Hoshina Anniversary fuses traditional instruments with club beats in 'Guru Guru' EP
“I wanted to reconstruct Japanese music in my own way."
Japan-based producer Hoshina Anniversary makes his third appearance on Amsterdam’s MUSAR Recordings with his long-awaited ‘Guru Guru' EP — a mind-bending journey with four tracks showcasing peak creativity.
At the heart of Hoshina's music lies the Japanese term "guru-guru" which implies a state of spinning. Hoshina masterfully captures this concept in the release, taking listeners on a whirling sonic journey.
Within the project, Hoshina's unique genre, aptly self-titled watechno, takes centre stage. The fusion of traditional Japanese instruments with raw club-friendly beats creates an enchanting contrast, seamlessly transitioning between moments of serenity where the instruments shine and in-your-face moments of madness.
The title track is the clearest representation of his watechno sound — a mesmerising blend of menacing EBM-style march and intricate instrumentation, propelling the listener into a whirlwind of sonic juxtaposition. The brief relief points offer a soothing sense of nature before hurling the listener back into the organised chaos.
On 'Banri' (meaning far away in Japanese), we see new shades to Hoshina’s work as he blends the groove of a Japanese Wadaiko drum with acidic synthesisers and elegant piano melodies, resulting in a track of contradictions which pairs the rough with the refined.
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Mixmag Asia reached out to Hoshina about the project and he mentions, “I wanted to reconstruct Japanese music in my own way. Most Japanese music makes me feel regret for being born in this country, not pride for being born here.”
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Hoshina has appeared on well-loved dance music labels like ESP Institute, Volvox’s Jack Dept and Young Marco’s Safe Trip, alongside MUSAR Recordings where he also appeared as Shifting Gears — his electronic-jazz-centred moniker — back in 2022.
Listen to Hoshina Anniversary ‘Guru Guru’ here.
Henry Cooper is an Editorial Intern at Mixmag Asia. Follow him on Instagram.
