LAST JAPAN – EXLUSIVE MIX

We like to think of ourselves as an open minded bunch down here at Ransom Note, and consequently we get a wide variety of mixes propping up our inbox some of which never make it past an eagle eye spotting of the tracklisting. This effort from Last Japan (real name Marco Giuliani) however was not one of those, a gleeful glance saw that it was bursting with a veritable feast of sounds ranging from Detroit techno to grime, Miami Bass over to Warp style electronica.

In fact so bowled over were we with the selection and the mix’s undeniable swaggering energy that we delved a little further into the mindset of the man behind it all, getting him on the blower for a quick chat about the mix. A record label chameleon, he has recently found his niche on Marco del Horno’s Bullet Train where his genre flirting journeys have found a home on an imprint that ransacks a variety of sounds. It’s the perfect environment for a man who is, by his own definition “a South London born producer and DJ who makes 2 Step Garage, infused with Grime, Funky & Dubstep.”

We were keen to continue the ascent into what informed the selections on the mix, and when we put it to Marco  whether the mix reflected his broad pallete of sounds, he was in complete agreement. “Yeah definitely – I wanted to make a straight eyes closed feel the groove kind of mix, that shows off the sound of music I’m most in touch with at the moment from established and new artists.”

We then got onto his recent collaborations, with his track East featuring the vocals of MC Trim who was recently signed to Rinse: “This is my second collab with him and I’d love to do more, it’s an easy process working with Trim and he always brings the best flows to whatever I’ve written.”

Pushed further on the collaboration front the topic swung round to Roses Gabor, another previous studio partner of Marco and of course SBTRKT. Again the plans were detailed out to suggest that although “there’s nothing that we have completely finished yet, but we have a few ideas that are floating about so studio session is going to on the cards soon.” Fans of her gliding voice can sleep easily knowing there’s more music from the duo to be eventually realised. There was further word on the people he is working with:

“I’ve got a few collaborations with some artists I’m feeling at the moment, like My Nu Leng, Famous Eno and Ella – I also plan to do as many as possible with vocalists as I find them the most fun, but I kind of approach them as they come and depending on the kind of track I’ve written. As for people I’d like to work with, Helix, Guido, Trusta, ASAP Rocky – Beyonce ha!”

The final word was that the immediate future concerns two more releases and the hope of “as much gigging as possible” for the remainder of 2012. Listening to this eclectic and energetic offering through the pouter reaches of bass music surely suggests the latter won’t be an issue for starlet any time soon.

Last Japan Soundcloud