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Tokyo-based experimental soul band WONK will release its first album in two years, “Shades of,” on Wednesday, November 13. After their 10th anniversary, the band has returned to the core sounds; soul, jazz, and hip-hop beats since their first album, “Sphere.”This work is a “Tokyo-based beat music chronicle compiled by WONK.” Legends who have left their marks in soul and hip-hop history, as well as artists who will leave their marks on music history in the future; total of seven groups from Japan and abroad, resonates with the music in this album. WONK’s role as a relay point and hub for a variety of music genres and artists has made it possible to compile a single chronicle. One of the most important singers in the neo-soul scene, “Bilal”, “T3”; a rapper from J Dilla’s rap group Slum Village, “K-Natural” a rapper/trackmaker from Detroit, “Kiefer”, a keyboardist/trackmaker from LA’s legendary Stone Throw label, a young heavyweight in the Korean hip-hop scene, “BewhY”, “Toshinobu Kubota”, a pioneer of R&B in Japan, and a rapper who became a hot topic for his collaboration with DJ Krush, “Jinmenusagi” will participate in this album.
01
「Fragments」 「Fragments」
WONK
02
「Essence」 「Essence」
WONK
03
「Fleeting Fantasy」 「Fleeting Fantasy」
WONK, Kiefer
04
「Skyward」 「Skyward」
WONK, BewhY
05
「Life Like This」 「Life Like This」
WONK, Toshinobu Kubota
06
「Here I Am」 「Here I Am」
WONK, Jinmenusagi
07
「Passione」 「Passione」
WONK
08
「Shades」 「Shades」
WONK
09
「Endless Gray」 「Endless Gray」
WONK
10
「Voice_03.10.2023」 「Voice_03.10.2023」
WONK
11
「Miracle Mantra」 「Miracle Mantra」
WONK, Bilal
12
「One Voice」 「One Voice」
WONK, T3, K-Natural, Bilal
OTHER CREDIT
W
Mamie Smith – Crazy Blues (1920)
Louis Armstrong – Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings (1925-1928)
Charlie Parker – The Savoy Recordings (1945-1948)
Miles Davis – Birth of the Cool (1949)
Ike Turner – Rocket 88 (1951)
Miles Davis – Kind of Blue (1959)
Duke Ellington – Ellington at Newport (1956)
(Includes notable big band jazz from the 1930s)
Bill Evans – Waltz for Debby (1961)
John Coltrane – A Love Supreme (1965)
James Brown – Papa's Got a Brand New Bag (1965)
Miles Davis – In a Silent Way (1969)
Jimi Hendrix – Band of Gypsys (1970)
Marvin Gaye – What's Going On (1971)
Miles Davis – On the Corner (1972)
Buddy Rich – The Road of ‘74 (1974)
Earth, Wind & Fire – That's the Way of the World (1975)
Herbie Hancock – Flood (1975)
Stevie Wonder – Songs in the Key of Life (1976)
Roy Ayers – Everybody Loves the Sunshine (1976)
Funkadelic – One Nation Under a Groove (1978)
Hall & Oates – Private Eyes (1981)
Yellow Magic Orchestra – BGM (1981)
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five – The Message (1982)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (1982)
Prince – Purple Rain (1984)
Public Enemy – It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)
Dr. Dre – The Chronic (1992)
A Tribe Called Quest – Midnight Marauders (1993)
Gang Starr – Hard to Earn (1994)
D'Angelo – Brown Sugar (1995)
Fugees – The Score (1996)
2Pac – All Eyez on Me (1996)
Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)
The Roots – Things Fall Apart (1999)
D'Angelo – Voodoo (2000)
Slum Village – Fantastic, Vol. 2 (2000)
Common – Like Water for Chocolate (2000)
Toshi Kubota – NOTHING BUT YOUR LOVE (2000)
Jay-Z – The Blueprint (2001)
Roy Hargrove – The RH Factor: Hard Groove (2003)
OutKast – Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003)
N.E.R.D. – Fly or Die (2004)
