Kyoto Jazz Massive
Spirit Of The Sun

For music, as we know, the passage of time is always an enigma, an undefinable and mysterious factor. The evolution of the "sweet feel" and the passage of decades often affect and diminish albums and artists that were once innovative, or end up being considered incredibly outdated or passé, genres that were once in vogue and widespread in previous decades. Fortunately, the exact opposite also happens, where forgotten influences and sounds are revisited after years of neglect and abandonment, only to be updated and adapted to modern times.

This is the case with Jazz, which, at the dawn of the new millennium, has started to experience a new life, pleasantly rejuvenated by multifaceted artists who have effortlessly succeeded in building a bridge between "old" and "new", masterfully mixing vintage traditional influences with the advancements and achievements of the past twenty years from Dancefloor Electronica. Among these, the Kyoto Jazz Massive is undoubtedly worth mentioning, an interesting Japanese project formed by producers Shuya and Yoshihiro Okino, two brothers with a passion for Jazz in all its subtle nuances, who, instead of picking up saxophones, trumpets, and double basses, prefer to sit behind computers, samplers, and drum machines, leaving high-level instrumentalists and vocalists to impart an ancient touch and a revivalist mood to their music, balancing between profound respect and a desire for innovation.

After releasing several quality singles, they were noticed by Compost Records (a label owned by the German Jazzanova), for which they recorded and released their highly anticipated debut, "Spirit Of The Sun" (Compost Records, 2002). The album, with its eleven tracks, optimally synthesizes the abilities of the Okino brothers and remains even today one of the most successful works ever produced in the entire international Nu-Jazz scene. The edgy double bass and the atmospheric ambiance of the introductory "The Dawn Introduction" lead us into the suggestive whirl of sounds of the nocturnal "The Brightness Of These Days", perfect for a classy Jazz club, followed by "Mind Expansions", which veers sharply toward upbeat rhythms and engaging synthesizers, decidedly Dance-oriented. The percussive gallop of "Deep In Your Mind" wins and convinces, thanks also to the warm and sensual voice of Victor Davies, then makes way for the magnificent intertwining of syncopated drums and acid-electronic inserts of the fantastic "Stargazer", one of the undisputed highlights of the album.

Next are two completely instrumental tracks, "Eclipse", with a steady and regular pace, and "Between The Lights", a perfect middle ground between Herbie Hancock's Fusion and the modern Thievery Corporation's Downtempo suggestions. In "Shine", there are abundant references to Latin and Brazilian Bossanova, while the subsequent "Substream" and "Behind The Shadow" echo Acid-House and the most intelligent and refined clubbing, and the splendid and suspended closure of "M. E. Outroduction" discreetly ends a high-level album. Certainly, the inclusion of a couple of already released tracks will probably irk enthusiasts, always eager for new things, but it doesn't matter: "Spirit Of The Sun" is a multiform, varied work, but absolutely not disjointed and dispersive, held together by a magical adhesive known only to the Okino brothers.

Give it a chance, and you certainly won't be disappointed.