Hailing From Japan, Kazuki Yamaguchi Aka Kez Ym Has Already Produced A Distinguished Discography Since Debuting On Rotterdam Label 4 Lux Five Years Ago With His Sweetly Confused Ep. He Has Subsequently Released Tracks On Yore (the Acclaimed City Soul And Butterfly Eps), Deep Explorer, Ragrange Records And Faces (run By City Flys Frequent Collaborator Pablo Valentino) - With His Soul Infused Detroit Beatdown-inspired Productions Receiving Support From Influential Peers Such As Moodymann, Theo Parrish, Rick Wade And Cassy.
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His productions are a permanent fixture in many a discernible DJ's set including the City Fly crew who being such ardent supporters jetted him over for his first UK exclusive appearance for their renowned club night. His guest appearance proved to be a success with sweat dripping off the walls - showcasing his reputation as a revered selector with his seamless mixing, killer selections and boundless energy
This planted the seeds to grow an alliance that has come to fruition with Kez flying over for another exclusive DJ set for City Fly and providing a guest mix for the label's imminent website launch. It was only a matter of time before City Fly signed Kez up for a release and after a long time coming are now pleased to announce the launch of their latest vinyl release courtesy of Kez YM himself - the 'Late Night Blue Sound' EP.
LATE NIGHT REMEDY
Kicking off the EP is the salaciously titled 'Late Night Remedy'. Crowd noises interspersed with drum breaks and funky bass it definitely has a live feel - further emphasised with a female intermittently hollering from the crowd 'See what you think about this girl' juxtaposing with a typically de riguer soul vox exclaiming
'Come on girl'. Complete with a cheeky motown sample from The Undisputed Truth and the track wouldn't sound out of place on an old KDJ 12inch - a funk-fuelled nocturnal jam that needs to be rinsed on the dancefloor..
LATE NIGHT REMEDY (ANDRES REMIX)
Since his initial releases in the late-nineties on fellow kindred spirit Moodymann's KDJ imprint, producer du jour Andres has been an influential figure in the Detroit house scene. His unique blending of genres including soul, jazz, funk and disco with the house sounds synonymous with Detroit gained him a cult following in underground circles. It wasn't until his eponymously-titled LP's were released on Moodymann's Mahogani imprint that more heads took notice - with the launch of his 'La Vida' label last year cementing his position as a house heavyweight with 'Second Time Around' and 'New For U' a permanent fixture in many a discernible DJ's set. On to the remix and Andres keeps the dusty vox and typically drenches the track with his brand of motor city soul. Coming complete with warm bass and swooping strings, his interpretation as ever has a timeless aesthetic and creates an organic laissez-faire vibe that's perfect to soak up and kick back to - a pure summer joint..
LADDER OF SMOKE
With 'Ladder of Smoke' Kez takes the listener on a deeper trajectory. As the title suggests it's a deep misty midnight haze where eerie rhodes and stuttering drums are submerged under the deep, unsettling bass - with the recurrent vocal asserting 'It's a bad world come on' aptly adding to the atmospheric aura. Sounding like a Detroit beatdown relic reminiscent of an old Theo Parrish production, this is definitely one for the lights down low..
SNEAK INTO YOU
Rounding off the EP is the intriguingly titled 'Sneak Into You'. The track kicks off with trademark crowd samples complete with a punchy bassline and catchy horn though as the title implies it's not long before a schizophrenic mix of bubbling bass, bleeps, squelches and swirling synth washes sneak up on and infiltrates the unsuspecting listener. Showcasing Kez YM's production ingenuity and imagination, this is one to surprise the dancefloor with and take into a different direction..
Aiden d'Araujo