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First single from forthcoming ‘Motion Of Change’ album. Makoto travels into deeper territories on ‘Explorer’ ft Degs, as he provides grittier production complete with a a moody bassline. Label mate and multi-talented vocalist, MC and producer Degs dishes out a slew of dynamic bars and dreamy harmonies for the pair’s first collaboration since ‘Illuminate’ on Makoto’s ‘Tomodachi Sessions’ in 2019.
Available now on all major streaming services
The album will be released on 29th April 2022.
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Hospital Record’s soulful drum and bass aficionado Makoto is back with his seventh studio album, ‘Motion Of Change’. Following on from his popular ‘What You Need’ EP and the vibrant ‘Maybe We’ll Make It (feat. Mark Force and Archaik)’, his new album brings a blend of jungle, jazz, funk, and soul with Makoto’s signature euphoric touch. With over twenty years in the game, Makoto’s immaculate discography and signature sound have seen the Japanese born producer pave the way for liquid drum & bass all the way into 2022. A true pioneer of his craft since his Good Looking Records days of the late 90s, he’s since racked up an impressive amount of releases on Innerground, UKF, Liquid V and his very own imprint Human Elements.
More recently, Makoto’s output includes his two Hospital albums ‘Salvation’ (2017) and ‘Tomodachi Sessions’ (2019), and the hugely popular ‘What You Need’ ft Vonne selected as the first ever drum & bass track to be played on Sarah Story’s BBC Radio 1 Future Dance show, alongside support from the likes of DJ Marky, Bryan Gee, Flava D, Nu:Tone, Lenzman and more.
The motivational ‘Step Into Your Power’ features ravishing vocals from rising D+B superstar Ruth Royall. Makoto’s production skills don’t go a miss as he cooks up luscious pad hits and a booming bottom end. With the pair recently releasing the flavourful ‘New Love’ on Soulvent Records, expect good vibes galore as two of the most uplifting sound suppliers in drum & bass collide once again.
Makoto unleashes spaced out synth work, soulful guitar licks and a dynamic crescendo of instrumentation on album title track ‘Motion Of Change’ with Hospital Records’ latest signing, the immensely talented singer-songwriter, SOLAH delivering sweet melodies and majestic high notes.
Makoto travels into deeper territories on ‘Explorer’ ft Degs, as he provides grittier production complete with a a moody bassline. Label mate and multi-talented vocalist, MC and producer Degs dishes out a slew of dynamic bars and dreamy harmonies for the pair’s first collaboration since ‘Illuminate’ on Makoto’s ‘Tomodachi Sessions’ in 2019.
Embracing his love for the original sound of the 90’s, the junglistic instrumental ‘Ascender’ brings future-retro synthesis, crisp cut breakbeats and a summery ambience that lays the foundation for the perfect sub-heavy slammer.
Makoto and London-based singer Karina Ramage reunite on ‘Without You’ after previously collaborating on ‘Shine On Through’, ‘I Don’t Wanna Wake Up’ and Forza favourites ‘Wading Through The Crowds’ and ‘Trial Mountain’. Karina’s soothingly crafted vocals compliment the sincere violins and trademark production prowess from Makoto, making ‘Without You’ another future soulful singalong anthem.
The album also features an eclectic mixture of both fresh and legendary talent from across the drum & bass circuit and beyond, brace yourself for a dynamic streak of sonic contributions from the likes of Singing Fats, Cleveland Watkiss, Liane Carroll, Lauren Archer, Rasmus Faber, Pete Simpson, LXT, and Helena May. You’ll be able to catch Makoto in the Albanian sun this summer at Hospitality On The Beach to soak up those ultimate feel-good vibes!
Makoto is featured on Dynamite MC’s a track called Everything on his latest EP ‘Deep Waters’ on Hospital Records. Two drum & bass legends collide on ‘Everything’ as Dynamite teams up with the original soul supplier Makoto. As well as delivering sharp-edge flows, Dynamite lays down sweet harmonies and soothing toplines, showcasing his talent in fusing juxtaposing styles on the mic.
