RYUKYU UNDERGROUND "Shimadelica"

CD Cat No : RES-110
Label : Respect Record Ltd
Barcode : 4525506000706
Release Date : April 26th 2006

Shimadelica is the long awaited third album, the first in three years, from the US/UK duo, Ryukyu Underground. 'Shimadelica' sees the guys back in the studio, recording with live musicians and adding beats, rhythms, and some surprises too to create the trademark, unique sound that is Ryukyu Underground.

Jon Taylor and Keith Gordon bring some new ingredients to the RU blender this time. 60s and 70s psychedelic music are mixed with the local sounds of Okinawa. Those local ingredients are still at the root of their music. The largest of the Ryukyu Islands in the deep south of Japan, Okinawa’s thriving roots music scene is unique, encompassing minyo and shima uta (meaning ‘island songs’) together with an equally vibrant scene of pop, indie rock and dance. Small, dark, cavernous clubs reverberate to the latest beats, contrasting with the white beaches, turquoise seas and natural beauty of the island.

Funky rhythms, progressive house, 90s Brit rock, dub, trip hop, Brazilian, Arabic, Indian plus other world and club influences all help to take the listener on a global trip that begins and ends in Okinawa. Ryukyu Underground have employed the talents of some of the brightest young names from the roots side of the Okinawan music scene. Toru Yonaha is much in demand as a session musician and a fine sanshin player and singer in his own right. Long time female collaborator and singer Mika Uchizato is featured once again as are other young female vocalists Natsuki Nakamura and Ayano Uema. Another significant step forward, Shimadelica takes the rich sounds of Okinawa into previously uncharted territory.

Ryukyu Underground- profile

Ryukyu Underground emerged from the creative atmosphere and confluence of cultures that is Okinawa. Keith Gordon arrived in Okinawa from the UK, with a strong reputation for playing open-minded DJ sets over a fifteen-year period. Jon Taylor came to Okinawa with a wealth of music industry experience gained as world music DJ, producer, journalist and musician (playing bass with legendary reggae musicians U-Roy and The Ethiopian). Before they met, in 1998, Okinawan music had seeped into their psyches. Both desired to combine the traditional sounds around them with electronic production and other musical influences. Their first self titled album released in 2002 (released worldwide by World Music Network UK) mixed their dance rhythms and additional instrumentation with sampled traditional recordings on local labels, the result of what had been a work in progress for several years. On the follow up Mo Ashibi (2003) Jon and Keith interacted with Okinawan musicians in laying down the basic tracks, including Toru Yonaha and Mika Uchizato. Tracks from these two albums, were then remixed by some of the world's leading remixers and dj's on the 2CD set 'Ryukyu Remixed' (2004) including Kid Loco, De Lata,Junkie XL and Bill Laswell.

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Track Listing ---(Click the title to preview sound)

1. Suminashi (Okinawa meets 60s and 70s rock and dance)
2. Shimadelic Sound System (60s rock and psychedelic plus Indian and Asian grooves)
3. Kogane no Hana (Okinawan dub, original classic by Nenes)
4. Udui (world trip-hop)
5. Sesoko (progressive house)
6. Thirteenth Moon(Yaeyama island and world ethnic trance, based on Tsuki nu Kaisha)
7. Ashimi Bushi(Okinawan meets Brazilian)
8. Uprising (Okinawan meets Arabic)
9. Erabu no Komoriuta (lullaby from Oki Erabu island, Okinawa meets Stone Roses and Psychedelic)

Total Time: 57:33