Known primarily for his critically acclaimed video game soundtracks, Japanese producer and DJ Soichi Terada has been moving dancefloors for more than thirty years. I first heard of him when I attended a live show and was deeply moved by his intricate, sophisticated house music with elements of new age/Japanese ambient. He gives equal weight to rhythm and melody and incorporates a lovely, freewheeling jazzy woodwind-esq synthesizer playing live with a little stylus.

In my experience modern American house music is often either overly serious or overly goofy. Teradas tracks have a very positive and free feeling to them without sounding canned, commercialized or unserious. This record was his first in decades following the celebrated release of a two record retrospective of his classic work. It’s slightly updated while emphasising and building upon the timelessness of his older material.

If you’re like me then you’re a fan of any kind of contemporary improvised new age ala Carlos Nino, Japanese kankyō ongaku, or classic Eno. If you’ve ever wished that vibe translated perfectly to the dancefloor then this album (and the rest of his discography) is going to make you very happy indeed.