Susumu Yokota - Magic Thread (2000)

Date Released: January 1, 2000
Origin: Japan
Genre: Minimal, Ambient, IDM
Label: Leaf Records
Site: www.susumuyokota.org
Tracklist:
1. Weave
2. Reflux
3. Unravel
4. Circular
5. Spool
6. Potential
7. Fiber
8. Metabolic
9. Stitch
10. Blend
11. Melt

Download Link: http://rapidshare.com/files/227987686/Susumu_Yokota_-_Magic_Thread.rar

Susumu Yokota & Rothko - Distant Sounds Of Summer (2005)

Date Released: October 25, 2005
Origin: Japan
Genre: Ambient, Downtempo, Experimental, IDM, Minimal

Label: Lo Recordings
Site: http://www.susumuyokota.org/
Tracklist:
1. Deep In Mist
2. Waters Edge
3. Path Fades Into Forest
4. Lit By Moonlight
5. Brook And Burn
6. Sentiero
7. Clear Space
8. Reflections And Shadows
9. Distant Sounds Of Summer
10. Floating Moon
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Susumu Yokota, the name ring any bells? OK, bad jokes aside, I’m sure virtually everyone’s familiar with the workaholic behind the echoing lattices of delight that make up such recordings as Grinning Cat and Sakura, as well as the deep, jazzual and funky ‘80s house of albums like Zero. You might not know that he also runs his own record label, Skintone, and is an exhibiting graphic designer who makes all his own record covers; quite frankly, he’s probably the only person in the world who can rival Madlib for ludicrous amounts of diverse creative output. Now that’s cute, because the promo sheet under my beady eye compares Susumu’s “supernatural kind of funk” to California’s most blunted. Except they spell it Mad Lib, which sounds like a pendant to Stephen Malkmus’ Pig Lib, only for wackos (sign me up!).
Anyway, if you haven’t heard anything by Mr. Yokota, you’re missing out because he’s justly famous for being able to create wondrous atmospheres from the barest assortments of intertwined sounds, and he’s not afraid of being pretty or lush, either. A good place to start might be Symbol, which uses a very well-known selection of classical music as the starting threads, and which everyone except Wire magazine loved. My personal tip would be Grinning Cat, but for goodness’ sakes don’t start with The Boy and the Tree, because it’s all weird concussive dub gongs instead of bells on the breeze, and may dent your headspace.
Or you could start with this album right here, a fantastic display of all his internationally acclaimed production hallmarks. However, although Yokota is behind the boards, most of the music here is of Rothko’s making, and Rothko deserve more than a word or two by way of introduction. Initially consisting of nothing more than a trio of bass players and some FX (lofi gem In the Pulse of an Artery), the output of this loose collective around founding member Max Beazley moved through blissful ambient recordings (A Continual Search for Origins) towards the velvet intensity of A Space Between, where longtime collaborator and creamily voiced English poet/songstress Caroline Ross achieved equal billing, adding the folkish tones of her playing to Beazley’s ever-mellifluous bass fretwork, which has always been Rothko’s liquid spine. Along the way Beazley’s put out a slew of albums not mentioned above, found the time to collaborate with Four Tet on the gorgeous Rivers Become Oceans split 7” and released Wish for a World Without Hurt, a reaction to the events of September 11th that saw him work with static merchant Black Bear and produce music like nothing so much as the ashes of the impact site crying to themselves.
And to think I find it difficult to fit in a couple of reviews around my working week.
Yokota veterans will find themselves instantly at home on the warm broken beats of opener “Deep in Mist”, where Ross’ voice blossoms in wordless flight, and second track “Waters Edge”, which wraps her into tiny tonal chant cycles (a Yokota peccadillo) beneath gently oscillating rings and resonating piano notes huge and softly heavy as summer cloud banks. Rothko stalwarts need not be put off by the threat of pounding beats, as these only take the aural foreground on a minority of tracks, and are anyway more sinuous pulse than kick. Rest assured that things retain a silkily organic feel throughout, that there are still drifts into near-silent idyll, and that Beazley’s high tones are as gorgeously evocative of sunlight rippling on water as ever (with a particular mention perhaps being due for “Brook and Burn").
Everyone else can go out and get it safe in the knowledge that they are purchasing a collaboration by masters of their respective crafts, who in joining forces have created some of the best and most blissful music either have achieved. This is one of the ambient albums of this—and indeed most—years, and when I say ambient, I don’t really mean Eno’s airport soundtrack; apart from anything else, there is genuine songwriting and structure here. No, ambient, as in: You can do whatever you want while listening to it, but the music does not become background, it becomes part of you. One to slot next to Budd & Bernocchi’s “Fragments From the Inside” while blessing all musicians too productive to enjoy physical peace, who therefore need to create it in their minds, and let it sound like this.
A small body of such artists (Beazley amongst them) have been taking shelter from the underground cold at www.burningshed.com. I would humbly suggest that you go and peruse what they’ve got to offer, because it’s likely that you’ll find something there to cherish. I did.

