CD - Nujabes: MODAL SOUL

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Straight outta the far-East side, Nujabes should be the name that everyone thinks of when it’s time to get the mood set. But for whatever reason, this Japanese DJ/ producer remains a “who?” Well, here’s who: Nujabes is a master in creating of cool-jazz-infused hip hop tracks, a style developed from his debut compilation Hydeout Productions 1st Collection (2003) all the way to his latest Hydeout Productions 2nd Collection (2007). 
 
 Modal Soul, his 3rd album, is some seriously smooth stuff. From the very first few seconds of the first track (“Feather”), which begins with a jazzy piano riff soon joined by flowing vocals, Modal Soul has you. And once the laid-back beat eventually drops in, you may as well cancel the rest of your plans for the day – it’s time to get chillin’ like a villain.
 
 The relaxed pace of the album surges on through the meandering “Ordinary Joe” (featuring soul-legend-cum-computer-science-professor-cum-soul-legend Terry Callier), latest collaboration with Japanese MC Shing02 (“Luv (Sic) Part 3”), and all the way into the mostly-instrumental closing half of the album. (And don’t cringe when you read “instrumental” and “DJ” in the same sentence: you’re in safe hands with Nujabes.)

 If either of the words “jazz” or “hip-hop” peak your interest, then hunting down Modal Soul should be top of your next to-do list. With limited distribution outside of Japan finding Nujabes’ work may be a challenge – but when you’re sitting back, chilled out to the point of general paralysis, it’ll all be worth it.