LIVE REVIEW: FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL '25 @ Naeba Ski Resort, Japan (27/07/25)

4/5

Haimally

I quit, no longer being able to see Haim live. I was meant to do it years ago. A gift, from my best friend, back in London. But this was during corona. The same COVID-19 that Haim's California classic, 'Women In Music, Pt. III' helped get me through. The every same 'WIMPIII' best friend got me signed. Now, all these years later, I Haim-ally get to see my favourite band. And if that wasn't enough, thanks to someone else, I'll attend a talk about their new album, 'I Quit', in Shibuya's still-standing Tower Records tomorrow. I might have missed tickets for the meet and greet potion of the evening, but I don't need their autographs anyway, do I, D? Haim weren't the headliner, Vampire Weekend were, of Japan's Fuji Rock Festival '25. But they made the White Stage their own, and actually finished following their American contemporary. Drawing one of the biggest, roaring crowds. Rocking like the 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' like eyes of these stones showcase around the ski resort.

I hated to quit on Vampire Weekend part-way through their sweet, signature sound set, yet I wasn't missing Haim this time. I'll get my teeth into the Weekend, again, much like I am the closing track off Vampire's latest album, 'Only God Was Above Us', a classic like 'Capricorn', or 'Contra'. Seeing Haim with new friends, and ones from work I bumped into was an absolute joy as Danielle, Este and Alana Haim came onto stage after the red letters of their latest album told us everything they have quit. Isolation. Nicotine. D###. Then they took us down to the wire and opened their act with some of their 'Days Have Gone' own, like the raucously approved 'My Song 5'. 'I Want You Back', like the Jackson 5, also made an appearance, but with so many classics, let alone singles off the new album, something had to give. And it was that one. All whilst 'Relationships' and 'Down To Be Wrong' were met with last album icons like 'Now I'm In It', 'The Steps', 'Don't Wanna', 'Gasoline' and 'Summer Girl' with some sexy sax. From the girl's trademark drum set, to Danielle stepping behind the skins, this was a flawless set. Now, I can't wait to see how they top this at Tower.

That wasn't it, mind you, at a festival that is like Glastonbury with beautiful scenery, and even better food. Switching between stages like those 'Relationships' Haim sang about, you were spoilt for choice in a legendary line-up of Japanese and international artists. From London's own Little Simz, to the heart of Hana Hope. I'm just glad I got to see English Teacher on stage, not just for the incredible talent, but the fact that the spotlight didn't shine on this non-singing sensei. A real treat of the evening was Swedish 'Hate To Say I Told You So' legends The Hives at the Red Marquee. It's been 19 years since they last played Japan, and almost that long since I saw them a London's Hard Rock Calling. Yet with another album out in August, they haven't lost a step. Fabulous frontman Pelle Almqvist may just be the best in the business. Classic comedic cockiness on stage with tighter set arrangements than their classic suits. When he swings the mic around and pulls it back down, like a boxing announcer, he's the champ. And his band, the law, alright? Good! Fabulous forests to walk through that are ski slopes in the fall, you'll see plenty of artwork hanging from the trees of Fuji Rock's Naeba Ski resort like the snow that will come. But the best thing about this festival is the people you share it with. Especially when they surprise you at the gate in crazy coincidence. I keep pronouncing it wrong, but Fuji well and truly rocks. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Set-list Picks: Haim, The Hives, Vampire Weekend.

REVIEW: TYLER, THE CREATOR - DON'T TAP THE GLASS

4/5

In Case Of Emergency, Break Glass

Tapping in, Tyler, The Creator, currently on a world tour for last year's classic, 'Chromakopia', will touch down in Tokyo in a matter of months. Donning that iconic black phantom mask, that is about as signature as the dark Celtic green artwork that plasters posters all around the world of towns he tours. Even so, that hasn't stopped him from dropping a surprise brand-new album, to start the week of all schedules. New Music Monday, anybody? It's got a nice ring to it like 'Ring Ring Ring', off of The Creator's latest invention, 'Don't Tap The Glass'. Breaking industry trends and shattering Spotify streams. The most anticipated album of the week...is already here. And those in Japan and the rest of the watching world may just have a two-album tour. Tyler, on the other hand, just wants you to dance, without the screening fear of being filmed.

