The ingenious mind of Masanori Morita and Noboru Abe AKA STUDIO APARTMENT returns to the prolific
N.E.O.N label with two hypnotic cuts of trance-inducing techno fusion. Cementing his feet
firmly to the ground once again, Morita delivers a smooth continuation from the sonics of
his previous EP; with 'Wood Star' and 'LED Soil', two mesmerising dance records that will
deliver an unparalleled body-high! Fellow Tokyoite Hideo Kobayashi is enlisted for the remix
duties of 'LED Soil', delivering his punchy, bass-driven sounds to the original.
'Wood Star' sets off with a fierce, dominant synth bassline that growls and distorts through
its enchanting melody. Drawing the listener in whilst opening up like a widening gaze, it's
soon accompanied by soft, contrasting synth pads and metric insertions of chord stabs from
Morita's plethoric synth collection. Layering up still, a Theremin style lead tremulates over
the brooding swell of the backdrop before breaking down with wooden percussion rhythms
and 16th note synthesizer accompaniments. Stacking layer upon layer with precision, Morita strides through this dense web of rhythms with TR-808 hi-hats and sparse claps before
breaking the track down with an entrancing synth improvisation.
'LED Soil' contrasts the A side with an instant hypnosis delivered by psychedelic vocals and
worldly drums interlocking across a firm 4x4 kick. Here, Morita crafts a series of interlocking
melodies that arise between the relationships of each sound. A rising synth drone captivates
us through to a breakdown where his archetypal, polyrhythmic Afro-style percussion takes
flight. Across the dusty plains of pounding drums and blistering sunshine lies a mirage of
ecstasy where Morita breaks away for an authentic, bi-tonal Mongolian vocal lead that
shimmers across the beat of the drums like a bird-cry echoing between towering mountains.
Bit-crushed synthesizers reflect the rise and fall of these masterful vocal leads like the call
and response of a chanting tribe and this undulating hypnosis continues with no reason to
end.
Finally, the masterful sounds of Hideo
Kobayashi take the spellbinding sounds
of 'LED Soil' through their paces;
bringing a crisp sawtooth bassline that
cuts through the pulse of firm kicks and
shimmering 808 hi-hats. Taking the
tribal sounds of the original and hurling
them through a wormhole into the
future, Kobayashi delivers a futuristic
space voyage with the weight of a
galactic fleet, paying gentle homage to
the humble earthly-tones of lead vocals
through a mind-melting breakdown
before taking off once again for a
distant galaxy on the horizon