Review: Yuima Enya & Inokashira Rangers offer fresh takes on classic Sade tracks with their new release. 'Smooth Operator' transforms into a smoothed-out lounge record infused with reggae, while still retaining the soul and pop appeal of the original. On Side-2, 'Kiss of Life,' becomes a breezy jam with a subdued yet vibrant lounge band feel. Hats off to them for tackling such beloved songs and making them their own. These are great alternative versions, bringing new life to Sade's classics while respecting the originals. Perfect for fans looking to experience these timeless tracks in a new light.
Review: Inokashira Rangers are world-renowned for their abilities in covering some of the world's best-known songs in the modes of ska and reggae, with versions of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', 'Creep' and 'I'm Not In Love', all laid to sweet 7", dominating stores in recent years. Now the Japanese covertones throw a curveball, for once reworking some honoured dance music cuts. 808 State's 'Pacific State' and Derrick May's 'Strings Of Life' get a thorough skinhead reggae re-examining.
Review: Inokashira Rangers are kwon around the world as a legendary group of Hammond-heavy reggae masters with a fine knack for laying down big cover versions. Their take on 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' was recently reissued to great acclaim recently and now we get two more gems. First is Radiohead's 'Creep' which has haunting leads and echoing pads capturing the freaky vibe of the original. There is a more laidback vibe on the flip with 'I'm Not In Love' which has noodling synths and lazy drum loops sinking you in deep.
Review: "Inokasira Rangers" translates from the Japanese to mean "Park Rangers". Living up to the name, this band's dub and rocksteady versions are like natural conservation efforts. Re-rendering their chosen songs in bobbing dub, Nirvana's grunge roll 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' is first revitalised, transformed into a sustainable form: "jello, hello, how low" becomes a relatively spooky perennation of Hammond, while Krist Novoselic's accompanying basslines become chop guitar, emblematic of the rocksteady movement. Meanwhile, Kool & The Gang's 'Summer Madness' is lent an eerier, dream-strung dub version, with an underwater wah effect providing an extra tchotchke on the windowsill of history.
Review: In a fresh outpouring of covers 7"s, Japanese rocksteady version band Inokasira Rangers share the best of several new vinyl cuts, this time remoulding The La's's Britpop masterpiece 'There She Goes' into fine reggae pottery. Once referred to as "the second national anthem of the UK" in a period of national musical fervour, the heartsick one-hit-wonder anthem gets a thorough Hammond-organ-ising here, sacrificing lyrics or vocals for a single transcribed organ line. On the B is also a version of Janet Jackson's unforgettably minor-keyed Clav-house steamer, 'Together Again', this time rock-steadied to a similarly beautified degree.
Review: Over the last decade, Inokashira Rangers have proved that you can turn pretty much any track - whether it's a TV theme tune, rave banger or grunge classic - into a reggae or rocksteady gem if you know what you're doing. They're at it again on their latest "45", which opens with a storming, largely instrumental reggae-soul version of Edwin Starr's 1968 soul classic '25 Miles'. Their version - full of reverb-laden drums, fuzzy organ motifs, mazy solos, warming bass and JB's guitars - is naturally hugely different to Starr's version, but recognisably the same song. Their flipside take on Spinners' classic 'It's a Shame' is rather more difficult, with the trio slowing it down to a skanking reggae crawl while retaining the familiar melodic refrain.
Review: Rocksteady from Japanese crew Inokasira Rangers, whom've here teamed up with singer Hikari Suzuki for a cutely delivered cover of the Americana song 'Tonight You Belong To Me' by Nancy Sinatra. Performed in a "skinhead reggae" manner, this is a mysterious but fun version of the erstwhile lolloping 60s pop version. On the flip comes a curveball in the versioned form of one of the greatest-selling singles of all time, 'Ue o Muite Arukou' (aka. 'Sukiyaki' in English-speaking markets), originally sung by Kyu Sakamoto and again retaken by the Rangers.
Review: Tokyo's Inokasira Rangers have been crafting lo-fi reggae since the 1990s, yet remained a rather hidden gem outside Japan. Their release 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You' finally changed that when it dropped initially back in 2023 and sold out in quick time so now gets reissued. The A-side reimagines Frankie Valli's classic with a laid-back reggae twist while the B-side takes on Crystal Waters' '90s dance anthem with surprising charm. Infused with a subtle Shibuya-kei flair, both covers feel fresh yet timeless. The Waters rendition, in particular, sounds like a forgotten folk tune-so natural it's hard to believe it wasn't always this way. A breezy, nostalgic delight from a band overdue for global recognition.
Review: Rocksteady revivalists Inosikira Rangers have built a long and successful career out of unlikely cover versions, delivering killer reggae style interpretations of everything from 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', 'Anarchy In The UK' and 'Creep', to 'Born Slippy', 'Like a Virgin' and 'Happy'. Here, two of their most popular and potent covers are brought together for the first time on one "45". On side A they handle New Order's 'Blue Monday', re-casting it as a Hammond-heavy slab instrumental rocksteady, with Bernard Sumner's vocals being replaced by extended organ solos. Over on the flip, they slow down and skank out Kraftwerk's 'Autobahn', throwing in nods to krautrock and a dash of robotic vocoder to keep things fresh.
Review: Sofia Manari and Inokasira Rangers are not strangers to working together on their own unique covers of some classic sounds, all reworked into fresh dub grooves. This time they turn their focus to 'First Love, which is a lush listen with Manari's soothing and sultry vocal delivery. On the flip is another laid-back dub sound with a constant rhythmic pulse, natty chords and more clean and soulful vocals from Manari making this a sweet little 7" from Japan's finest, Parktone.
Review: Over the last couple of years, we've been treated to numerous reissues of classic cover versions by Japanese reggae/rocksteady combo Inokasira Rangers, including takes on Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', Pharrell's 'Happy' and New Order's 'Blue Monday'. Here we're treated to another, as the band's 2017 take on Underworld anthem 'Born Slippy' gets a fresh pressing. It's certainly a revolutionary revision, with Keichi Sokabe's surprisingly Karl Hyde-sounding lead vocal rising above a lusciously languid, sub-heavy reggae groove. Over on the flip they take on 'Groove Tube', a 1991 indie-pop-meets-acid house single from Japanese outfit Flipper's Guitar, reframing it as a baggy, glassy-eyed rocksteady number.
Review: Inokasira Rangers are known for bringing their own idiosyncratic dub and rootsy take on a whole world of classic source sounds from multiple different genres. Here they look to an iconic tune from The Sex Pistols and completely rework it into a slow and skating digital-dub framework then wire it up with spangled bass, bright metallic chords and re-sing the vocal in snarling fashion. On the flip is the excellent 'Longing For Andulusia' which is a more laid back and traditional dub sound that comes doused in island sun with some epic guitar solos.
Review: A slice of Daft Punk covers levity from Sokabe Keiichi & Inokasira Rangers for Park Tone Records on 7" vinyl. Here the Japanese rocker and his fellow band the Inokasira Rangers lay down an unheard-of instrumental rocksteady rollick, against which the vocal core of Daft Punk's 'One More Time' is overlaid, as seamless in feel as a freshly fined cloth on a varnished coffee table. The track also comes backed by the original Hammond triller 'Boku No Siawase', a ploddier reggae treat in stereo, against whose offbeat rummage Keiichi's voice glides in the manner of a beautiful bird's call.
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