On iconic scrunched paper white album artwork, a shirtless Creator looks like the legendary LL Cool J in gold rope and red Kangol. Not to mention, those iconic bifocals. And he's worthy of that def stature for his jams. Tyler's latest creation is up there with the classic that came before it. As a matter of fact, all the classics that came before this ninth wonder, like the producer. 'Bastard', 'Goblin', 'Wolf', 'Cherry Bomb', 'Flower Boy', 'Igor', 'Call Me If You Get Lost', and all that album artwork. And coming so closely to 'Chroma's' time, this is more than an epic 'Estate Sale' for the Grammy winner. It's a completely fresh, fire classic in its own right. Furthering the rhyme, or should we say why to the reason he was left out of last year's best rapper of the big-three debate. Until J. Cole bashfully bowed out after throwing shade at 'The Simpsons' and Kendrick Lamar turned Drake into a minoooooor thing. No matter, Tyler knows that real hip-hop and the art of it is more than war and about the words that make the music that lasts longer. And hey, any excuse for our social media reels to get refreshed with that legendary freestyle and Funkmaster Flex's reaction to why he used that line. Not to mention, Tyler's nonplussed one.

You won't question why he uses these lyrics, though, as the latest creation makes for a great fortnight in hip-hop. Beginning with the real and raw reunion of Clipse (another of Drake's fondest friends) and hitting Friday night with Wu-Tang's very own Raekwon in 'The Emperor's New Clothes'. The Mass Appeal of this album to be followed by new labelmates Nas & DJ Premier, Mobb Deep, De La Soul, Big L, and Wu closest compadre, Ghostface Killah. Not to mention, the great adventures of Slick Rick, who started all this off, last month. But legend has it... Tyler Gregory Okonma could give a signature set like that, with his own defiant and definitive discography. You only have to hear the 'Don't Tap The Glass' title-track 'Tweakin'' and the big-three that comes next ('Don't You Worry Baby', 'I'll Take Care Of You', 'Tell Me What It Is') in closing to know this is creation in its purest, raw form. This Colombia record may be less than a half-hour (which Creator record isn't), but it's all power (like Tyler, always). Running game like 'Stop Playing With Me', and all the people Tyler has taken to town, or taken home, as he gets all his affairs in order.

Unexpected, like bird s###, albums are the norm now in rap. So much so, the surprise is almost spoiled. But they hype is real, with NBA G.O.A.T. LeBron James cosigning. Even though you'd never believe it if 'Bron said he saw it coming (he didn't...relax. These are just jokes, baby). He does appear in the latest 'Playing With Me' music video alongside childhood friend and business partner Maverick Carter and the Clipse (who, like Tyler, once dissed him. "Like that, 'Bron, 'Bron?"), mind you. Tyler's shortest album yet was probably his biggest promoted, as an art installation of this album artwork's giant caricature of the Creator channelling Cool James debuted outside Brooklyn's Barclays Center, encased in glass you shouldn't touch, tap, nor break. Vinyls, t-shirts and bucket hats (hey, Raekwon) have been selling like hot cakes, ever since. And ever since it was released this morning at 6.00AM, Eastern Standard Time (we've been waiting all day in the Far East), it's been jumping off like the outstanding opening track 'Big Poe', sampling 'Pass The Courvoisier, Part II', the iconic part track featuring Pharrell and Sean Combs...erm.

