A legendary meeting of the minds that got its long overdue release 2023. If you haven’t heard that this collaboration has been cooking, here’s the story. Simeon Coxe and Makoto Kawabata recorded this back in 2009, after Simeon reached out and invited the collaboration. They laid tracks over unreleased drum tracks Silver Apples drummer Dan Taylor had recorded before his passing in 2005. The recording took only a day but technical delay after delay meant the mixing couldn’t begin for quite some time, and eventually was put on the back burner until the late 2010s. Simeon Coxe eventually heard and approved Makotos final mix for release, but ultimately passed before seeing it come to fruition in 2023.

It’s a stunning work of droning oscillator and guitar played with deep passion that’s just as noisy and gorgeous as you’d want it to be. The opening track is 15 minutes of sublime electric interplay over distant, hypnotic rhythms. It’s like hearing the Mahavishnu Orchestra in the half remembered, slow motion haze of a dream.

From there it continues to deliver and defy expectations with their signature psychedelic freakouts and wild oscillations delivered alongside rich ambient washes and spoken word. The recording and production is stellar and the pure tones delivered by both expert musicians carry tons of sonic and emotional weight in a simple vehicle. While the guitar and electronics are naturally powerful enough to reach out and grab you wherever you are, a thoughtful and careful listener will be rewarded.

I’m over the moon that this happened and is available to hear, the chemistry is wonderful and it’s instantly a favorite of mine in either artist’s discography. It’s something I will be spinning for years to come, and I recommend it highly.