Hydeout Productions Japan Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Even many years after his sad death, the global audience for Nujabes' music continues to grow. To honour the tenth anniversary of his passing, Hydeout Productions asked Haruka Nakamura to create a tribute album and encouraged him to move forward while preserving Nujabes' timeless essence. The project began with the release of the music video and 7" vinyl of 'Reflection Eternal' and now the full album Nujabes PRAY Reflections arrived featuring Nakamura's reinterpretation of Nujabes' melodies through piano and guitar. This is not a traditional cover album, but new music inspired by Nujabes with artwork by Cheryl D. McClure that blends both artists' creative worlds.

Review: Hydeout Productions continue their full comprehensive recataloguing of Nujabes' work, not only those of his immediate productions, but also the works of the lives of others whom he'd touched through collaboration. Saxophonist Uyama Hiroto was a frequent collaborator of Nujabes', appearing as early on in the latter's storied career as 1996's Modal Soul; it may be said that this mere fact was enough to launch Hiroto's career in his own right, and his debut record A Son Of The Sun is a testament to this fact, evidencing Hiroto's preoccupation with themes of freedom and heliophilia. This debut has Nujabes' unmistakable mix thumbprints all over it, but the headspace is decidedly polished and yet more expansive, and is all produced by Hiroto despite the association and similarity; his saxophone shines best and most brightly non-hip-hop cuts such as 'Climbed Mountain'.

Review: Hydeout Productions released its first-ever compilation album, Hydeout Productions: First Collection, in 2019 as a way of celebrating the best of the independent label's roster. The album featured a selection of Nujabes' early, energetic works alongside more emotional and metaphorical tracks, which later shaped his distinctive sound and success. It became a cult classic in no time so soon sold out, which is why now, five years on, it is reissued on double gatefold. The collection makes for a nice ride through the evolution of Nujabes's style from sunny broken beats to jazzy interludes and plenty of lush instrumental moments in between.