Three cryptic boxes, blue, yellow and red helped tease this album that starts its breakfast with 'Sugar On My Tongue', and lines to tap your spoon to, like, "Are you from Mars? Make your arms and legs shake, uh-huh/Give me that slice of cream, is it your birthday? Uh-huh/I got a brush, give me your wallet, I'll pay, uh-huh/Don't need no air, I stay down there 'til I fade (Girl, I'm dead)" Sounds like oral is the breakfast of champions, in this 'Rush' of blood to the head, as Tyler keeps it going down. 'Mommanem' keeps this top, ten track album moving. One that is as compelling as it is cohesive. Media channel Complex made a mistake by tweeting that this album would feature Kendrick and Earl Sweatshirt. But there is no Odd Future reunion here, breaking bread like Lionel Boyce on season four of 'The Bear'. No matter, that can all wait. Tyler stays 'Sucka Free' as he raps, "Odd Future, Wolf Gang, all the bros in here/You n####s bums, you never really figured it out/You the type to let a b#### wear a shoe in your house (Hah)/You the type to buy a chain before some furniture, couch/And you the type of n#### never had a fist hit your mouth (Bink-bink-bink, huh)/You ain't got no guap, no paper, ain't no ink/See, I'm that guy, give a f### what you think." Broken glass, everywhere. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Playlist Picks: 'Don't You Worry Baby', 'I'll Take Care Of You', 'Tell Me What It Is'.

Spin This: Tyler, The Creator - 'Chromakopia'.

REVIEW: AMI KUSAKARI - GARDEN STUDIES

4/5

Sakanature

There are few things in this world that have the beauty, tranquillity and serenity of a Japanese garden. 'Garden Studies', the debut LP from Ami Kusakari, is one of them. You will know Kusakari as the brilliant bassist of one of the best bands in Japan, Sakanaction. From monster records like 'Kaiju', to their 'Shintakarajima' signature. Taking inspiration from bassists like Red Hot Chilli Pepper, Flea, Este Haim and Stuart Zender (formerly of Jamiroquai), Ami Kusakari has also worked with Fender, who recently opened an outstanding flagship store in Tokyo, exploring The American Professional II Jazz Bass. Outside of Sapporo's very own Sakanaction, Kusakari has featured on records by Junlzawa ('Drift'), alongside cutting an EP with Mabanua and YonYon ('Iris/Pray For Peace'). Yet, these 'Garden Studies' seem to make for Ami's most personal project yet. A perfect "portable sound garden."

Ambience is at its finest in a beautiful bloom. Close to nature, Kusakari temporarily trades her bass for an inspired instrumental album. It begins with the 'Sound Of A Pier' that will take you higher than the tree like skylines in cities that at times overwhelm even the strongest of us. It's like stepping out into a fresh breeze by the sea, after the subtle alarm like opening segues into traditional instruments that feel as Japanese as paying your respects at a shrine. Teaching us to how to achieve moments of Zen on the cool 'Icy', a state of calm begins to become second nature as you put this record on in the middle of the night, or a new break of day. It grows even more on 'Ginkgo Tree', as atmospheric sounds and perfect piano washes over you. A ginkgo tree is ornamental, yellowing in Autumn before losing all its leaves in a single day. Falling as delicately as the sounds that envelope your ears here, and on the cinematic 'rustle', up next. Growing every day like a garden's renewal. Replenishing and healing.

'Under the soil', Ami gets even closer to earth and the nature of all things. We feel not only the transience of life, like 'mono no aware', but also the notion of all these moments we go through being forever etched in memory. There's a profound stillness of studying your garden that will stay with you, even through the darkest days, as you see the light of calm on the other side. Right now, in Japan, it's hotter than the July of a Stevie Wonder album, but as the refreshing 'RainFalls' this season, you'll feel even more bliss in this terrific take from Kusakari. Bringing you a sense of peace and release, what seems on the surface as a simple recording, is the very art of nature itself, and one of this record's best. Especially when chimes curtain close this track. All before the seventh seal and eight-minute wonder, 'a Garden', is the final note of these studies. This work from the Sakanaction member even evokes similar sounds to the posthumous 'Seeing Sound/Hearing Time' epic exhibition from late legend Ryuichi Sakamoto. Not to mention his other work, as the drums come into play. Kusakari's band are about to wrap up their tour in Yokohama's K-Arena this August, and we can't wait to hear what they have in store next. But as Ami amazes with her very own album in her garden, we hope to study more. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Playlist Picks: 'Sound Of A Pier', 'Ginkgo Tree', 'RainFalls'.

