Producer and DJ Yuta Yamaoka — better known in the beats world as Pigeondust — resides in Chiba, Japan, and spends his days either flipping through dusty records or pulling samples from these vinyl treasures. “For me, sampling is more like a collaboration,” says Pigeondust. “I could make music from scratch if I wanted to, but by sampling I can achieve something I could never have made by myself.” A member of the EN TOKYO crew alongside Salty and Bugseed, Pigeondust represents a new generation of Japanese beat-makers drawing upon a plethora of global influences to develop a distinctive sound. Ultimately this sound recalls classic hip hop, but with the loose spirit of jazz and a sense of sonic experimentation. Pigeondust’s 17-track album Moon, Wisdom & Slackness — out on the Cold Busted label — exhibits these qualities in spades. The cuts are prime examples of Pigeondust’s meticulous beat construction, fitting the samples, loops, and beats together like pieces of a complex puzzle. “Harps” grabs with its angelic rising tones, lounge-like vibraphone, and hardy rhythm. “A Night Thought” — a collaboration with Sugarloaf on jazzy guitar — feels like a back-alley cruise through midnight Tokyo, while “Mindtrip” pleases with its chopped-up beats and nerdy synthesizer lines. “Family Affair” shows the prominent jazz influence as gentle sax and piano play over a snappy drum loop and vinyl pops, sounding like a lost transmission from another era. There are many other moods to explore — Pigeondust reveals a multi-layered palette on the expressive Moon, Wisdom & Slackness.

1. Pigeondust - 1995 (1:57)
2. Pigeondust - Loop (3:03)
3. Pigeondust - Galacticos1994 (1:23)
4. Pigeondust - Harps (1:50)
5. Pigeondust - Knowledge (3:11)
6. Pigeondust - Lives In The Clouds (0:44)
7. Pigeondust - Here Comes Midnight (1:50)
8. Pigeondust - Stars.Falling (2:00)
9. Pigeondust - Mindtrip (3:16)
10. Pigeondust - Straight Ahead (2:19)
11. Pigeondust - The Life (1:58)
12. Pigeondust & Sugarloaf - A Night Thought (3:17)
13. Pigeondust - With You (2:11)
14. Pigeondust - Family Affair (3:48)
15. Pigeondust - Knife In A Pocket (2:02)
16. Pigeondust - Railroad Jam (1:57)
17. Pigeondust & Hakobune - Coda (2:51)