Ushio's Boiler Room by The Nuxx

Years ago, I fell in love with Naoko Yamada's 'A Silent Voice' movie. A true masterpiece, if you ask. Since then, the man in charge of the music, Kensuke Ushio, has gradually become my favorite animation soundtracks composer. And I mean: EVER.

So, what does make him so different? The point is that, unlike most composers, you can recognize Ushio-san's trademark whenever you are watching a Naoko Yamada movie or the late 'Dan Da Dan' series. I mean, the man behind the keyboard -or the computer- does not only use a range of recurrent sounds -his vocabulary- here and there as distinctive signs. Of course, he does - let's say his piano, for instance-. But not only. He also owns a stylish songwriting -his grammar- which is very specific to him: how he likes to repeat the same musical sequences, subtly adding instruments, mixing tiny noises with smooth techno beats... This is what I might call here his DNA. (You may even say Ushio-san has a BPM of his own, too. And it's pure 90's UK Trance here, right?)

Is Ushio-san patiently building his own universe, brick by brick? I mean, if you listen carefully enough to his soundtracks, you can clearly connect the tracks between them. As a wannabe DJ, it's always a pleasure to discover new -and even sometimes unexpected- connexions, you have my words. So it shouldn't be no surprise anymore that Ushio-san's soundscapes sound so much coherent. To his listeners, the man may be only trying to confirm that each new album is simply completing the previous ones.

And to make things clear, I put here in this mix a personal selection of tracks chosen among the first ten years of the composer's career. His dance side, according to me. The kind of tracks that should easily be played in clubs. (Did I mention Boiler Room?) Well, if they're not, I strongly suggest you at least to play them loud on your stereo.

By the way, will 'Spoken Spell' get an extended version released someday? Because two minutes aren't simply long enough, you see? It's suuuuch a perfect track for clubbing... (And does anyone know what the lyrics actually mean?)

Besides that, here's my Top 10 Ushio-san tracks so far. The kind I have been listening to for hours... And hours... And hours... which I still do!

- Amen, I'm going somewhere ('The Colors Within');
- Face-2-Face ('Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop');
- Girls, Dance, Staircase ('Liz And The Bluebird');
- Kite ('Japan Sinks 2020');
- Nothing ('Heike Monogatari');
- Spoken Spell ('Dan Da Dan');
- Sustain (' A Silent Voice');
- Sweet Dreams ('Chainsaw Man');
- Theme From Fake News ('Fake News');
- To The New World ('Make My Day').

Let's stop talking. I sincerely hope you will enjoy this 'Boiler Room' session! All music by Kensuke Ushio. Obviously.