Spin This: Ami Kusakari.mabanua.YonYon - 'iris/pray for peace'

REVIEW: RAEKWON - THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES

4/5

Change Clothes 

Fairytales, like Wu-Tang, are for the children. In Hans Christian Anderson's ('The Little Mermaid', 'The Ugly Duckling') 'The Emperor's New Clothes', a vainglorious emperor is brought down to size when he is fitted for some garments that fit so close to the skin that...they don't even exist. These "invisible" clothes, paraded all through town, were the worst wardrobe malfunction known to man. One thing that does fit, mind you, is rap legend Raekwon in your rap cipher. From Clan boiler room suits, to his famous bucket hats. This year, feels like another renaissance in rap, especially with and for the old school heads. Even the brotherhood of Clipse reunited last week as they 'Let God Sort Em Out'.

There are plenty of Wu-Tang Clan reunions on Raekwon's eight wonder of an album, 'The Emperor's New Clothes'. Meth, Rae and Ghost get back together for the '600 School' favourite featuring Method Man Ghostface Killah. Whilst the iron heart of Tony Starks also appears on the back nine's 'Get Outta Here' and finale 'Mac & Lobster', as the pair with a cool new nickname, keep backing up each other's classic albums from 'Supreme Clientele', to 'Only Built For Cuban Lynx' and their respective sequels. Back when they may as well have been collaborative albums like the animated 'Wu-Massacre'. This Starsky and Hutch and Batman and Robin still go together like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Elsewhere, after his own album Inspectah Deck bites into 'Pomogranite' with Carlton Fisk. Stacy Barthe gives us '1 Life'. And Tommy Nova 'Opens Doors' with Corey Woods. Whilst Marsha Ambrosius hooks us in with the deepest cut of 'Debra Night Wine'. But even next to the posse cut of 'Wild Corsicans' (featuring Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine and Benny The Butcher), we'll save the best one for the last paragraph.

Classic down to the cover in red leather on 'Stranger Things' black, there's production from Swizz Beatz, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League and Nottz for the Rae's first album since 'The Wild' 2017. The Chef cooks up many a legendary line as well as the signature skits for a sensational set. "I'd rather be revered than feared" the icon proclaims on 'The Guy That Plans It' and boy is he. On the 'Heavies' he proves how much of a heavy hitter he really is with lines like, "Yo, Licatta cocktails, Bentleys, and oxtails/Catch me with the Grecian of whales, a redbone rat/What's happening?/Her ratchet ways, I had to just tame that, flip the Mulsanne back/Better off buying a jail, the luxury shit, Pakistan chef, and reps/So they can coach brothers to read scriptures and play chess." Lines as legacy making as the unmistakable voice of his that spits. Like he raps on '600', "Glass of gin for my jewelers/Too many rugas, gyms is 500/Bam, spam, I swam through Bermuda/Switches got muzzles/Soon as rebuttals happen, we guzzle/Then everything get twisted like a puzzle." And you know which piece fits.

A pioneer taking it higher. This is New York raw and uncut from the razor sharp lyricist who can make "Mafioso" rap cinematic, like a 'Goodfella'. For the hood ones, the best 'Bear Hill' is Raekwon's 'Made You Look'. Speaking of which, as previously promised, the classic collaboration of this new great LP belongs to 'The Omerta' featuring Nas ("Fascinating, appealing, underworld, but wonder girl/Dope fiends love it, shooting they nuggets up/Extreme criminality, I'm like the Rothsteins, the off-springs/All of this tucked, inside my galaxy/Frankie Yale of the jails, silks, diamond spiders, we master writers"). The Mass Appeal of this is that 'Legend Has It...' that very label will put out records from Nas & DJ Premier, Mobb Deep, De La Soul, Big L, Slick Rick (the valiant 'Victory' also came out last month), and Ghostface Killah, to go along with this one. Now, that sounds like more than just a great day in hip-hop. 2025 is going to feel like 50 years all over again. Chef's kiss. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Playlist Picks: 'Bear Hill', '600 School (Feat. Ghostface Killah & Method Man), 'Debra Night Wine (Feat. Marsha Ambrosius)'.

