THE PEOPLE IN FOG - 1977 (2021)

Tokyo's DJ Sodeyama returns as The People In Fog this June, delivering his new album under the alias, '1977', first time in eight years via Sound Of Vast.

Yoshifumi Sodeyama better known to most as DJ Sodeyama has been a driving force in the Japanese underground electronic music scene for many years now, over the past decade and a half he's been releasing his techno material via the likes of Nina Kraviz's трип, Dynamic Reflection, his own Arpa Records and more. Here though Sodeyama shifts focus to his The People In Fog guise with his new album, the alias was started in 2013 and is a project based on house grooves and unique beats. After the debut album 'A Ray of Light' was released eight years ago, he delivered three EPs for Sound Of Vast established in Amsterdam, among which, the 'Higher' EP turned out to be a big hit.

Across the '1977' LP, named after the year Chicago's highly influential Warehouse was born, Sodeyama presents a range of styles in the field of House, from percussive-led, hypnotic offerings like opener 'South Jefferson' and 'Less Is More', the jazz-tinged aesthetic of 'No Boundaries' and more groove driven compositions like 'Come To Me feat. Monkey Timers' and 'Mr. Dub' which lay focus on swinging drums, snaking bass grooves and chanting vocals.

The final three tracks from the project also shine a light on some acid house influences with a recurring theme of squelchy 303 lines amidst ethereal pad textures, dynamic drums and infectious vocal hooks. Also on offer as digital bonus cuts are the low-slung acid workout 'Platz feat. YOSA' and the shuffled deep house sounds of 'Burnt feat. S.O.N'.

'1977' presents the accumulative knowledge and experience of a DJ career which reaches beyond 30 years and further showcases Sodeyama's passion towards music, all compiled into one long player.