Make no mistake, despite his Japanese name, Yakamoto Kotzuga is in fact Italian! But it does have its impact, associating him by extrapolation to the sounds of Ryuichi Sakamoto. And looking at his career, we’re not too far off as he’s worked on several audio-visual projects (360° video clips, fashion show soundtracks…). In fact, it was just after a live A/V performance at the Venice Biennale (his home town) that he had the idea of turning it into his second album, based on “a reflection on the idea of temporality and its emotional consequences”. Ryuichi be gone!
Of course, musically speaking, the young man doesn’t quite reach the level of the Japanese master, but the Italian artist presents some serious arguments, in line with prestigious and intellectual artists such as The XX, Jon Hopkins, Nicolas Jaar and Holly Herndon. Seen by some in Italy as the rising star of electronic music, Slowly Fading lives up to these rumours and highlights − in its balance between electronic experimentations and hip-hop beats − a disconcerting maturity for a 24-year-old. Stunning. © Sylvain Di Cristo / Qobuz