Side A:
Go Back
Ara Yotto
Domo Konnichiwa
Side B:
Dakishimete
Igaito Nanka Heiki
For his first album Fantasia, Yuma Abe collaborated with his most trusted musician peers, including Devendra Banhart on guitar, and his mentor Haruomi Hosono, who handled mixing on several songs.
Two years later, as a result of many conversations with himself and his close friends, Yuma is back with Surprisingly Alright, a 12” EP that deftly captures the warm and springy air that permeated throughout the sessions for these five brand new recordings.
The A-side contains “Go Back,” “Arayotto,” and “Domo Konnichiwa,” whose effervescence and buoyancy are emphasized by the unique interplay of the chorus and the vocals, flowing out like a voice from within the belly of a carefree vagabond. The B-side contains “Dakishimete,” which unfolds into a mid-section with a distinctive ‘60s-’70s Wamono-style groove, and “Igaito Nanka Heiki”, which translates to “Surprisingly Alright”—essentially the title track—in which Yuma joyfully vows to ‘死んでもまだ踊る’ - “keep dancing even when I’m dead.”
All Music & Lyrics by Yuma Abe
Vocal, Guitar, and Synthesizer: Yuma Abe
Piano, Synthesizer: Yuma Koda
Guitar: Kohei Kamoto
Guitar: Takuro Okada
Bass: Jinya Ichikawa
Drums: Kento Suzuki
Guitar Solo (Dakishimete): Yosuke Shimonaka
Percussion: Ryotaro Miyasaka
Recorded, Mixed, and Mastered by Hiroshi Ikeda [hmc studio]
Vinyl Cut by Tohru Kotetsu [JVC Mastering Center]
Design by Kaoru Sato
Illustrated by Yuma Abe
Vocal, Guitar, and Synthesizer: Yuma Abe
Piano, Synthesizer: Yuma Koda
Guitar: Kohei Kamoto
Guitar: Takuro Okada
Bass: Jinya Ichikawa
Drums: Kento Suzuki
Guitar Solo (Dakishimete): Yosuke Shimonaka
Percussion: Ryotaro Miyasaka
Recorded, Mixed, and Mastered by Hiroshi Ikeda [hmc studio]
Vinyl Cut by Tohru Kotetsu [JVC Mastering Center]
Design by Kaoru Sato
Illustrated by Yuma Abe