Difference/Location

The 1st EP by drummer Shu Akimoto, a prodigy of the Heisei era and a member of Naruyoshi Kikuchi's "DC/PRG," is a striking debut. This work, featuring Kyotaro Hori (trumpet) and Yuya Fukuda (guitar)-both of whom later joined the band Klehe-and Yoshio Ootani as a guest, earned high praise from Kikuchi himself: "Drummers who truly listen to rhythm ultimately arrive at ambient music, not as a contrarian stance or a form of enlightenment, but because ambient holds an infinite number of rhythms that exist and emerge within it. This is, in a sense, self-evident. However, the only drummer who can express this understanding through actual work-and as the leader of their own project-is currently Shu Akimoto. His taste is impeccable." The EP includes tracks like Oni Gokko feat. Taniou a.k.a. Yoshio Ootani, which layers Akimoto's drumming over Ootani's original writing and narration, and Take Me Somewhere Nice, a three-person reinterpretation of a Mogwai piece Akimoto deeply admires. Additionally, the track GPS feat. Taniou a.k.a. Yoshio Ootani, ermhoi, composed by musician and journalist Naoya Koike, employs complex polyrhythms such as a 7/4 overlay on a 4/4 base. This EP blends the atmospheric sensibilities of ECM, a major influence on Akimoto, with his unique musical style.