Monday Michiru was one of the leading lights in the 90s “Japanese bug” explosion as loved by Japanofiles Gilles Peterson and Nik Weston to mention just two. And a decade on, Gilles is still there supporting again as Yellowtail’s ‘Over It’ featured on the first Brownswood Bubbler and he has also featured on the Fluid Once Presents… compilation and released a underground soul hit with Russell Morgan on Dancing Turtle records.

Now on NYC’s Bagpak Records, ‘Everything is Alright’ is a old skool jazzy-funk track with Michiru’s soulful vocals that’s been updated with some future synths and shuffling drumbeats; so a little Incognito for 2009; also note Matt Brown trumpet contribution.

Someone else with Fluid Once Presents… and Dancing Turtle connections is Daisuke Tanabe. Fresh from his own After Few Layers Before EP he’s come in to help with his usually high quality glitch-IDM-minimal remix.

The other remixes are supplied by fellow Japanese exiles. U-Key is based in Boston and is a darling of the disco remix that’s so in vogue this year whilst London-based Kay Suzuki doesn’t go that far back as his is very Bipolar/Co-op/West London interpretation.

The album not only features Monday Michiru as Yellowtail has got loads of friends to help out with contributions form Brownswood Recordings’ José James on a track called ‘Kings & Queens’, Alison Crockett (see FLY interview HERE and Dom Servini who released her classic, ‘Crossroads’ on Wah Wah 45s), Replife (don’t forget you need his The Unclosed Mind), Michelle Amador, Rosina Kazi (of LAL), Jeni Fujita and more!

This is all very promising for the album, Grand & Putnam and shows the spirit of UFO is alive and well.

Reviewed: Yellowtail feat. Monday Michiru - Everything Is Alright (Bagpak Records) Cat#: BM1202 Release date: March 2009
Tracklisting:
1. Everything Is Alright (Original Version)
2. Everything Is Alright (U-Key Remix)
3. Everything Is Alright (Kay Suzuki’s Bipolar Remix)
4. Everything Is Alright (Daisuke Tanabe PM Remix)

Links:
www.myspace.com/yellowtailnyc
www.myspace.com/shakutorimusi
www.fluidounce.com/daisuke.html
www.mondaymichiru.com
www.myspace.com/mondaymichirumusic
www.dancingturtle.co.uk
www.bagpakrecords.com Bagpak Records, 245 East 21st St., #5C,New York, NY 10010 USA
www.myspace.com/bagpak