Susumu Yokota released the album Laputa in 2003. Its title is likely a reference to Hayao Miyazaki’s movie of the same name. The film, an ecological fable, borrows from Jonathan Swift’s 1726 novel, Gulliver’s Travels, and in 1986, was the first full length animated feature for the now world famous Studio Ghibli. Both Swift and Miyazaki’s stories revolve around a flying island, and maybe Yokota’s intention here was to transport the listener to a similarly fantastical place. 

For the bulk of the set’s hour-long running time it plays out like an homage to “Chillout”, The KLF’s imaginary road trip. Particularly in its use of country-fied, lonesome prairie guitar. This, and other themes and melodies, are woven, disappearing, then reoccurring,  throughout the atmospheric, ambient record. This picking is only part of a dense, detailed aural collage that loops birdsong with operatic arias and intercepted radio transmissions. The 15 tracks segueing into a single, psychedelic, Orb-like journey. Laputa is a real layered lattice that can’t be fully appreciated on a first listen.

Field recordings – trickling streams, pealing church bells – melt, fade into subliminal sighs, treated, otherworldly whispers and droning strings. Folk song fragments fuse with documentary dialogue. Glitches hide in reverb-rich 4AD / Cocteau Twins shadows. There are woodwinds, harps, and backwards accordions mixed with blinking deep space signals. Brief snatches of sax, swirls of psyche organ.  Ethereal harmonies. Cascading classical piano. Nods perhaps to contemporaries such as Matt Ducasse’s Skylab. Pitting sustained synths / strings against a rhythmic pizzicato pulse calls to mind the kosmische explorations of Pete Namlook. Its a real pity that these 2 prematurely lost innovators never got to collaborate. 

Sections, such as Iconic Water seem to predict the spectral hauntology of artists like The Caretaker. Others, 23 Degrees Dream, for example, drift into more new age-y territory. Trip Eden and Heart By Heart feature Indonesian gamelan kecak chants, echoing those of Genioh Yamashirogumi’s Akira movie score. 

According the comments on Discogs, Yokota samples Aphex Twin, Arvo Part, Murcof and metal band Static X. Personally, that’s one the things that I like about Yokota, is that he didn’t seem to give a fuck. Nothing was sacred. Everything was fair game if it fit.

Susumu Yokota’s Laputa can be ordered directly from Lo Recordings. The album can also be purchased as part of the Skintone Editions Volume 1 boxset.