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Liquid funk drum & bass legend Makoto is back with his new single ‘Maybe We’ll Make It (feat. Mark Force & Archaik)’, a stellar 174BPM anthem packed with crisp breaks and R&B infused vocals. In 2021, Makoto unleashed his soul-igniting ‘What You Need’ EP, a 5-track beauty with feisty amen breaks, rolling drum work and exciting collaborations alongside Missing, Danny Wheeler, [KSR], Vonné and DJ Marky. He also put the pedal to the metal with two liquid delights on the highly acclaimed ‘Forza Horizon 5: Hospital Soundtrack’ – ‘Another Star’, and ‘Trial Mountain’ (feat. Karina Ramage), with fellow label-mate Mitekiss. He’s not stopping there either – keep an eye out for his next exciting album project coming soon!
‘Maybe We’ll Make It’ is a reflection of Makoto’s flawless ability to blend genres as he draws upon his musical influences, spanning jazz, jungle and soul. The Japanese-born producer provides a deep sub-bass, vigorous drums and his signature rolling amen break that brings old school drum & bass nostalgia into 2022 as he teams up with jungle drum & bass veteran Mark Force. This isn’t the first time the pair have linked up, with the two of them also collaborating on Makoto’s ‘Tomodachi Sessions’ album in 2019. Archaik’s harmonious vocals glide over Makoto & Mark Force’s sublime production as the catchy and hopeful lyrics are gleaming with positivity and soul.
Makoto continues to pave the way as a true drum & bass pioneer cemented by his immaculate back catalogue which spans releases on LTJ Bukem’s Good Looking Records, his own label Human Elements, Liquicity, and of course, Hospital Records. His remarkable productions have seen him garner radio support from Sarah Story, René LaVice and Fred V, as well as being a DJ favourite for the likes of Fabio, Bryan Gee, Flava D, London Elektricity and more.
Two of Makoto’s brand new music (one of them is a collaboration track with Mitekiss and Karina Ramage) are featured on the lastest Forza Horizon 5: Hospital Soundtrack.
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Hospital Record’s soulful drum & bass legend Makoto returns to the South London imprint with his latest 5-track beauty. His ‘What You Need’ EP is a stunning reflection of how he continues to infuse his jazz, soul and funk influences amongst the sounds of jungle and drum & bass with a 2021 twist. With a jaw dropping list of collaborators on the EP including a remix from DJ Marky, [ K S R ], Vonné, Missing and Danny Wheeler, Makoto has stepped up once again with some of his strongest work to date after spending time in his home of Japan in recent months.
ampling the legendary American blues singer Z. Z. Hill’s ‘Sweet Woman By Your Side’ in EP title track ‘What You Need’, Makoto brings the warm and heartfelt sounds of the early 1970s into the modern day realms of drum & bass. Accompanied by the stunningly powerful vocals of Vonné who has supplied powerhouse toplines on Hospital anthems such as Fred V’s ‘Away’, Mitekiss’ ‘Matter’ as well as backing vocals on Makoto’s ‘Spread Love’ anthem released earlier this year, an upfront collaboration with both soul music extraordinaires might just be exactly what you need.
Euphoric pads and rolling amen breaks transport you straight back to the 90s on ‘Osiris’ as Makoto teams up with worldwide DJ and renowned drum & bass producer Danny Wheeler who’s got releases on foundational labels including Liquid V, his own W10 imprint and an album on Tru Thoughts under his WheelUP moniker which garnered support from the likes of Gilles Peterson, Toddla T and Mary Anne Hobbs. This isn’t the first time the pair have linked up, with their collaborative relationship spanning several years including their ‘Midnight Hour / Sunshine’ release on Liquid V in 2016 and their coming together on Makoto’s ‘Tomodachi Sessions’, these two know how to supply the vibe.
‘Run It Back To Me’ features the captivating vocals of one of Manchester’s finest – [ K S R ]. Widely respected for his addictively soulful R&B style, [ K S R ] has earned his spot on top labels including working with the likes of Children Of Zeus, GLXY, Zero T and Redeyes on The North Quarter, Shogun Audio and First World Records. Expect bouncing basslines and gorgeous melodies.
