Romain has been a key innovator in the Hong Kong & Asian music scene for the past 18 years in various different facets, building bridges between cultures and erasing borders through music. He has since taken a step into the world of production and his music has been played by some of the biggest acts in the game such as DJ Harvey, The Black Madonna, Gerd Janson, Horse Meat Disco, Skatebärd, Lauer, Tornado Wallace, Lipelis, Orpheu The Wizard, Kamma & Masalo and many more. Here his musical production story continues with his latest collection of works coming via the esteemed Tokyo imprint, Sound Of Vast.
Leading the release is title-cut ‘Musique De Maison’, a five-minute excursion through organic percussion grooves, snaking elongated bass tones, intricately intertwined vintage-leaning synth melodies and an overall cosmic disco aesthetic that reflects Romain’s borderless, cross-cultural sound. ‘Tonal Spices’ follows and ups the energy levels with a sturdy rhythm section, squelchy acid licks, murky bass stabs, Indian vocals and cinematic strings ebbing and flowing throughout.
Monkey Timers take on ‘Musique De Maison’ next with their interpretation extracting the core essence of the original and reshaping it into a dynamically unfurling rework, fusing fragments of the original with expansive delays, heavy reverberations and modulating synth work. The ‘Psych-O-Delic (Live Mix)’ then concludes the release with off-kilter drums running in combination with, as the name would suggest, tripped-out melodies, processed spoken word and warbling synth licks — a nod to Romain’s playful, surrealist edge.
JP
東京とアムステルダムを股にかけながら、The People In FogやRed Pig Flower、GǼG (Monkey Timers & Keita Sano) 等のリリースを手掛け、オルタナティヴなディスコ/ハウス・レーベルとして存在感を放つSound Of Vast。その最新作は、Romain FXの12インチ!
フランスで生まれ香港/台湾/アメリカで育ったRomain FXはプロデューサーとしてのデビュー以降、自身が主宰するFauve Recordsや禁 JIN、Black Jukebox等で、イタロ・ディスコやプロト・ハウス、アジア産音源等を現代的に昇華したサウンドを展開。特に2024年にSound Metaphors Recordsの傘下から発表したイタロ・ディスコ金字塔"Spacer Woman"のカヴァーは、DJ HarveyやOrpheu the Wizardらのアーリープレイによってディガーたちに衝撃をもたらすと同時に、Romain FXの評価を確固たるものとした。
本作には、溌剌としたシンセの掛け合いにラテン・パーカッションが並走しドリーミーなクライマックスに向かうプロト・ハウス"Musique De Maison"、アフロ/コズミック影響下の初期プログレッシヴ・ハウスが現代のピークタイムとシンクロした"Tonal Spices"、バイレファンキやエレクトロ・ファンクの化合物がバッドトリップ直前まで交錯する"Psych-O-Delic (Live Mix)"といった3つのオリジナル曲を収録。更に今回は、ユニットGǼGとしての怪作を経てPanorama BarをはじめとしたEUツアーを敢行した日本人デュオ、Monkey Timersによる"Musique De Maison"のリミックスも搭載。Droid作品を彷彿とさせるFX処理やグルーヴ脱構築の技法により、本EPにダークな一面を持たせた。
本作に収録されたいずれの楽曲も、Romain FXが辿ってきた陽性のエネルギー溢れる遍歴と練磨されたスタジオ・スキル、現代のダンスフロアのムードが交差しオリジナリティの獲得を目指す、インパクト溢れる仕上がりとなった。近頃はライヴアクトとしても成長を遂げるRomain FXが如何にクラウドを熱狂に陥れているか、想像に難くないであろう。
SOUND OF VAST Novedades
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DJ Sodeyama returns to Sound Of Vast under his The People In Fog guise this June with the nine track 'Too Much Knobs And Cables' LP.
Over the past three decades DJ Sodeyama has been a staple in Japan's underground and beyond across the globe as a DJ and releasing material under his own name via the likes of Radio Slaves' Rekids, Dynamic Reflection, Nina Kraviz' трип and more. Here though, he makes a welcome return under his The People In Fog alias to Tokyo's Sound Of Vast, the platform that's played host to all of his material under this alias as well as others like The Mole, Shinichiro Yokota, San Proper and more.
