Susumu Yokota

Scubadevils · 30-12-2007 06:00PM #1

I just bought a compilation/best of by Susumu Yokota and am very impressed I have to say. I have eyed up his CD's a few times now and been tempted to give one a bash but there have always been others that have taken priority on the day

I had the pleasure of a HMV gift voucher and I am always a little more adventurous with these so I took the plunge today with this 'best of'. It's not listed yet on Discogs but track info can be found -

http://lorecordings.greedbag.com/buy/skinetone-collection-0/

Can anyone recommend any other albums to get next? I know his earlier work alright back when he was doing more techno/trance etc but up to this compilation I had not heard anything since these earlier releases on Harthouse label etc.

I reckon this might be the next one to buy, if only because I like the cover

http://www.discogs.com/release/90672

On another note, I also picked up the following today using the same voucher

-

The Future Sound Of London Present Amorphous Androgynous - Alice In Ultraland.

http://www.discogs.com/release/525492

This is another I have been meaning to check out for a while now and first impressions are that it is really good, hard to believe it's from FSOL and it's a million miles from their first release as Amorphous Androgynous -

http://www.discogs.com/release/1719 (an excellent album btw)

Final purchase from today was this comp of AFX Analord releases -

http://www.discogs.com/release/657253

Absolutely excellent CD, highly recommend. I find his work sometimes can be a bit 'hard' on the ears but this is really good, I must pick up the various 12"s from the Analord series.

Anyway...sorry, gone a tad off topic to my own thread!

Recommendations appreciated for Susumu and for anyone not familiar with his music, go get a copy of this compilation.

Setun · 04-01-2008 12:42PM

Susumu Yokota is fantastic, and Sakura is apparently one of his best. I have Grinning Kat and The Distant Sounds of Summer, the latter was recorded with london experimental ambient quartet Rothko. Both are brilliant.

cornbb · 04-01-2008 01:58PM

Felixdhc wrote: »

I just bought a compilation/best of by Susumu Yokota and am very impressed I have to say. I have eyed up his CD's a few times now and been tempted to give one a bash but there have always been others that have taken priority on the day

Just had a quick listen to a few of his albums on emusic.com there and I like the sound of his stuff. I would also welcome some recommendations!

Final purchase from today was this comp of AFX Analord releases -

http://www.discogs.com/release/657253

Absolutely excellent CD, highly recommend. I find his work sometimes can be a bit 'hard' on the ears but this is really good, I must pick up the various 12"s from the Analord series.

I like this album, its a great compilation, very different to what he was making around the time of drukqs.

Daddio wrote: »

Susumu Yokota is fantastic, and Sakura is apparently one of his best. I have Grinning Kat and The Distant Sounds of Summer, the latter was recorded with london experimental ambient quartet Rothko. Both are brilliant.

I'll give Sakura a go and report back...

John · 04-01-2008 02:46PM

I thought the Analord EPs and compilation were very weak, sounded like a step backwards for Aphex Twin. Especially when they reissued Hangable Auto Bulb at the same time as the Analord compilation, HAB sounded years ahead.

I don't know Susumu Yokota, must check him out.

Scubadevils · 04-01-2008 11:53PM

Daddio wrote: »

Susumu Yokota is fantastic, and Sakura is apparently one of his best. I have Grinning Kat and The Distant Sounds of Summer, the latter was recorded with london experimental ambient quartet Rothko. Both are brilliant.

I bought both Grinning Cat and Sakura there on Wednesday...first impressions would swing in favour of Sakura alright but both are excellent.

cornbb wrote: »

Just had a quick listen to a few of his albums on emusic.com there and I like the sound of his stuff. I would also welcome some recommendations!

I like this album, its a great compilation, very different to what he was making around the time of drukqs.

I'll give Sakura a go and report back...

I have picked up and put back drukqs now several times, whats it like?

Definitely go for Sakura, highly recommend.

John wrote: »

I thought the Analord EPs and compilation were very weak, sounded like a step backwards for Aphex Twin. Especially when they reissued Hangable Auto Bulb at the same time as the Analord compilation, HAB sounded years ahead.

I don't know Susumu Yokota, must check him out.

Again, HAB has been in my paws a few times now but not made it to the checkout...that's next on the list now, only put that back on Wednesday also in favour of Analogue Bubblebath 3 which is an excellent album too

http://www.discogs.com/release/28763

Another that I got this week is the following from Biosphere -

http://www.discogs.com/release/67037

Again I would highly recommend this double album. Really good for relaxing or going to sleep to. On first listen I wasn't too sure but after another day or so it clicked.

Finally, this is well worth a listen to from Move D -

http://www.discogs.com/release/1004367

And I have heard excellent reports too about his first album (which I will have to wait for next pay day for now

) -

http://www.discogs.com/release/14771

For Warp fans, another dent in my wallet this week is the following book -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Warp-Labels-Unlimited-Rob-Young/dp/1904772323

http://www.eyemagazine.com/review.php?id=130&rid=632

Really excellent book.

cornbb · 05-01-2008 01:24AM

John wrote: »

I thought the Analord EPs and compilation were very weak, sounded like a step backwards for Aphex Twin. Especially when they reissued Hangable Auto Bulb at the same time as the Analord compilation, HAB sounded years ahead.