Next up is a futuristic jungle cut ‘Freedom Reality’ which sees the joint effort of Makoto and Missing, who is no stranger to releasing on Hospital Records with productions on DRS & Dynamite’s and Degs’ debut albums, as well as Sick Music 2020 and Hospitality House Party compilations. Find future-retro arpeggiators, booming sub basses and enchanting vocal samples.
Three foundational figures of drum & bass and jungle collide as DJ Marky steps up for remix duties on Makoto’s most recent anthem ‘Merchant Blessing’ which features the almighty MC Conrad, taken from his latest ‘Tomodachi Sessions’ collaboration album. With DJ Marky giving full support of Makoto and MC Conrad’s infamous ‘Golden Girl’ released on LTJ Bukem’s Good Looking imprint back in 2005, their musical journey has come full circle with a unstoppably feel-good remix from none other than the Brazillian drum & bass master, DJ Marky.
Following on from his widely loved cover of ‘Spread Love’ featuring Pete Simpson earlier this year which saw frequent support from DJ Marky, London Elektricity, Nu:Tone and more, Makoto continues to deliver outstanding contributions to the world of drum & bass. With a discography packed with liquid-soul classics and two albums under his belt on Hospital, his ‘What You Need’ EP is a stellar addition to Makoto’s flawless release history.
Drum & bass doesn’t get more soulful than when Makoto is at the controls, and he’s upped the bar yet again with his highly anticipated ‘Spread Love (feat. Pete Simpson)’ cover, which is finally seeing the light of day alongside the B-side and atmospheric masterpiece ‘Contact’. Hailing legendary status as a founding member of the drum & bass culture in his home city of Tokyo, Japan, Hospital Records proudly present the latest hit release from Makoto.
Written by Garry Glenn and originally performed by Al Hudson & The Soul Partners in the 1970s, Lenny Fontana then covered the upbeat classic in 1999 and introduced it to the world of dance music with his house rendition. The infamous Nu:Tone remix came in 2010, and eleven years later Makoto and Pete Simpson have stepped up to offer their euphoric cover as they beautifully tie together all of the aforementioned versions into a feel-good future classic that will send ripples throughout the drum & bass community for generations to come. With a complete recreation of the entire instrumentation including freshly recorded strings, guitars, backing vocals and Pete Simpson tearing up the lead vocal, Makoto’s 2021 version is a truly phenomenal body of work which has been crafted with the utmost precision and delicacy. This release comes armed with both the original and extended versions.
Ethereal in vibe and floaty in nature, ‘Contact’ is the musical embodiment which portrays Makoto’s unfathomed ability to weave together an array of sounds and styles that lay together perfectly. Transfixing bongo loops, old-school rave inspired vocal cuts and pads so uplifting they’ll transport you to cloud nine are infused amongst splashy amen breaks and a sinister modulated reese bassline.
With ‘Spread Love’ already garnering support from pinnacle figures including DJ Marky and Nu:Tone, Makoto’s contribution to the world of drum & bass is second to none. The caliber of his music has turned the heads of tastemakers since the days of LTJ Bukem’s Good Looking Records, not forgetting to mention the output of his very own Human Elements imprint. With a discography packed with countless liquid-soul classics including ‘Golden Girl’ featuring MC Conrad as well as two albums under his belt on Hospital, ‘Spread Love / Contact’ is a stellar addition to Makoto’s flawless discography.
“When I spoke to Chris Goss about this idea, I thought it would be very difficult and quite impossible as all the versions for Spread Love are incredible! Especially as Nu:Tone’s remix of the Lenny Fontana version is one of my favorite drum & bass tracks which I still play out to this day, so I wanted to pay some kind of homage to his remix. I wanted to make something happy, warm and positive and here it is. I want to thank all the musicians involved, especially Pete Simpson – he did amazing work on this.” – Makoto
