London’s Time Capsule label explores the fusion of tropical sounds coming out of Japan

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London’s Time Capsule label explores the fusion of tropical sounds coming out of Japan

The London-based label Time Capsule has recently released a great new compilation EP featuring an eclectic collection of modern tropically influenced sounds that range from jazz, reggae, psych, and indigenously rooted instrumental music currently coming out of Japan.

Compiled by Time Capsule label boss Kay Suzuki, this five-track record focuses on the cross-pollination and fusion of different genres that have been consistent in much of modern Japan music for decades. The compilation focuses on three specific artists or groups that include Speak No Evil, Aquatuki, and Keiichi Tanaka.

Led by Akira Tatsumi, who’s an iconic veteran among Osaka’s ska and calypso scenes, Speak No Evil perform fresh new arrangements of compositions by legendary saxophonist Wayne Shorter, fusing together influences of jazz, reggae, and dub.

Heavily influenced by the trance music the group discovered in Goa, Aquatuki is an instrumental ensemble led by guitar players Taaki and Chen, that combine Hawaiian surf music, psychedelic grooves, and echoed disco beats on their featured track “Wakanoura”.

Rounding out the compilation features two versions of the song “City of Aleppo” from master percussionist Keiichi Tanaka and fellow musician OKI, who plays a northern Japan string instrument known as the tonkori. The two tracks were written after watching news footage of the bombing in Syria, and blend together Tanaka’s African-inspired rhythms with the hypnotic sounds from the tonkori. OKI provides a superb dub version of the track to close out the record.

Overall, this is an incredible new compilation that helps shed light on some of the groundbreaking artists and genre-bending music currently coming out of Japan. Definitely one of my favorite releases of 2020!