Yuma Abe has spent the last decade building one of the most beloved catalogs in contemporary Japanese indie. A fixture at FUJI ROCK and SUMMER SONIC, he has toured extensively across Asia and the US, shared the stage with Devendra Banhart, Mild High Club, and The Growlers, and had Haruomi Hosono mix three tracks on his debut solo album Fantasia. His second solo album, Hotel New Yuma, takes the form of a fictional late-night variety show set on a southern island — a suite of theme songs inspired by the humor, warmth, and cinematic ease of 1950s and 60s Japan. Fast-paced, stylish, and exotic. One of the most quietly captivating records you’ll hear all year.
Yuma Abe is a big PHILM favorite.
Like a good film, I don’t wanna get too much in the weeds about his sound and what he’s all about etc - just hit play.
YOU WILL / BETTER LIKE IT. jk jk
Unsurprisingly, his AOTY pick is as deft as his tuneage.
@okd_tkr aka Takuro Okada is a goated Tokyo artist who works within the realm of transcendent airy jazz dripping in ambience inspired by everyone from Jim O’Rourke to Don Cherry. I even hear some @mrichruth in there 🍒
His new album Konoma is like listening to butter melt into your ears (but less painful) and we salute @temporal_drift for putting this masterpiece out!
Arigato, Yuma 🇯🇵🫡
#yumaabe
#takurookada
#aoty