Stunning sounds from the Japanese jazz scene of the 70s – one of those key records that show how the scene was really moving forward with older jazz formats, and definitely finding new voices and styles in the process! The New Herd group here has nothing to do with older American big bands of years past – as they use the larger lineup of saxes, trumpets, and trombones to unlock all these insane colors next to the electric piano of Masahiko Sato – who guests with the group here, composing new material – and really taking things into some very heady territory! The record has breakout sonic passages that go out, but never too far – as things come back with a more standard swing from time to time – yet the overall structure is still quite loose too, very much its own thing – with maybe just a very slight comparison to the territory that Gil Evans might explore at his most avant 70s. Titles include "Ichi", "Ni", and "San". (Jazz, Japanese) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest projects so far from Grey October Sounds – a set that has all the crispy beats and laidback vibe of previous records, but which also focuses on themes from anime as well! There's plenty of tunes from the world of Studio Ghibli, but they're nicely changed up with the instrumentation and production of Grey October Sounds – done as hip hop-styled instrumentals, but still with the gentler currents that echo the originals – including plenty of piano lines that float with a very dreamy vibe over the beats of the tracks! The record has all the charms you could hope for – and is one of the best Ghibli reworks we've heard, out of what is fast becoming a pretty big genre. CD