Haioka - Now & Zen

New York, NY (Top40 Charts) When legendary hip-hop DJ/producer DJ Krush performed traditional Japanese court music known as gagaku at Red Bull Music Academy Tokyo, little did the turntable icon know that one of the Academy�s attendees, the Tokyo-based Japanese electronic music producer Shintaro Haioka, was working along similar creative lines.

Like Krush, Haioka sees endless musical possibilities in fusing contemporary sounds - synths, drum machines and vocals with traditional Japanese instrumentation. The result of his exploits could be heard on his elegant full-length debut, From Ash Hill, which finds the Red Bull Music Academy alum blending a variety of sounds and sonic textures.

Ever since his debut Haioka as been tracing further back into the original roots of his his home country�s more traditional sounds and music, taking inspiration from Japan�s �Gagaku� music, which has an over one thousand year old history. The result is a rich & beautiful musical �voyage� through the past and future of Japan, slightly darker and groovier than Haioka�s earlier releases.

�Now & Zen� is the first of two singles to be pre-released in the wake of his second full length studio album, which arrives for the forward-thinking Berlin-based label Emerald & Doreen, and it�s certainly not one to miss.
Check out the world premiere on Style of Sound: https://styleofsound.com/style-of-sound-premiere-haiokas-now-zen-ep/