Tokyo Zawinul Bach - Afrodita (2013) [DSD128]

Electro-jazz outfit Tokyo Zawinul Bach return with its first album since 2008, though this time it's an entirely solo effort with keyboard wizard Masayasu Tzboguchi playing all of the instruments as well as handling mixing and production duties. Imagine a collision between Kraftwerk, YMO and Weather Report viewed through a twenty-first century filter and you have something of an idea of the TZB sound.
The nine tracks on Afrodita feature a blend of Fender Rhodes, synths, samples and slightly out of kilter beats that make for a refreshing mix. Titles such as Nostalgica, Nomadic and Tribal Junction reflect the mixture of musical influences featured with moments of retro electro sitting alongside more Afro-centric rhythms, and this together with some hip-hop beats on some tracks makes it difficult to pigeonhole Tzboguchi's music.
Three tracks in particular deserve special attention. Nostalgica, with its reedy synths and Fender Rhodes has hints of classic jazz fusion from the seventies and eighties, yet remains firmly rooted in the present day. Sagittarius has a wonderful head-nodding beat with an infectious main synth riff that pulls you back again and again, while Pastel Yogurt is an intense fusion workout built around a bass synth riff that features an intriguing tempo-shift half-way through.
Afrodita is a strong outing from start to finish and is well worth investigating.