the group well.
The Corporation proceeds to sail down the Atlantic coastline for a party cruise. "Ambicion Eterna" breezes through with minimal hand percussion and soft vocals courtesy of Vermie Varela. The group ventures further south with the nu-brasilo-beat "Pela Janela". The duo avoids the common mistake of giving into drum machine four-on-the-floors, but instead allow live percussion to carry the bump, loping bass to do the dance, and wafting vocals to set the mood. Continuing the tour is "Sol Tapado", which breaks berimbau similar to how Cornershop funkified raga, while DC virtuoso Patrick de Santos moves the crowd with casual rhythm. Nimble bongos and bouncing bass trace the Corporation's path back to Nigeria as Shako David Byrne struts his tail feather through "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter." Horns punctuate the melody, keys wash and echo throughout, and Byrne's flat intonation modernizes Afro-Beat, making one of the more progressive collaborations of the album.
The album closes with punches and caresses that ultimately bring Game in for a rocksteady landing. Gunjan sways in and out of "Doors of Perception", a guiro driven raga racer, as Sista Pat delivers throaty incantations over "Wires and Watchtowers'" pumping drums and echoing horns. Gunjan returns one last time on "The Supreme Illusion" to deliver quawwali-like pipes to dutty dancehall beatdowns and skull-snapping breaks. The final descent is gentle, as "The Time We Lost Our Way" cools out with muted trumpets and acoustic guitars. The Bacharach-Morricone vibe gives the composition a cinematic quality that leads naturally into the soft closer, "A Gentle Dissolve."
Thievery Corporation succeeds on The Cosmic Game by using collaborations to build on an established repertoire of instrumental music. Vocals have held an increasing presence in the group's work, but the Corporation uses each voice as an instrument, namely Gunjan, to push for newer sounds. The submergence of superior talents, like the oft-mentioned Gunjan, into the Corporation's palette is unfortunate for the guests, considering their ability to stand as centerpieces. However, for Thievery's purposes, the results are a fine distillation of their record interests. The overall quality of the work does not amount to the group's finest work, but considering the juggling act required to coordinate such talent, the Corporation sets forth on the best foot once again.

Review taken from: http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/t/thieverycorporation-cosmic.shtml
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/157889053/Thievery_Corporation_-_The_Cosmic_Game.rar.html

Variation of Spines, 2008

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of Spines, 2008

Thievery Corporation - The Richest Man In Babylon (2002)

Date Released: October 1, 2002

Origin: United States

Genre: Trip-Hop, Chillout, Acid Jazz, Downtempo

Label: ESL Music, Inc / Eighteenth Street

Site: http://thieverycorporation.com
Tracklist:
1. Heaven’s Gonna Burn Your Eyes
2. Facing East
3. The Outernationalist
4. Omid (Hope)
5. All That we Perceive
6. Un Simple Histoire (A Simple Story)
7. Meu Destino (My Destiny)
8. Exilio (Exile)
9. From Creation
10. The Richest Man In Babylon
11. Liberation Front
12. The State Of The Union
13. Until The Morning
14. Resolution
__________________________________________________
I love the missus for many reasons. There’s the sex. And there’s a certain laconic brilliance that shines like a Maglite in a moviehouse sometimes.
We were driving back from the beach. She’d just gotten her license reinstated. She’d been behind the wheel for an hour or two, and hadn’t quite gotten back into it yet. She needed a nap. I took over and put on the new Thievery Corporation album; just loud enough to know something was on. I didn’t want to keep her awake, and I didn’t feel much like paying attention. Before she nodded off, she said:
“This is what the cool people listen to.”
We’re going straight to hell, kids. If there’s hell below, we’re all gonna go. We’re going to boil in a bubbling cauldron of the oil from the pores of Sebadoh fans. And some of us will be so good at ironic, detached assimilation that we’ll affect an enjoyment of hell. We might never figure out whether we’re in heaven or hell. Which, if one believes the existentialists, is a pretty solid working definition of hell.
Our legacy? We’ll force a lot of Fugazi and Blackalicious on our kids, which will no doubt bore them to conniptions. They’ll be more interested in Neptunes and Green Day, having no more reason to reject them than we have to give the condescending stinkeye to Tommy James. (Our young’uns won’t give a shit about The Apples In Stereo, either.) And then there’ll be a more interesting, less easily defined legacy, passed on through discs like The Richest Man In Babylon. Provided this once great nation doesn’t rot through completely, this record will take over for Herb Alpert and “The Girl From Ipanema.”
It’s hipster Muzak, in other words. All ESL records are essentially “beautiful music” with a dash of urban flava, and can be enjoyed as such. Some can be probed for menacing subtext. Not Thievery Corporation. Break out your Physician’ s Desk Reference and Blue States can be melancholy, Thunderball can be paranoid, etc. This DC crew brings the straight tapioca.
The Corp goes slightly “exotic” now and again. There’re smoky leads from weary sounding women. And there’s a tabla.
The Richest Man In Babylon is strictly background fare. If you run a coffeeshop, you’re cooking with gas. If you’ve got a paper to write or tables to wait, it can pad out your skull. But I can’t imagine desiring to experience it through headphones. Even if I were a cool person. I imagine I’d be busy hitting on other cool people.
Shit, it’s less dull than Tortoise.

Review taken from: http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/405
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/157467910/Thievery_Corporation_-_The_Richest_Man_In_Babylon.rar.html

Variation of Moneda Corriente III, 2008

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of Moneda Corriente III, 2008