Review Summary: Unapologetically vintage, bravely relaxed pop rock
Ever since his solo debut, Shintaro Sakamoto has refined a sound that is as expansive as it is groovy. Leaning on familiar blues, jazz, mood kayō, '60s soul, surf rock and funk, Sakamoto seems to effortlessly blend a sound that feels just as nostalgic as it does contemporary. Despite never really being transcendent or groundbreaking, there is a beauty to this inherently quiet, contemplative and danceable concoction.
The early stretch of the album feels moody and fairly straightforward, with "Protect Your Brain" being an almost latin-inspired bossa nova (yes, can we make this a new genre?) that gently broadens the album’s palette. As the album progresses and moves between different influences, "Yoo-hoo" seems to reconnect Sakamoto with the psychedelia of his Yura Yura Teikoku era, especially with track Numb. There is a beauty in the unhurried, unforced, and controlled equilibrium of "Yoo-hoo", an album built on contradictory elements: so tight and yet so loose, rhythms circle with an almost hypnotic insistence, rarely rushing forward but always advancing effortlessly, creating a sense of movement throughout the album.
With "Yoo-hoo", Sakamoto delivers a funky pop sound that screams nostalgic dancefloor just as much as it whispers rainy, cozy afternoons alone with your thoughts. A step up from "Like a Fable", it confirms that Sakamoto possesses all the attributes that have made him — and Yura Yura Teikoku — a staple of Japanese experimental pop-rock.
