RADIQ Vida Noir

Our maestro is back. After releasing a pair of successive Eastern Hemisphere EPs on Euro-Moroccan imprint Cosmo Records and an appearance for Pluie/Noir’s stupendous 3×12? compilation, Radiq aka yoshihiro HANNO finally makes his return to Tokyo’s op.disc with this absorbing, exquisite full-length titled “Vida Noir”. Since day one, Radiq has been showing an affinity for the Afro-centric funkiness and carefully-honed sound design of modern day’s minimal music. As in many of his previous tracks, all six songs of “Vida Noir” has this certain kind of unyielding quality: long, hypnotic grooves with muted kick drum set the stage for more emancipated experiments in texture and sound design. On “A Long Hot Summer Break”, for example, the effect is utterly obvious as kicking its ass into gear with syncopated drums and strain of warm chords before animated vocal sample slips in like fingerprint. While deeply seductive interplay of those chugging percussion gives way to delighted horn of “A-Dieu”, warm chord and acoustic guitar of “Calling” is perfect example for Radiq’s masterful sound and texture.”Machine Codes Modified” has rather restrained structure for him, but tightly woven drums speaks eloquently about its carefully arranged funkiness and dance floor functionality. Despite their repetitiveness, it’s surprising how well these productions forming cohesive solidarity as an album. Presumably, it owes a lot to wide tonal vocabulary which is Radiq’s hallmark: these tracks has something concentrated, vivid qualities. This album sits just at the edge of the dance floor, but also performs its exceptional strength on intense home listening. Dusky synth and truncated surge of bass of “Vida Noir” constructing something dark, before closing this album with modulated Afro-acoustic guitar and deep falsetto voice (by the producer himself) of “Rondo”. This album offers up an engaging and comprehensive amalgamation from the inquisitive sound by the maestro.