Susumu Yokota — Will (Skintone Records/Lo Recordings)
[To see Dusted’s previous reviews of the albums in this reissue series, see here.]
Because the Skintone Edition boxed sets collecting all the individual reissues of Susumu Yokota’s LPs only focus on music he released under his own name, up to this point in the collection Yokota’s work in more “functional” dance music like house has more been an element referred to or reacted against by his music than actually present. That changes with 2001’s Will, individually released last December. It’s interesting to note that it was originally issued the same year as his much more esoteric Grinning Cat, because the two records do share one key element: a joyful sense of playfulness.
Here that playfulness is apparent as soon as the deep, sometimes jazzy house grooves of “Level 21” and “Pegasus Man” begin Will. The latter especially makes for a more bumping companion to the then-recent smash hit St. Germain LP Tourist, but things here quickly get a little more varied than that. “Alpine Nation” spikes the BPM and reminds listeners of how good Yokota makes his samples and loops sound, always giving them a kind of lush, surreal reality (and is that little vocal fillip a bit from the Flamingos’ “I Only Have Eyes For You” years before The Field got there?). Yokota doesn’t shy away from keeping a break dusty or another element lo-fi if it suits the mood of the track, but even then, his work feels like it’s in audio Technicolor.
After four tracks of more upbeat, overtly danceable tracks, Will downshifts in an intriguing way. First “Illusion River” shuffles along with late-night piano twinkles and haunting, indistinct vocals, then “Black Sea” somehow builds an incredibly compelling slow burn out of little more than a drum loop, reverbed snapping fingers, and far-away organ washes. You wouldn’t cut a rug to it like you would to “Level 21,” but it’s a nigh-irresistible head nodder. But it’s also a headfake, with the album ending with two of its more intensely danceable cuts before ushering you out the door with the patient, gentle churn of “Flower and Butterfly.” Will was apparently designed as an homage to Yokota’s DJ nights in Tokyo, and it has the variety and flow to show for it. On this evidence, the fact that we can’t go see Yokota on the decks anymore is just one more thing to mourn.
i have seen beautiful people (physical beauty) glorifying their physical attributes every now and then, boasting about their skin color or type or their curves or muscles but when it comes to actually bringing something to a conversation, something deeper than what normal human beings tend to dive while conversing. their real shallowness is revealed. you can clearly see they don't have much to offer. they can't talk about soul or feelings or anything that requires a bit of intellectualism. their shallowness is the filter through which you can see they are only meant to entertain you with their body but not with their brain.
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