Studio Mule Japan Vinilo y CD

Review: Shunji Mori's name might not be immediately familiar to those who haven't been paying proper attention, but the Japanese musician has been responsible for so much incredible music over the years it's hard to know where to begin. Perhaps with the nu-jazz, deep house and downtempo output in the early-1990s, when labels like Nuphonic, Japanese Idyllic Records and Down 2 Earth Recordings were providing the platform. Maybe it's the instrumental guitar duo Gabby & Lopez with his buddy Masayuki Ishii, or improvisational concerts performed alongside Daiho Soga.

Who knows. What's really important is that we're here now, with 222 - a return to the solo spotlight for the exalted artist in question. Song For Joni, a brand new full-length, is a spellbinding and beautiful trip into the blissful places we rarely get to visit, ambience that surrounds, then lulls, then hones in. Work is both fresh and decades old, mirroring the overall effect of listening, with time and space seeming to melt away into mesmerising tones.

Review: Japan's Motohiki Hamase, one of the nation's most revered jazz bassists, has primarily released music with the Isao Suzuki Quartet, but the output under his own name has always intrigued us - especially given that he's now out through Mule Musiq, and that this is his first solo outing since 1993! Intaglio strays way beyond the natural confinements of jazz, taking the gnere's heart and soul into an electronic voyage that seems to be totally undefinable. 'Organic ambient' seems to be the clearest way to describe these atmospheric experiments, a collection of rhythmic collages powered by Hamase's understanding of timing, acoustic balance, and the power that traditional jazz instruments can impose when processed in an innovative style. This is all about detail and aesthetic, so it comes recommended to fans of Cafe Oto's output, to cite one example. Warmly recommended.

Review: Mule Musiq sub-label Studio Mule looks back to 1983 here for a new vinyl reissue of Silence by Shinsuke Honda, which originally came on Apollon Music. Honda has unreal guitar and compositional skills and grew up in Hiroshima before moving to Tokyo in the 7os where he was a core part of folk-rock outfit Hachimitsu Pie. Once that band disbanded, he got more into jazz and experimental and worked making music for TV and film. Silence was his major label debut and one that fuses sepia-toned rock nostalgia with minimalism, jazz and blues. It remains a deeply moving record and one perfect for a bit of mindful listening.

Review: Some expansive, cinematic, orchestral spiritual jazz for you here, from the trio of talents that Fumio Itabashi, Kuniyiki and Henrik Schwarz. While the latter two are generally better-known for their deep and sometimes tech-tinged house and ambient productions, the original mix of 'Watarese' (featured here on side B) is a dense, immersive jazz soundscape laden with evocative Japanese vocals, improvised piano, moody orchestration and definite nods towards vintage free-jazz. Spiritual Life supremo Joaquin 'Joe' Clausell provides the remix and, somewhat predictably, steals the show. His take is gently rhythmic, sun-splashed spiritual jazz full of hand percussion, fluid piano motifs and rubbery double bass.

Review: Moogroove is the alias of Japanese house music producer Kenji Eto, who released this highly sought after gem originally back in 1994 on Mo Rhythm Records. Made famous by Motor City Drum Ensemble on his Fabric compilation where he used the track 'Dark Room', this is the EP's first reissue courtesy of Studio Mule featuring artwork from Lily Fei. Features the hypnotic back room dub of 'Moogroove' (part 2), the classic acid house sound of 'Out Of Control' and the deep, late-night mood music of 'Out Of Time'.

Review: Renowned for the immersive nature of his sunset-ready blends of ambient, Balearic, deep house and new age sounds, Soshi Takeda is best-known for Floating Mountains, his cassette-and-digital only 2021 album on 100% Silk. Soon, it may be this mini-album - his first outing on Studio Mule - that people cite as the Japense producer's best work. Rich in colourful 1980s new-age synths and sparse drum machine sounds, twinkling piano solos, and oodles of enveloping ambient textures, the six tracks on show draw some inspiration from Japanese ambient pioneers (Midori Takada especially) and contemporary crews (Coastlines in particular) while delivering a distinctive musical voice. Inspired stuff all told.