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.
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 buy methenolone enanthate 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
As one of the founders of Japan’s drum & bass culture, Makoto is a man who needs little introduction. On his sixth studio album, ‘TomodachiSessions’, he presents 15-tracks of exquisite, sun-drenched drum & bass soul. Each and every track is a collaboration with a close friend, that has played a part in his twenty-year career, with the likes of DJ Marky, S.P.Y, Bop, MC Conrad, Pola&Bryson, Degs, KarinaRamage and more.
The uplifting summer number, ‘Shine On Through’ is a collaboration with the young breakthrough producer Mountain from Osaka, Japan. Makoto’s signature sound is brought into 2019, soaked in a warm rolling bassline, energetic synths and topped off with vocals from the outstanding singer/songwriter Karina Ramage.
The instrumental masterpiece ‘Kosa’ features Med School’s orchestral maverick Keeno and is the perfect combination of powerful soul, epic strings and dynamic drumwork.‘Morning Sunrise’, is a majestic dose of drum & bass and is the team effort of Makoto, Danny Wheeler and G Force. It also brings in the vocal powerhouse Blu James, also known from the Basement Jaxx classic ‘Red Alert’.
Having gained respect for the quality of his music since the days of LTJ Bukem’s Good Looking Records, Makoto has gone from strength to strength with an impressive discography that includes seminal classics like ‘Golden Girl’ ft. MC Conrad. Makoto can be found at a number of events and festivals this summer, including Hospitality In The Park 2019, Sun & Bass, Liquicity, Standon Calling, and more.
Makoto, a man who’s been instrumental in Japan’s drum & bass movement since the birth of the genre, now signed exclusively to Hospital Records presenting his fifth solo album ‘Salvation’. A perfect fit bringing that trademark sound across 14 tracks of authentic soul and rolling jazz inspirited drum & bass.
‘I Don’t Wanna Wake Up’ featuring the outstanding vocals of Karina Ramage is the perfect summertime roller. Delightfully hypnotic, this will be a staple selection for any DJ worth their salt over the coming months, catching its premiere on Huw Stephens’ BBC Radio 1 slot. Makoto also empowers Karina’s topline prowess on the hauntingly beautiful ‘Winds Of Change’.
Following suit, the vocally driven ‘Salvation’ ft DRS balances an elegant ambiance with grittier elements. Switching to ‘Primitive Galaxy’ which focuses more on high-energy dancefloor impact but still with his distinctive bassline groove and melodic stabs. A jazzy riff takes the lead in ‘Fancy Free’ with celestial vocals and staccato drums, invoking a euphoric trance that all liquid tracks strive for.
I am very pleased to announce that I have joined Clinic Talent, a division of Hospital Records for his European DJ bookings.
I will be touring in UK / Europe early 2016 ( March / April time ).
For all booking enquiries, please get in touch with chrism (at) clinictalent.com to discuss dates and availabilities.
A Sides and Makoto team up for their sensational new LP, Aquarian Dreams. The two producers have each marked out stellar careers in drum & bass, and now come together for their finest work to date.
The album is set across fifteen tracks, and features guest contributions from many other established names. From Riya, to Tali and from Robert Manos to Spikey Tee, the vocal line-up on the album is second to none!