Review taken from: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/yokotasusumu-distant/
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/164454366/Susumu_Yokota___Rothko_-_Distant_Sounds_of_Summer.rar

Susumu Yokota - Skintone Collection (2008)

Date Released: January 15, 2008
Origin: Japan
Genre: Ambient, Downtempo, Experimental, Modern Classical, Minimal

Label: Lo Recordings
Site: http://www.susumuyokota.org/
Tracklist:
1. Kodomotachi
2. Amanogawa 1997
3. Card Nation
4. Illusion River
5. Live Echo
6. Purple Rose Minuet
7. Sentiero
8. Saku
9. Kawano Hotorino Kinoshitade 1998
10. King Dragonfly
11. Iconic Air
12. Holy Ground
13. A Heart-warming And Beautiful Flower Will Eventually Wither Away And Become Dirt
14. Hagoromo
__________________________________________________
For over 20 years Susumu Yokota has been creating a diverse body of work which, since 1998, he has released on his own Skintone label. While this work is lazily categorised as ‘ambient’, that name really is a disservice. Yokota’s music is rarely happy to find space in the background and tracks have much more movement of ideas within them than ambient music strictly uses.
Being a compilation is possibly the only fault of this disc as a listening experience, and it is a minor fault at that. The diverse nature of Yokota’s music means that the tracks jump about stylistically a little. ‘Card Nation’ from 2001’s Grinning Cat is ominous atmospherics under piano, violin and vocal snatches punctuated by heavily reverberated clangs and hisses. ‘Illusion River’ from 2001’s Will is pretty Rhodes glissandos and opera swoons under a raw, harshly cut drum loop, the tension between the two aesthetics continually shifting the focus of the track and providing considerable forward momentum. Traditional Japanese instrumentation finds its place in tracks such as ‘Live Echo’ (from 2002’s The Boy And The Tree) and ‘Sentiero’ (from 2005’s Distant Sounds Of Summer collaboration with Rothko). These are seamlessly blended with classical western instrumentation and contemporary electronics to great effect throughout. Whether creating a contemplative mood in ‘Kawano Hotorino Kinoshitade 1998′ (from 1998’s Image 1983-1998) or splicing samples into abstract shards to be recomposed in ‘A Heart-warming And Beautiful Flower Will Eventually Wither And Become Dirt’ (from 2007’s Love Or Die), Yokota avoids cliches and keeps every detail serving the whole exquisitely.
Every piece on this collection is musically noteworthy in some way. Compiler Ben Eshmade, of the program ‘Chiller Cabinet’ on Britain’s Classic FM has done a good job of creating a reasonable flow across the tracks. As mentioned, though, it is hard to listen to the entire disc and not notice the joins between disparate works. However, the strength of the material means that this leads to a desire to hear the original works in their entirety, where the flow and continuity that is core to this music can be heard and fully appreciated. As a compilation which opens up Yokota’s work to new audiences, sending them in search of his back catalogue, this is a great success.