Across the nine-track 'Too Much Knobs And Cables' LP, The People In Fog once again radiantly showcases his depth and understanding of true underground sounds. From the classic Deep House aesthetic of opener 'Red Morning', 'CC Love' and 'New Life' to more classic Chicago House inspired cuts like 'Animal Kingdom', 'Jack Out' and filtered Disco house jams like 'Dance To The Air', 'New Life' and 'Miraval'.
Sodeyama also dives deeper beyond House once again in true long player fashion to deliver the unique 80's tinged, funk-infused and vintage synth/drum machine laced 'Night Driver' and the cinematic closing piece 'Sun Moon Lake', which leans into a Balearic leaning sonic world via drifting guitar melodies, arpeggios, acid licks and a crunchy rhythm section.
Red Pig Flower brings you her sensational debut album Practice Love, available on Sound Of Vast from 10th April. Her unique sound sits upon the apex of a three-sided pyramid. With Berlin, Tokyo and Seoul as the base, Red is a third culture kid, greater than the sum of her parts. The centre is filled with her incredible appreciation and knowledge of house and electronic music from every pin drop through history.
So taken with Red Pig Flower’s sound, Honey Dijon invited Red to her Southbank Centre show to play alongside her. Moxie loves her that much, that she invited Red to record a mix and to guest on her NTS show. Alan Fitzpatrick, and Just Her are amongst Red’s growing posse of followers.
Practice Love is a culmination of all of Red Pig Flower’s life experiences, brimming with her positive energy and an outlook on life of pure love. Red has collaborated with like-minded artists at every level: the music, the cover art and video all produced with talented friends, who get Red as the wonderful person she is and understand her vision. Her label partner and good friend, Knock in particular helped make Practice Love the incredible album it is. So intuitive is their musical symbiosis, they made 20 tracks and carefully curated and ordered nine of these, making an album of tracks that stand out on their own, yet flow perfectly as an album. Practice Love will make you feel joyous when you play it. By the end, you will feel like you know Red like a friend.
Practice Love kicks off with I don’t care, it makes you feel good: a dreamy, tribal mantra of a track that does exactly what it says on the tin. Next up is I Love To Dance. Red’s beautiful soft vocal is sweet yet poignant, leaving you in no doubt of her sincerity. Thirdly comes Feel Good Music. Are you getting a feel from the track names yet that this is an album of warmth and positivity? You can imagine this one at a Café Del Mar sunset, where those who get the spirituality of Ibiza come together, in the moment to appreciate the beauty of a sunset and understand that no matter how many you see, each is magical and unique.
The three tracks so far have taken you to twilight. The titular Practice Love takes you by the hand onto the dancefloor. There is a double meaning to ‘Practice Love’- The first is to make love your practice. The second is that you need to practice love to be able to become a practitioner of love. The video, shot by her friend Jelly, features Red Pig Flower in Brick Lane, London, wearing a little piggy mask and offering free hugs. The first passersby ignore her sign, but Red isn’t disheartened, spreading the right message, dancing with joy. Her optimism is rewarded, making peoples day better on a cold English afternoon.
Fifth track Sax and Drugs takes things a little sleazier, the beat is filthy and the synths are sexy. Your body starts to move to this one before your brain even realises. The incredible Declan McDermott joins on saxophone, the funkiest synths and Red’s sultry vocal washing your soul with Laurent Garnier inspired sunlight. On Thisiz House Music, again featuring Declan, Red takes you even further back. About Frankie Knuckles O’Clock, with a portal straight to 2025.
By now, you will agree with me that Practice Love flows so, so well. I Wanna Meet Somebody follows incredibly, continuing the feeling that if you close your eyes, you’re dancing with David Mancuso at the Loft. No Money completes this EP-within-an-album. Perfect vocal samples, valve synth riff and 808 drum patterns showing that producers as good as Red Pig Flower make it sound effortless. The best albums finish memorably and No Genre is one of those perfect finishers. Think Andrew Wetherall’s production on Screamadelica. The lights are up in the club, nobody wants to go home, arms in the air wanting more.
Red Pig Flower explains: Practice Love resonates deeply with me because house music has always been a sanctuary—a place for unity, joy, and self-expression. As a nomad and outsider, club culture and house music became my shelter. The cities I’ve lived in—Seoul, Tokyo, Berlin, and London and more—nurtured me and shaped who I am today. That’s why the cover, by the incredible Carlos Sulpizio features their skylines, and the album is multilingual, representing the diverse influences in my life.
