Makoto - Human Elements

Risingson, Jul 24, 2006

Makoto tried really hard with his first album. He had been making soulful and catchy tunes for the good looking catalogue, and I suppose people expected similar sounds in this album, where he tries something else. "Introduction" sounds more like the mellow 4Hero than anything else, with its full strings, the spoken word and its 70s mood (though why the applause?). "Where are you going?" follows the much organic style Makoto had been developing before, and its a sign that the album wants to be, stylistically, like Bukems "Journey Inwards". Gospel choirs, nearly full orchestra, and everything extremely well produced, but a bit repetitive.

"Time" is the single of the album, and maybe the best drumn bass song in the last years. Taking full advantage of Cleveland Watkiss, the song sounds escapist just from the first seconds, and, though its organic and smooth sounds made it difficult to mix, "Time" made an impact, because its very difficult not to sing the chorus.

The rest is so-so. Jazzy experiments like "Four silver rings", "Black on blue", or the only one which doesnt sound like elevator music, "Seventy three jam", sound like pure filler. The smooth-jazz tunes, "Youre divine" and "Its no mistery" are good, but are so out of place next to the other good dnb songs ("Sky High" and the sad "Treasure Towers") that they annoy a little. "Take my soul" ends the album with the best one can do with organic sounds and dnb: it is jazzy, it sounds alive, improvised, and makes you dance, another of the better Makoto works in these years. The second disc has some videos and three remixes: the one from John B sounds like John B, the other from Nookie sounds like a variation of the mood from the first disc, and the slow tempo mix of "Time" by the (excellent) Kyoto Jazz Massive crew is just nice. So... there are very good tunes in this "Human Elements" album, very good moments, but there was no need for the slower jazzy tracks: they arent as good, they break the mood, and you dont need them to sound more expert, classier, or to justify your roots. Bear this in mind for the next time, Makoto.

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