Khotin – Release Spirit

After working in the avant-garde scene with Kaoru Abe and Takehisa Kosugi, Japanese percussionist Yas-Kaz went to Indonesia to study Balinese gamelan music. Following the trip, Yas-Kaz would introduce gamelan music to a number of influential Japanese musicians including Ryuichi Sakamoto, Midori Takada (Mkwaju Ensemble), and Shoji Yamashiro (composer of Akira). Released in 1985, Yas-Kaz’s fourth studio album Egg Of Purana incorporates indigenous elements from Pan-Asia to Europe to Africa to South America. The sound is minimal and organic, with just the right amount of synthesizers and an emphasis on melody. B4 “Bamboo On The Beach,” in particular, has a wonderfully hypnotic kalimba groove. B1 “Psychopomp – Shaman Met The Woman At The Well” utilizes similar instrumentation along with spirit-like vocals for an ethereal fourth world trip.
Recommended – Full Listen
A1 Mdlles. Steinberg
A2 Coolies Creak No. 5
A3 Jude Jade Shade
A4 Mr. Nowhere
A5 Egg Of Purana
B1 Psychopomp – Shaman Met The Woman At The Well
B2 Bibilimba Break
B3 Delight Of Ricefield – Windscape II
B4 Bamboo On The Beach
B5 Waltz For Marcy
Art Direction [Art Director] – Hideki Haruta
Artwork [Cover Art] – Natsuyuki Nakanishi
Composed By, Music By [All Music By] – Yas-Kaz
Directed By [Promotion Director] – Hiroyuki Sekiguchi
Electric Violin [El Violin] – Masatsugu Shinozaki
Executive Producer, Engineer [Recording] – Tameharu Endo
Guitar Synthesizer [Guitar Synth] – Yoshinobu Honma
Guitar [12st. Guitar] – Mikihiko Matsumiya
Performer [Nay] – Hidenori Iwata
Performer [String Quartet] – Stephanie Angel
Performer [Tube-pet] – Koji Suzuki (5)
Photography By [Photographer] – Shū Kayagaki
Producer [Produced By] – Shigeo Yanagida
Soprano Saxophone [Sop. Sax] – Yasuhisa Shirao
Synthesizer [Synth] – Kenji Enatsu
Voice – Yoshiko Sakamoto
Voice, Effects – Takayoshi Watanabe