Review: VA - Nippon Connection (The Tokyo Metro Soundtrack) (2003)

Various Artists - Nippon Connection (The Tokyo Metro Soundtrack)

http://www.nipponconnection.de

Ok, this one i grabbed out of pure blind faith (and for my love of all things Japanese). I had absolutely no idea what this compilation was, what genre, what artists, nothing to go on. But boy am i glad i got this. This CD is essential and will now be purchased. Listen up RIAA, mp3 works as a testing medium.

So, in essence, what is this compilation about? Well, released by German label CKP, we are present with 14 tracks each trying to bring in a different blend and feel to some kind of hi-tech, futurescape inspired by the Tokyo metro system in Japan. And i tell you this now, it works a treat.

What we've got here is 14 smooth, yet oddly uptempo tracks. All with a nice and easy downtempo jazz feel to them. One of my favourite tracks is Progress & Tradition which stuns me with every listen. Not only have they taken their own sounds, but have recorded audio from the actual Tokyo metro! This is done on basically all the tracks, but on this particular one, i was amazed by their ability to turn the sound of a baggage trolley in to some sort of twisted funked up house hook! This really is great stuff and i am very pleased i took the chance to download it.

Each of the 14 tracks tries to tell a different story or give a different feel to try and describe to you what the Tokyo metro is like. Each with a different genre of electronica too. From deep, smoky lounge beats to jazz drum & bass. It's like riding the metro and getting off at each stop. One of the opening tracks is superb. You get a real sense of big city life, large deep heavy grooves and piano that give just that extra bit of feel. As the journey moves on, so does time, and then we start to head off in to the Tokyo party districts. Shibuya Nightlife is a great drum & bass track. It gives you the feeling you've truly arrived and are ready to party to the best Japan has to offer. And as the journey moves on, so does the album, and as we near it's climactic end so the comedown begins and the pace drops off. The final track, Mind The Doors is completely brilliant. A 7 minute long electro track comprised of a sample of train doors shutting. Marvellous!

And so the journey ends. A hectic, bright and busy journey on the Tokyo metro in 73 minutes. If you are a fan of the genre, or just a smoker in need of some weed beats, you cannot go wrong with this at all. It's the Pink Floyd CD for the new generation of weed smokers and lazy lounge kids. Do not miss this!

FINAL SCORE: 9/10

Standout Tracks:

3. trevor and simonet - progress and tradition
8. kabuki - shibuya nightlife
9. soulpatrol - subway episodes

Review Copy:

VA_-_Nippon_Connection-(CD)-2003-DRUM

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