Bubbling beneath the surface of Japan’s emerging underground scenes, Osaka based artist Paperkraft has passionately developed his craft, immersing himself in the culture and championing a new wave of Japanese artists. With the rise of genres like UKG & bass in neighboring cities like Kyoto – it’s the progressive and house movement Paperkraft is concerned about. Although more niche in his native city, developing a sustainable scene and championing the sounds he loves is the ultimate goal.
First introduced to HOMAGE through friend and breakthrough producer Stones Taro, Paperkraft referenced releases like Aldonna’s Morph EP as the catalyst to send his demos, and who subsequently remixed ‘OK Corral’. The Melbourne based producer has since toured frequently both in Europe and in her home country of Australia; continuing to put her own stamp on the underground and lending her expertise to remixes for the likes of Benjamin Fröhlich and Rosa Red.
Inspired by sounds from the 90 – 00’s, and essential to the overall essence of his music, Paperkraft blends the old with the new. This duality can be found in the opening track ‘The Amazing Spaceman’ where liquid drums foam over contemporary sound design. ‘Dizzy Disk’ kicks things up a notch, holding on to that same old-school-new-school duality with an extra dose of dopamine for good measure. Manchester’s Aiden Francis lends his signature sound to the remix, with elements of breakbeat, trance and electro, showing why labels and clubgoers rate him so highly.
Breakthrough tracks’ like Papekrafts’ ‘Dimple’ which was released by HearThug’s Are You Alien label gathered large support, and made a special appearance on Manami’s Boiler Room Debut; laying the foundations for tracks like ‘OK Corral’ to take shape. The infectious vocal sample coupled with jam-like riffs give off the vibe that it was done in one take in an act of pure enthusiasm, with that same energy lending itself to the dancefloor. Aldonna’s remix adds a balearic and emotive touch, while ‘Stella’ rounds off the EP with a left leaning cut perfect for low capacity clubs and sweaty, dimly-lighted rooms.
