WARMER MIXTAPES #943 | by Garrett Ryan Oyama [Go Yama]

 1. Shigeto | Lineage
I heard this right after I saw an interview with Shigeto where he talked about Japanese American Internment camps. It’s strange, but there aren’t too many Japanese Americans in the Media or in Music to really look up to so I feel all this pride in listening to his Music. I just get all hyped knowing we have some ultra-talented folk representing the community. Also, he went to School for Jazz just like I did, and I can kind of appreciate the Harmonic depth in the Electronic/Genre Bending Music he puts out. This one in particular paints such a beautiful picture of lineage. Shigeto totally creates this Harmonic Space where you can almost hear and feel the deep struggle of your Ancestors, but also dwell in this sense of Future that provides a hope that the lineage will stay strong. I also got to chat with him on Twitter, super humble and down to Earth dude.

2. The Bad Plus | Flim (Aphex Twin Cover)
One of my old Bass Players in College turned me on to The Bad Plus. I vividly remember sitting in his room when he played this and going nuts when I realized that a Jazz Piano Trio had covered an Aphex Twin tune. They do a beautiful job with it; the Drummer Dave King hits all of the crazy Aphex Twin Polyrhythms flawlessly. This is an interesting example of Postmodernism in Music as well; instead of the usual Hip-Hop/Electronic Sampling, The Bad Plus recreates Electronic Music Sounds. As complex as the song is, the imagery it implies is totally simple for me. I’m not sure why, but I can only see Clouds whenever I hear this track. I’ve definitely fallen asleep plenty of times with this jam on repeat thinking of weird Cloud Formations.

 3. The Books | Tokyo
I took this 4 month trip to Japan, and I walked through downtown Shibuya listening to this song. The Books do an awesome job of making Life Soundtracks. Everything about the experience seemed to match up so perfectly. The track, just like the City has this continuous Movement and Choppiness about it. There is also this underlying Western feel and influence that gives way to this very Modern Eastern Sound. Everytime I hear this song I can feel myself back in downtown Shibuya for a solid 3:45.

4. Dibiase | Skullcrack
Dibiase has been cracking skulls since the onset of the Beat Scene, but I must’ve been sleeping because I just heard this joint a week ago. This is the definition of a Banger. These kind of tracks are the ones that make me feel like dancing. It has this Swing to it and this Glitchy Tension that are so appealing.

5. Ambrose Akinmusire | Confessions To My Unborn Daughter 
I’ve never heard the Trumpet played so passionately. You can really hear the Honesty in his Playing. Even though Ambrose’s Solo is totally Abstract and Outside the Harmony, you can hear him talking. Beautiful thing not many people can do.

6. Dimlite | Kitty Cradle Fog 
I have no clue what this Song Title is about, but I can just feel the Human Psyche in the piece for some reason. Dim really went all out on this one; amazing Rhythms, Harmonies, and Soundscapes. He really plays Song Form and Sound in a way that mirrors the spontaneous and Fractal Nature of the Human Mind. The whole EP My Human Wears Acedia Shreds is definitely worth a listen.

7. Flying Lotus | Electric Candyman (feat. Thom Yorke)
I bought that Fly Lo album right when it came out, and this is the first song I peeped off the record. I know I should've listened to the whole thing first, but I’m a huge Thom Yorke fan so I had to do it. On first listen the piece seems a little random; there is this Wonky Party Beat followed by this Ethereal Swing Breakdown. After a few listens I started falling in Love with it though. It really uses Tension in New and really Forward Thinking ways. The totally out of tune, Pitch-Shifted Synth signifies this new version of Tension in Music which contrasts with the gentle Harmonic Tension in the Jazz Breakdown at the end.

8. Freddie Hubbard | Red Clay
I heard this song about seven or eight years ago searching for new Trumpet Players to listen to. This is the first jam I heard that made me fall in love with Jazz as well as see the integral connection between Jazz and Hip Hop. The Title is fitting; you can hear the Earth and Dirt in the Groove and the Playing. Ron Carter’s Bassline is legendary; I Groove through this whole song. Joe Henderson’s Solo is amazing too; he has a very distinct Voice on his Instrument and I remember I transcribed his whole Solo when I was a Freshman so I could play it on Guitar.

9. Mike Gao | Vamos
Mike is kind of one of my mentors so I got to peep it a little bit before the release last year. This is my favorite one off of his EP Beta World Peace. I feel like Mike really went all out on this one; this is a huge Genre-blend with this Dancy-Jukey feel, non-Diatonic Harmony, and Shifting Soundscapes. This track really takes me to some Dance Floor in the Future. I’m also hyped because he used this Altered Chord Voicing I showed him, haha.

10. Devonwho | Keepthefunkalive
I actually had the honor of Opening for this dude the other week, he is a Super Dope Individual. I remember this was the first Devonwho joint I ever heard and it's been stuck in my head pretty much ever since, haha. As always impeccable Synth work on his part, and his knack for those Rhythmic Synth Lines is Perfect.