Roots Magic by Akio Nagase
A low-key figure in the Japanese underground for over 20 years, Akio Nagase steps into the spotlight with his Darker Than Wax debut, the genre-defying Roots Magic EP. The Osaka-born producer and DJ honed his craft in the early 2000s, hosting his ‘Makedub’ party in Osaka, and putting out an album and string of singles on Tokyo labels Sound Channel and Rudiments. After a quiet period throughout the 2010s, the artist has returned with a refined, vibrant sound showcased first on his 2019 release with Osaka label Chill Mountain, and now on Roots Magic.
Roots Magic brings together Akio’s signature heady mix of acid, ethno-dance, and deep Chicago sounds, all infused with the DNA of dub in its production. The EP spans vast sonic ground, from the late night dancefloor jazz workouts of ‘Sunday Park Jazz’ and the title track ‘Roots Magic’, the rolling tropical dub of ‘Street Doctor’, to the full blown outernational acid bangers ‘Acid Teng Shing Hang’ and ‘Acid Kid’. Fusing together his longtime influences of Trax records and early Carl Craig on the dancefloor side with dub idols Basic Channel and Smith & Mighty, Akio Nagase has forged a singular artistic vision that flows effortlessly out the music. Roots Magic was also lovingly mastered by Kabamix, a legendary Osaka engineer known for his work with Haroumi Hosono, adding depth and polish to the tracks with the dancefloor in mind.
Tracklist
| 1. | Street Doctor | 6:07 |
| 2. | Roots Magic | 5:21 |
| 3. | Acid Kid | 5:38 |
| 4. | Acid Teng Shing Hang | 4:51 |
| 5. | Sunday Park Jazz | 5:31 |
Credits
Mastered by Kabamix
Artwork by Aalely
License
All rights reserved.
Darker Than Wax is an assertion on the pervasiveness of the underground. Present yet deeply rooted in history, we connect through the musical depth of diverse rhythms and cultures; a nod to the solid foundations of Jazz, Soul, Blues and all their offshoots, while simultaneously embracing electronic sounds of the modern dancefloor.
Expression and uninhibited creativity is the key.