Kanye West – The College Dropout (2004)
Madvillain – Madvillainy (2004)
Snoop Dogg – R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece (2004)
J Dilla – The Shining (2006)
José James – The Dreamer (2008)
Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III (2008)
Tyler, The Creator – Goblin (2011)
Frank Ocean – channel ORANGE (2012)
Robert Glasper – Black Radio (2012)
Hiatus Kaiyote – Tawk Tomahawk (2013)
Flying Lotus – You’re Dead! (2014)
Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)
Hiatus Kaiyote – Choose Your Weapon (2015)
Beyoncé – Lemonade (2016)
Kaytranada – 99.9% (2016)
Anderson .Paak – Malibu (2016)
WONK – Sphere (2016)
WONK – Castor / Pollux (2017)
Sweet William & Jinmenusagi – La Blanka (2018)
The Fearless Flyers – The Fearless Flyers EP (2018)
Mac Miller – Swimming (2018)
James Blake – Assume Form (2019)
Black Pumas – Black Pumas (2019)
Beyoncé – Black Is King (2020)
WONK – EYES (2020)
Sampha – Lahai (2023)
WONK – artless (2022)
WONK – Shades of (2024)
ア
2024.11.13
Toshinobu Kubota
ARTIST
ARTIST
Toshinobu Kubota
The quality of the music is high, yet the groove is ghetto. And the overall finish is stylish. It's quite rare, isn't it?I really sang my heart out.
2024.11.13
K-Natural
ARTIST
ARTIST
K-Natural
Working with WONK was truly inspiring—every moment felt like a fresh exploration of sound and soul. Their approach to blending jazz, soul, and funk is unlike anything I've encountered, and it was amazing to see their passion for pushing musical boundaries firsthand. Creating music with WONK felt like tapping into a deep well of creativity and emotion. They bring an effortless cool to every beat and melody, and their commitment to evolving the jazz and soul scene in Japan is both refreshing and visionary. Can't wait for everyone to hear what we made together!
2024.11.13
Jinmenusagi
ARTIST
ARTIST
Jinmenusagi
WONK IS BACK with a new album. The music they weave together guides the listener, sometimes gently, sometimes intensely, as if reflecting the journey they’ve taken so far. Are you ready to be consumed by this chaos?
NEXT MESSAGE
COMMING SOON
Are you ready to be consumed by this chaos?
The quality of the music is high, yet the groove is ghetto.
Working with WONK was truly inspiring—every moment felt like a fresh exploration of sound and soul.
Are you ready to be consumed by this chaos?
The quality of the music is high, yet the groove is ghetto.
Working with WONK was truly inspiring—every moment felt like a fresh exploration of sound and soul.
Are you ready to be consumed by this chaos?
The quality of the music is high, yet the groove is ghetto.
Working with WONK was truly inspiring—every moment felt like a fresh exploration of sound and soul.
Are you ready to be consumed by this chaos?
The quality of the music is high, yet the groove is ghetto.
Working with WONK was truly inspiring—every moment felt like a fresh exploration of sound and soul.
AREA
DATE
PLACE
TIME
OSAKA
(JAPAN)
2024.12.22.SUN
Yogibo META VALLEY
OPEN 16:00 / START 17:00
TOKYO
(JAPAN)
2025.1.12.SUN
Spotify O-EAST
OPEN 17:00 / START 18:00
SAPPORO
(JAPAN)
2025.2.1.SAT
SAPPORO SPiCE
OPEN 16:30 / START 17:00
FUKUOKA
(JAPAN)
2025.2.7.FRI
BEAT STATION
OPEN 18:00 / START 19:00
NAGOYA
(JAPAN)
2025.2.11.TUE
Shangri-La(NAGOYA)
OPEN 16:00 / START 17:00
KANAZAWA
(JAPAN)
2025.3.2.SUN
GOLD CREEK
OPEN 16:30 / START 17:00
SENDAI
(JAPAN)
2025.3.8.SAT
MACANA(SENDAI)
OPEN 16:30 / START 17:00
180g 2-disc MADE IN JAPAN
EPST-048
Reservation Start: 2024.11.13日(WED.)
Distributed by VMG UNIVERSAL MUSIC LLC
Release Date: 2024.11.13日(WED.)