- In 2011, a year after releasing an exceptional deep house record called Drafting Under The Stars, Takuya Matsumoto threw away all his gear and stopped making music—he was "depressed from a broken heart," he later explained to Stamp The Wax. Meanwhile, Drafting slowly became a sleeper hit. Its B-side, "Jump Rope Music," was a favorite among DJs like Move D and Floating Points (though as far as I'm concerned the title track is where it's at). Riding this boost in recognition, Matsumoto got back in the groove and started making more music than ever, appearing on labels like Meda Fury and Clone's Royal Oak. His records were good, but none hit the same heights as Drafting until his latest, Sweetrainsuite.
Released on the Niigata-based label Iero, Sweetrainsuite is an ecstatic record, full of twirling melodies, glitchy vocals and the cascading synths that are Matsumoto's calling card. "Storm," "Yellow Umbrella" and "Rainy Day Drive" all have a glistening, sun-showery atmosphere—the latter is, for my money, the record's best track, thanks to its stuttering rhythm and relatively bittersweet mood. "Red Radio" puts the same elements in a more relaxed arrangement, strutting along at a cool 114 BPM. Sweettrainsuite might be a bit much for some—it's unabashedly happy, with a heavy streak of kawaii. But it also feels sincere. More than just a club record, this is emotional music that sticks with you.
TracklistA1 Storm
A2 Rainy Day Drive
B1 Red Radio
B2 Yellow Ambrella