Cosmocities continue their deep dive into the rich and endlessly inventive world of Japanese electronic music with ‘Denshi Ongaku No Bigaku Vol. 3,’ the latest instalment in the label’s acclaimed compilation series. Compiled by label owner Matt Soulie, the 11-track collection lands as a beautifully balanced meeting point between hazy home-listening territory and late-night dancefloor energy.
Following Vol. 1 and 2 in 2023, the new edition once again reflects the influence Japanese electronic music has had on the Cosmocities aesthetic. While the first volume leaned into ambient, electronica and deep house, and its follow-up explored boogie, jazz, Afro-house and funkier rhythms, Vol. 3 feels deliberately fluid, moving between introspection, experimentation and club-ready grooves without ever sounding forced.
Yosi Horikawa gets things moving with ‘Bubbles,’ a delicate, organic ambient cut that immediately establishes an atmospheric tone. Chari Chari’s ‘Luna de Ritmos’ then shifts the focus towards a deeper, more hypnotic house, before Force Of Nature’s ‘Skyy High’ and XTAL’s ‘Skygazer’ take the listener further into spacious electronic territory.
The compilation really comes alive on the dancefloor-facing selections. Yuu Udagawa’s ‘Little Secrets’ delivers sophisticated high-tech jazz house, while Kuniyuki’s remix of Slow Didi’s “Follow Me” brings a warm, jazz-inflected groove to the table. DJ Eiji Takehana featuring Yusuke Nakamura’s ‘Deep Track Jazz’ pushes that fusion into more futuristic territory, while Tominori Hosoya’s ‘Summer Dreamers’ offers a softer, emotionally charged house moment.
As the night draws in, Azzurro’s ‘Just A Touch Of Love’ supplies a hypnotic late-night thumper before AcidGelge’s ‘Fatality 4’ closes proceedings in suitably cosmic fashion.
Rather than simply looking back, ‘Denshi Ongaku No Bigaku Vol. 3’ demonstrates that the sounds of Japanese electronic music remain as adventurous and influential as ever. Soulie’s curation connects different generations and scenes with an instinctive ear for atmosphere, groove and discovery, making this another essential chapter in Cosmocities’ ongoing electronic odyssey.
‘Denshi Ongaku No Bigaku Vol. 3’ is available here.