Fuminori Kagajo - Timeless

Fuminori Kagajo has released his first proper new album since 2010, and it has been a long time coming. Calling the album “Timeless” is exactly on point for the veteran DJ/Producer from Sapporo, because it’s an exploration of grooves throughout the years, an expert blend of all the best bits of funk, soul, disco and house with guest vocals from the likes of Nicole Mitchell, chihiRo of JiLL-Decoy association and Tracy Hamlin. For example, “Into The Sunshine” is a genuine soulful house banger, while “As A Friend” could qualify for early 90’s dance with the synth stabs except the production gives it the punch that those old tracks often lacked. “When You Smile” has those mirrorball Love Boat feels, “No Pressure” comes with a killer disco bass line but the trumpets are jazzy and the piano turns latin. And the closing track “K.C.” is a downtempo piano tune featuring pipes and waves on the shore, with a very spiritual/world music vibe (and not that trop house flavor of the week). There’s even a few jazz fusion tracks in there for good measure. Kagajo skillfully keeps the balance between genres, cultivating the great elements from each without being derivative or too vanilla, and zero gimmicks that will be out of date next cycle. The man clearly knows the good stuff, and “Timeless” is by definition a classic, because soulful vocals and melodic grooves in any era, whether it’s 70’s disco, 80’s soul or 90’s house, are forever. Good times.

Tracklist

1.Theme From CROSS

2. Game Of You feat. Nicole Mitchell

3. No Pressure feat. Angela Johnson

4. When You Smile feat. chihiRo (JiLL-Decoy association)

5. Beaten Gold

6. Light Me Up feat. 澤田かおり

7. As A Friend. feat. Mike City

8. The Blue feat. Jaidene Veda

9. Into The Sunshine feat. Tracy Hamlin

10. Voyage

11. Dance With Thunder feat. chihiRo (JiLL-Decoy association)

12. K.C