Jimmy Murakawa
Original De-Motion Picture

Proto-future Pop exhumed from '86, Romie Singh's 'Dancing to Forget', could easily be mistaken for an up-to-the minute R&B instrumental from '22. The song's elastic swing reminiscent of a vintage Wally Badarou Compass Point session. Instead masterminded by studio maestros Günther Janssen (more lately of Donna Regina) & Peter Hantke, while Romie's vocals soar above. It's a timeless call to escape life's ill's via the dancefloor.

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.