Yosi Horikawa - Vapor [LP stream]

Imagine an ancient forest, trees as tall as skyscrapers, where nature is king and life bustles – actually, you don’t have to imagine it, because Yosi Horikawa has taken samples of forest sounds to provide a rich backdrop to his tribal beat-laden debut LP.

The producer, based in Chiba, Japan, actively seeks natural samples to give his songs a unique, realistic atmosphere (he has been known to melt microphones trying to sample the sound of fire). Yet, over the top of these real ambient sounds, he drapes his own creative vision, warping that sense of reality into something other-worldly.

That’s what you get on stand-out track Wandering – Horikawa’s orchestra of percussion, complete with T-Rex-footstep sub kick, beats out a tribal rhythm that pulses with energy, clacking and booming along by turns. A break in the middle, like a lagoon of calm or a glistening dappled clearing, resounds with slow waves of warm synth; it’s a deliciously still interlude in the midst of that frantic, bristling beat.

Stream the album here ahead of its release this week; thanks, XLR8R!

First Word Records will release ‘Vapor’ on the 24th June 2013.