Review taken from: http://www.cyclicdefrost.com/blog/?p=1662
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/164433048/Susumu_Yokota_-_Skintone_Collection.rar

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

Various Artists - Beneath The Surface (2007)

Date Released: February 3, 2007
Origin: Various Countries
Genre: Abstract, Ambient, Experimental, Glitch, Minimal, Modern Classical
Label: Native State Records / IODA
Site: http://www.nativestaterecords.com/ / http://www.iodalliance.com/
Tracklist:
1. The Beginning Of Something Good - Irwin's Conspiracy
2. Ice Forming On Glass - Bluetech
3. Amethyst - Symphat
4. White Dragon - Sting Theories
5. CatDinR42 - krill.minima
6. Stillness - Ganucheau
7. Aurora Borealis - Rena Jones
8. Stellar Dendrites - Desert Dwellers
9. Midnight Bloom - Bluetech & Shulman
10. Continuous - Aerostatic
11. Landscape - David Last
__________________________________________________

Native States Records run by US based Evan Bluetech and Naasko have suprised most of the traditional chillout lovers by their unique and mellow approach. Their previous chillout instalment “Left Coast Liquid” had a more Dubby and Chilled direction, while “Beneath The Surface” is a like a glitched and minimal ride across a vast and scenic plethora of sound textures. Native States has surely left me gasping for more with its futuristic yet antique approach.The first track by “Irwin’s Conspiracy” is nothing short of a cinematique expression making way for beautiful things to follow. The compilation is all about morphing textures which is exactly what “Ice Forming on Glass” brings with its indispensable creaky and melancholic Bluetech vibe. Next we have label manager Naasko and Canadian artist Noah Pred aka Shen with their project “Sympath” giving us a deep and dubby track suitable for night time pondering. “String Theories” a project by “Bluetech and Rena Jones” brings us a antisomatic track that once again highlights the melancholic Bluetech vibe along withsome beautiful violin work by Rena, this ones a excellent piece of art. “Building And People” by “Marconi Union” has a very organic texture with a urban feel, just like the title suggests. “Krill.minima” with “CatDinR42″ experiments with Ambient and glitchy IDMish overtones with a overall night time pulse, a scenic journey that givies us time and space to let our conscience travel many depths. “Porcelain” by West Coast producer “Steve Nalepa” is one of the fastest tracks on the compilation packaged within a very experimental fluid and glitched out beats, a definite highlight.Ganucheau’s brings us another highlight of the compilation with a hypnotic n glitchy atmosphere that crawls over broken and scattered beats, with a very ethereal piano solo somewhere in the middle. “Rena Jones” who’s solo album is lined up for release in the month of september has a very unique style of fusing classic and symphonic music with modern electronic soundscapes, after listening to “Aurora Borealis” I cant wait to see what we have in stock for the future. “Desert Dwellers” have a certain way with their music that makes me feel really gloomy but in a good way, Iam probably not making sense but its a feeling I find hard to describe. “Bluetech and Shulman” is a duo that cant go wrong, “Midnight Bloom” sends a shiver down my spine whenever I hear it, I wont say much about this track just go and hear this one and iam sure you wont be disappointed.Ending the complilation we are greeted by hypnotic and static ambient sounds by “Aerostatic” and “David Last” that reminds me of “Selected Ambient Works” by “Aphex Twin” which could be beacuse of the dirty beats on “Continous”, both the tracks are not really ground breaking or stellar but are perfect for winding up the compilation.Evan and Naasko have once again done a splendid job covering so much ground in terms of experimental electornic music thats truely worth a stand up ovation.

Review taken from: http://www.discogs.com/release/632703
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/146937656/Beneath_The_Surface.rar.html