When folks say the old cliche, "It's a small world", sometimes that world just goes and proves it as Yasushi Ide comes back and delivers 'The Journey' - and what a journey it's been!
Just to repeat, nearly 2 years ago, seemingly out of the blue, we got the fantastic 7" release of Yasushi Ide's 'A Place In The Sun' (by way of Karou Inoue remix on Brooklyn's Love Injecton Records - see review HERE) and just to backtrack, you'll recall Ide made a name for himself (in the UK anyway) as Lonesome Echo Strings some 20 plus years ago on some 12 inchers with collaborations with nu-jazz/Gilles Peterson golden era 'names' as Monday Michiru and Big Youth and getting remixes by Joe Clausell, Nuyorican Soul (both doing loads of house remixes at the time) and Mr. Glücklich himself, Rainer Trüby (see review HERE).
Now, the 'Don of Shibuya-ker', Ide latest project involves "merging past recordings with futuristic production, redefining what remix culture and musical storytelling" thus, creating a new level of remix album - prog-remix? Especially when it's a non-stop 115 minute log mix, re-edited and dubbed up by Ide & Watusi.
The 15 featured artist include the diversity of Ken Ishii (he of Sublime Records who have just released, Ayane Shino - 'River せせらぎ The timbre of guitar #2 Rei Harakami' - see review
HERE), Shuya Okino (as name checked in the review of Masaru Imada Trio + 1 - see review HERE), Charles Webster (DJ/Producer/Remixer), the cult DJ Nature and Blue Room veteran, Chris Coco.
This album is the perfect introduction to the ever expanding world of J-Jazz, J-Reggae or J-House and more out-there dance and dub culture.
Artwork: Japanese painter Yuko Kamiyama..
Artist : Yasushi Ide / Various Artists
Title : The Journey
Release Date : 25th April, 2025
Catalog Number : TBC
Label : Grand Gallery
Format : Vinyl LP 28th July 2025 / 2 x CD / Digital / Bandcamp
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