from the LP Nine Days Wonder, Catune Records, 2008Japan is home to one of the most underrated and insular music scenes in the world, as their sizeable population allows for many musicians to enjoy profitable careers without ever leaving the islands; fortunately for the rest of us, the Tokyo-based collective 9dw (short for ‘Nine Days Wonder’) have generated enough buzz to now be making waves across the globe. This jazzy instrumental track from their recent full-length album sounds like a cross between their fellow countrymen Yellow Magic Orchestra and Morgan Geist’s ultra-funky Metro Area project, hiting the perfect balance between edginess and being danceable, littered with all sorts of electronic effects but tempered with luscious and melodious synth washes. Maybe it’s just me, but there always seems to be a level of proficiency in Japanese music that feels effortless, yet is profoundly complex and multifaceted.