Spin This: Raekwon - 'Only Bulit 4 Cuban Lynx 2'.

REVIEW: CLIPSE - LET GOD SORT EM OUT

4/5

Lord's Will

"Kids, y'all need to stay away from anything that remotely looks like this, right here," Malice says, as he and his Pusha T brother unload clips at a shooting range. This was a scene from the 2003 short film 'The Eighth Planet' documenting super producers Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams. All for a scene on a bonus DVD to their compilation album 'The Neptunes Presents...Clones'. And Malice wasn't 'Frontin''. Years later, one half of the 'Grindin'' pair from Virginia would turn to the church like Pastor Mase, and Lord knows what he has seen. After their 'Lord Willin'' debut changed the VA game like Timbaland and the late, great Magoo (Rest Peacefully), Clipse copped discs like the soaring sophomore set 'Hell Hath No Fury' and the perfect 'P###y' on the 'Barbershop' soundtrack, that you saw them freestyle, back in the business of 'The Eighth Planet' DVD. 2009's 'Til The Casket Drops' didn't hit quite the same way, but it was no death sentence. Now, a sweet sixteen years later, it's welcome back to Malice in a wonderland with his rapping partner, once again.

Clipse reload after the hiatus with 'Let God Sort Em Out', and meeting their maker, you're not going to get it for cheap any more, like a classic mixtape. Pusha T has been making solo sets and G.O.O.D.  Music for years, garnering Grammys like my man G. His most recent, 2022's 'It's Almost Dry', sealed his status. Now, God sorts them out with the blaring 'Ace Trumpets' deal of a single. Not to mention cameos from a worth the six figures Kendrick Lamar (on the flossing crack of 'Chains & Whips'), Tyler The Creator (the only 'P.O.V.' I mess with, I despise content creation, too) and John Legend (on the outstanding opener, 'The Birds Don't Sing', that paints a picture of everything Clipse have been through with the Voices Of Fire). But it's the big budget 'Inglorious Basterds', like Tarantino, that brings a re-upping old friend Ab-Liva back to the gang, scarring scalps. Elsewhere, Stove God Cooks helps heat up 'F.I.C.O.' The title-track, mind you, mixed with some Sia like 'Chandeliers', brings God M.C. Nas swinging like Ali. 

On the promo single 'So Be It', the perfect pair sample Talal Maddah's 'Maza Akool Wa Kad Hemto'. And it's perfect production like this that will keep you hooked across the set, bridge to chorus. That's what you get when Pharrell Williams is once again manning the boards, piece by piece. Vocally he even appears on a lion's share of tracks. Basically, the last half of the LP. 'E.B.I.T.D.A', 'So Far Ahead', 'All Things Considered', with The-Dream, and the classic closer 'By The Grace Of God', in all it's and His beauty. For all the initials on 'M.T.B.T.T.F.', Pusha T raps, "No confessions, questions, we contestin'/Fireworks'll send a message, iridescent/Slow him down like Robitussin, if you rush in/At your door when we address him, we gon' bless him". Whilst Malice counters, "Gunning and I'm grinning/In a Bugatti in my denim/This is the result of my vision/React with precision/But God only knows my intention." And it's just so good to hear them back together. The Gallagher's aren't the only brothers to reunite against the odds this year. This rap cipher is an oasis. And today is going to be the day that they throw it back to you. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Playlist Picks: 'Ace Trumpets', 'Inglorious Basterds (Feat. Ab-Liva)', 'By The Grace Of God (Feat. Pharrell Williams)'.

Spin This: Clipse - 'Hell Hath No Fury'