Yokai are Japanese monsters. Ghosts, shapeshifting creatures, and demonic spirits. The stuff of scary folk tales, “Kaidan”, popular during Japan’s Edo Period (1600 – 1868), told to terrify both kids and adults. This particular beast, produced by The Mighty Zaf & Linkwood, however, is a thoroughly modern mutant, made by conjoining an epic bit of `80s Jap-Jazz fusion with a massive house 4 / 4 kick. Doing for this Tokyo-born keyboard wizard what DJ Harvey and Moton Records once did for George Duke and North Beach. 

The track opens with a gigantic gated, gurgling synth sequence – like something from a camp Italo disco classic – imagine Claudio Simonetti riffing on Cerrone’s Supernature or Giorgio Morroder’s I Feel Love. Tantra’s Hills Of Katmandu. Squishy, squelchy, a kind of colossal computerised croaking – the original album sleeve features a toy frog – it’s very, very cosmic. With its authentic late `70s / early `80s production, this Yokai could have easily have been an obscure oddity pulled from a Daniele Baldelli or Beppe Loda playlist. 

Crazy keys come flying in from all over. Our anonymous virtuoso clearly keen to show off his new, cutting edge kit. Laser blasts, shooting stars, and stratospheric solos… romantic rolling piano attempting to ground the whole lot. Climatic angelic harmonies then adding the ecstatic, decadent, drug-fuelled air of an opulent, mirror-balled The Saint or Studio 54.

A Control Remote remix pitches things down. Swapping the disco / jackin’ for a slower, stamping, stomping beat. The rhythm now clattering, crashing, a little electro-esque and cut about in a live, turntablist fashion. 

If you’re anywhere but Japan you can order Yokai directly from Love Vinyl. 

A big thank you to Rana Musica for my copy.