Practice Love is like a meal that has been prepared lovingly. They always taste better. And there’s plenty more to come from Red Pig Flower. How was your appetizer?
GǼG, the production unit of Tokyo's leading club sound Monkey Timers and Okayama-based maverick producer Keita Sano, is proud to present this heavyweight, alternative, and leftfield release on the "Sound of Vast."
Over a powerful and mysterious bassline, the hypnotic A1 'Jack' builds up with sharp synth stabs, dark pads, and ACID voices taken from Ron Hardy's open reel soundtrack series Jackmaster Hater.
AA1 is followed by the obscure percussion track 'Yamato.' It is a reinterpretation of the drumming of legendary drummer Curt Cress from the German jazz-rock scene of the 80s in the context of dance music.
AA2, 'Central' takes the funky bassline of The S.O.S. Band's 1982 album 'High Hopes' and infuses it with roaring feedback, cutting guitars, and spacy synth sounds, giving it a fresh, modern twist and elevating it to the realm of cosmic disco.
Monkey Timers' love for the classics of disco, krautrock, and Chicago house, the intensity and immersion of current club music created by their real-life experience in the field, and Keita Sano's unique free-form outlandish sound techniques coexist on this 12" EP.
東京のクラブサウンドをレペゼンしてきたMonkey Timersと岡山の奇才プロデューサーKeita SanoによるプロダクションユニットGǼGが〈Sound of Vast〉より満を持して放つ超重量級オルタナティブ・レフトフィールド・ストンパー!
パワフルで不穏なベースライン上にRon Hardyのオープンリール音源シリーズJackmaster Haterから割愛した”Acid! Acid! Acid!” ヴォイスリフレインを刻み、鋭利なシンセスタブとダークなパッドでビルドアップしたヒプノティックなナンバーA1. Jackを皮切りに、80年代ドイツジャズロックシーンの伝説的ドラマーCurt Cressのドラミングをダンスミュージックの文脈で再解釈したオブスキュアなパーカッション・トラックAA1. Yamato、そしてThe S.O.S. Bandの82年作”High Hopes”のファンキーなベースラインに轟音フィードバックやカッティングギター、スペーシーなシンセサウンドで現代的なコズミックディスコへと昇華したAA2. Central。
ディスコ、クラウトロック、シカゴハウスといった古典への愛情と現場で積み重ねてきたリアルな経験が生み出す現行のクラブミュージックとしての強度と没入感、そしてKeita Sanoのフリーフォームで奇天烈なサウンドテクニックが同居した渾身の3曲を12“EPに収録。
- A1: Ventura
- A2: Less Featuring Mr. Ties
- A3: Night Clubbing
- B1: Hometown Featuring Keita Sano
- B2: Monk Episode 2
- C1: Sick Boy
- C2: That’s The Kind Of Love I’ve Got For You Featuring Lisa Tomlins
- C3: Cold Days, Warm Heart Featuring Dj Sammo Hung Kam-Bo & Manami Kakudo
- D1: Call Me Featuring Mirrror
- D2: Long Vacation
- D3: Disko (Not Disko)
"This limited release is a collaboration between Monkey Timers DISKO KLUBB and a Japanese record label from Amsterdam trusted by fans & artists around the world, Sound Of Vast.
Monkey Timers are gaining support in Japan and abroad as a DJ / production unit that is pioneering the next phase of the Japanese new house and disco dub music scene. They will be releasing their long-awaited full-length album ‘KLUBB LONELY’ in collaboration with DISKO KLUBB and Sound Of Vast as a 2LP set limited to 500 copies worldwide.
The album will be packed with collaborations with vocalists / producers / musicians from Japan and abroad including a cover of Dusty Springfield's ‘That's The Kind Of Love I've Got for You’ featuring Lisa Tomlins, who is known for her vocals on Lord Echo and Recloose albums. Also featuring are Berlin-based Mr. Ties; Keith Sano, a promising talent from Okayama who is gaining international attention; MIRRROR, an up-and-coming Japanese-American hip-hop unit; DJ Sammo Hung Kam-Bo (Omoide Baka Yarou ATeam); Marimba player Mami Tsunodou, who is a supporting member of cero, KIRINJI, etc. and many more.