They were a step backwards, but it was intentional I think. HAB, Drukqs and the preceding few albums were all about pushing rhythmic programming and DSP/digital arrangement to their limits. Analord/Chosen Lords are very stripped back by comparison. He used purely old school analogue instruments and sequencers, this resulted in entirely different types of compositions. IMO, the fact that the instruments he used were so recognisable and so well established compared to prior albums, he was forced to concentrate on melody and form, "old-fashioned" musical traits. So that gives the Analord series some merit I think. Plus, to me, it just plain sounds good

Having said that I think Drukqs, his previous full length work, beats its ass on many levels.

Felixdhc wrote: »

I bought both Grinning Cat and Sakura there on Wednesday...first impressions would swing in favour of Sakura alright but both are excellent.

I bought Sakura from emusic today but stupidly left the MP3s on my work machine! Will check it out next week though.

I have picked up and put back drukqs now several times, whats it like?

I would rate this as a must-buy experimental album.

There are no tunes on this album, I wouldn't go sticking it on at parties. But as a work of art/experimental music, its the most cutting edge album I've heard from an established artist this century. The number of innovations on it are unreal, there's MIDI-controlled prepared piano, incredibly intricate rhythmic programming and some very haunting stuff made purely from found sounds (such as Gwarek2).

Example of crazy rhythmic stuff:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1ZGIrNf71Q

Prepared piano:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOsRuKFX5b4

Gwarek2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4v93wVdcMg

Again, HAB has been in my paws a few times now but not made it to the checkout...that's next on the list now, only put that back on Wednesday also in favour of Analogue Bubblebath 3 which is an excellent album too

http://www.discogs.com/release/28763

Another that I got this week is the following from Biosphere -

http://www.discogs.com/release/67037

Again I would highly recommend this double album. Really good for relaxing or going to sleep to. On first listen I wasn't too sure but after another day or so it clicked.

Finally, this is well worth a listen to from Move D -

http://www.discogs.com/release/1004367

And I have heard excellent reports too about his first album (which I will have to wait for next pay day for now ) -

http://www.discogs.com/release/14771

For Warp fans, another dent in my wallet this week is the following book -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Warp-Labels-Unlimited-Rob-Young/dp/1904772323

http://www.eyemagazine.com/review.php?id=130&rid=632

Really excellent book.

I'll look into the rest of your recommendations, the more the merrier.

Setun · 05-01-2008 10:55AM

I think The Boy and the Tree is supposed to be great aswell, quite haunting. The impression I get of Susumu Yokota is that every album is quite different, Distant Sounds, Boy and Tree, Love or Die, Grinning Cat are all unique stylistically. His new album on a quick listen seems to be more techno/dancey than his others. Think it's out officially at the end of January, so will have to wait til then to get the full feeling of the album.

That WARP book sounds interesting, might give it a look.

Scubadevils · 15-02-2008 01:40AM

I am really enjoying the albums I bought a few weeks ago by Susumu. They had a rest for a bit as I had bought a good few others that took priority but I am back with them again and they really are excellent. I must get 'The Boy & The Tree' next.

Anyone else given Susumu a shot yet?

cornbb · 15-02-2008 10:27AM

I bought Sakura but haven't had much of a listen yet, I'll get back to you on that.

Maximilian · 14-04-2008 03:36PM

Its maybe a bit less accessible but my favorite album of his is Magic Thread. It has some great, fairly oddball tracks.

Setun · 23-06-2008 06:23PM

cornbb wrote: »

I bought Sakura but haven't had much of a listen yet, I'll get back to you on that.

So what is the opinion on Sakura?

Anyone else tried his new album yet? I'm finding it more difficult to get into than his other ones, have had it for a good while but haven't felt the urge to listen to it the way I do with his other records.

cornbb · 23-06-2008 08:55PM

Daddio wrote: »

So what is the opinion on Sakura?

Anyone else tried his new album yet? I'm finding it more difficult to get into than his other ones, have had it for a good while but haven't felt the urge to listen to it the way I do with his other records.

I like Sakura a lot, its very mellow and pretty easy to listen to. The only other Yokoto album I have is The Boy And The Tree which I haven't listened to half as much, so I wouldn't really be able to draw a fair comparison.

Scubadevils · 24-06-2008 08:23PM

I must go back to Susumu Yokota, haven't listened in ages. Been on such a manic-addictive buzz for buying music the last few months I have barely been able to listen to them all more than a couple of times each, unless they were really special - will be curtailing that spending now that we are in a recession so can now catch up on the last 12 months or so spending! Thanks Fianna Fail :pac:

jiltloop · 24-06-2008 09:40PM

sakura is excellant, it used to be my favourite but now i prefer grinning cat, some really class songs on that

Setun · 25-06-2008 10:13PM

jiltloop wrote: »

sakura is excellant, it used to be my favourite but now i prefer grinning cat, some really class songs on that

Yeah, the track Flying Cat is so epic. And Card Nation... Ah I better stop before I name every track on the album. Definitely worth a good listen imo.

Susumu Yokota

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