Yoshinori Hayashi - Ambivalence (2018)

Impressively weird spins on boogie, dub, house and traditional Japanese themes from Yoshinori Hayashi, who’s built a solid rep in recent years via outings for Going Good and Jheri Tracks, leading to this standout debut album on Smalltown Supersound.

“Previous work by the Tokyo-based producer has been called “a complex patchwork of studio gear, live instruments, dusty jazz records and smartly cut library sounds, whose textures are soft and inviting. But its arrangements are constantly ruffled, squeezed, brushed and pinched—which is to say, nothing stays still for long” (Resident Advisor).

Hayashi presents his self-described “collage expression” throughout Ambivalence, which he produced and played in its entirety. Album opener, “Overflow,” is a club track inspired by Cecil Taylor. It’s freeform nature sets the tone for the album’s cosmic, hypnotic, and almost ritualistic approach.

Hayashi has studied under Japanese avant-classical composer Mica Nozawa. When not DJing, he works in a record store in Tokyo.”