Mixed and mastered by Justin Van Der Volgen (MY RULES). The cover design was done by C.E designer Sk8Thing. "
Our imprint marks its five years anniversary this year and to celebrate it’s offering up five special various artist packages across 2019 limited to 250 copies each, featuring material from the likes of Vid, The Mole, Cinthie, Shinichiro Yokota, San Proper, Akiko Kiyama, Com Sin aka Cosmin TRG, Subb-an and more..
Here though we see the focus on the core family as well as some new additions, celebrating the artists involved over the past five years and looking towards the future with some fresh, hotly tipped acts.
For the fourth installment in the series the label welcome’s Berlin’s queen of House Cinthie onto its roster with ‘6am’, as the name would suggest a heads down, emotive slice of House aimed at those special moments in the early hours of the dance floor, fusing a robust analogue drum workout with bright strings, jazzy piano lines and driving low-end.
Akiko Kiyama’s ‘Dirt Specks’ follows, a typically unique offering from the Tokyo based experimentalist, built around swirling bass notes, hypnotising processed vocals and glitched out percussion before label co-founder Red Pig Flower’s ‘Mental Adventure’ brings eastern-tinged plucked strings and vacillating atmospherics into the limelight alongside rounded subs and a bumpy rhythmic drive to create a smooth, hypnotic trip.
Words from the label:
Our imprint marks its five years anniversary this year and to celebrate it’s offering up five special various artist packages across 2019 limited to 250 copies each, featuring material from the likes of Vid, The Mole, Cinthie, Shinichiro Yokota, San Proper, Akiko Kiyama, Com Sin aka Cosmin TRG, Subb-an and more..
Kicking off the third instalment of the series is San Proper’s ‘Your Call’, a robust yet dream house workout fuelled by choppy bass hits, fluttering synth licks and a shuffled analogue drum groove. Barcelona based trio Triad follow with ‘Room N’, a hypnotic house cut fuelled by ethereal chord swells, modulating percussion and vacillating bass tones.
Tokyo’s Iori Wakasa then rounds out the release with ‘Rave In A Village’, as the name would suggest embracing a classic house feel via a winding piano chord, twinkling piano melodies, crunchy drums and mesmeric pads throughout.
This project also sees a new design concept for the imprint from London’s David Surman’s painting installation project ‘Paintings For The Cat Dimension’ which ‘’explores the motif of the cat as emblematic of internet aesthetics, a place where all painting styles and modes now exist non-hierarchically as pure information.’’
Words from the label:
Our imprint marks its five years anniversary this year and to celebrate it's offering up five special various artist packages across 2019 limited to 250 copies each,
featuring material from the likes of Vid, The Mole, Cinthie, Shinichiro Yokota, San Proper, Akiko Kiyama, Com Sin aka Cosmin TRG, Subb-an and more..
'Series 01', penciled for release in May sees Cosmin TRG return under his Com Sin guise with 'Glass Harps', a fluidly unfolding five and half minutes of pulsating subs, glitching percussion and sparkling harp tones before DJ Sodeyama aka The People In Fog's 'Chapter Zero' takes on a modulating hypnotic feel via psychedelic swells, tension building textures and a bumpy, robust rhythm.
UK duo Yard One join the roster with 'Dream Travel' on the flip-side, employing a more ethereal aesthetic with floating pads, winding chords and a heavily swung drum groove. This project also sees a new design concept for the imprint from London's David Surman's painting installation project 'Paintings For The Cat Dimension' which ''explores the motif of the cat as emblematic of internet aesthetics, a place where all painting styles and modes now exist non-hierarchically as pure information.''
Vid has grown to become a driving force in the contemporary minimal house scene in recent years both on his hometurf, Romania one of them most important regions for this sound, and across the globe. Racking up releases on the likes of Pleasure Zone, Andromeda, Brouqade and of course Sound Of Vast where he returns here for his fourth EP on the imprint.
Title-track 'Life Of Dreams' leads, laid out over thirteen minutes with murky atmospheric textures, warbling sub bass tones and eerie voices ebbing and flowing amongst a dynamic arrangement of organic percussion. 'Povestea Ei' follows, rhythmically shifting things in broken territory via jazz-tinged off-kilter drums while poetic spoken word vocals, modulating synths and stuttering bass tones further fuel the mind-altering feel. 'Povestea Mea' then rounds out the release, this time round embracing a cinematic feel and employing emotive strings, bubbling synths and minimalaistic pops, clicks and whirrs at its core.
This project is conceptually based around George Orwell's classic novel, 1984, backed with a remix from Perlon trio Wareika.
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The original mix of 'Thought Crime' opens the package with murky atmospheric textures, skippy hat patterns and shuffled organic drums grooves driving the composition before the focal stages see the introduction of eerie piano chords, spoken word vocal samples and acid tinged bass which ebbs and flows within the depths. 'No Fear' follows next, laying focus on a bumpy drum groove, modulating synth swells, ethereal tension building pads and a snaking sub bass groove to create a dynamically unfolding, hypnotic cut.
Perlon's Wareika step up to rework 'Thought Crime' opens the flip-side, as always from this trio shining light on chuggy bass grooves and jazz tinged ever-unfolding drums whilst stirring in the original's eerie voices and choppy pianos to create a frenzied, dynamic feel throughout. 'Since 1984' next to round out the release, an interlude of sorts featuring a bubbling arpeggio, dreamy piano melodies and an amalgamation of swirling, dubbed out echoes spiralling amongst muted kicks.
Here we see San Proper and The Mole make a welcome return to the imprint following solo EP's, this time they join forces with Hreno for a three track EP from the powerhouse trio.
Leading on the package is 'Friendly Tears' which features yet another leading figure in the house scene, Dekmantel regular Tom Trago, as you'd expect from such an impressive array of artists we're treated so soul drenched house driven by swinging organic drums, infectious funk licks and hooky synth lines before the 'Chunkless Mix' strips things back a little, laying focus solely on the 80's tinged synth work, delayed vocal murmurs and
minimalistic percussion.'On The Floor' then rounds out the package, retaining a similar aesthetic with choppy guitar melodies, penetrating bass stabs, crunchy rhythms and resonant arpeggio synths ebbing and flowing dynamically throughout.
SOV is glad to welcome aboard the new family member for it's 12th cat. The Mole is a Canadian artist known for his music boutique interpreting elements of disco, jazz, hip hop and funk. Since this kind of game is also the core of our soul, we are happy to present 4 special tracks from him.
As smooth sky blue colour cat can represent, this EP has a smoother beat than its usual style. If you remember its previous EP with a darker colour, now the punching kick and identical house bass are gone and this EP is true showing off the producer's ability as a musician who can adapt to any kind of diversity. The first track "Last Song" has deep bass and atmospheric sounds, like a typical Romanian loop, but after the long trippy beat when the piano sounds kick in, the atmosphere changes and brings back the emotion. The second track 'Get Funky' is also truly hybrid version of house, while the combination of funky vocals and the endless hi-hat and shaker keep the groove tight and the deep down pad sounds mixed smoothly with the forest of beat make for a truly a unique character.
The last track 'Alright' is a very joyful one, even though it uses a typical funky house vocal sample. Its unique way of playing percussion and vocal keep the groove totally "all-right".
After great success of 2 previous releases, 'Sound Of Vast ' is now about to hit 3rd release. The producer of this deep monster is one of the most respectful Japanese artist, and Womb's resident Dj 'The People In Fog (aka DJ Sodeyama).'
Even though DJ Sodeyama is more known as techno producer, The reason that Sodeyama used the other nickname was, As you could guess from poetic sentence, to express his music in more deeper and emotional ways, he even choose EP name as 'Deep', also, all the track's titles contains the word 'Deep', funny but straight forward way of thinking, if you want to deliver right moods on the dance
floor, by not only sold beat but also unusual emotions that come from organic percussion, this whole EP will give you the answer.
As usual of SOV policy, this EP contain one each of exclusive digital, and vinyl only tracks, this time, 'Deep
Woods Remix' chosen as vinyl only exclusive, the remixer 'Elbee Bad' is the legend of US House, as known as 'The Prince Of Dance Music', if you are fan of Rush Hour Records you should be heard about his name, as he is one of the be loved, and featured artist from the label. His remix of 'Deep Wood' is indeed funky and sexy, one more reason to have this vinyl in your collection.
Lastly, this EP will pressed 500 copies only with out repressing, quicker people will have a benefit as usual.
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