Nujabes: a sound that never fades
Nujabes (Jun Seba/ Yamada) is probably one of the more important subjects in music i’ve wanted to address for a long time. he’s not only a great artist, but his influence has touched on more than just his own immediate realm of music. while not widely recognized (outside japan) during his time alive, he has gained a widespread and posthumous recognition in the past decade. affectionately name the “godfather” of lofi hip-hop, Nujabes’ DNA is ever-present even if you may not realize it. not to mention a widespread and healthy current of Japanese hip-hop that has formed its own place in the industry today from the roots of his efforts. Nujabes’ musical productions have not only heavily influenced his local scene, but has (in time) grown to widespread prominence. even among those who don’t quite realize it.
i wanted to scope in and review one specific album, however i ended up choosing this different avenue for two reasons. first, there are absolutely too many important tracks to note that cover more than just one album release. choosing one album felt downright impossible and disingenuous to represent his work properly. second, zooming out on his work as a larger whole would better illustrate his effects on the music industry. a single album review felt too little when it came to addressing his works for the first time on this site. tackling what his music has done for me and for others is a pretty worthwhile subject. i believe i’ll just be happy putting a spotlight on it, signaling attention and stating my deep appreciation for his work is probably enough for now.
there’s only a few parts of Jun Seba’s profile i wanted to talk about before getting into it. he only released 3 full studio albums “Metaphorical Music” (2003), “Modal Soul” (2005) & “Spiritual State” (2011). he’s released quite a few other compilation and collaborative albums with other great artists, most notable is his “Luv(sic) Hexology.” finally, a collection released in 2015 by Shing02, a collab artist that brought his own lasting spirit to the collection. someone i wish i could also talk about more if i had the time. its also important to know that Jun Seba passed away in 2010 in a traffic accident. Nujabes has released only a brief collection of works in his time.
i think in the history of the world we have public examples of brilliance (for good or bad) that died early in their time. people who, after their sudden passing, have gained a collective thought of “if they were alive today, i wonder how their work would have continued to affect the world today.” we wonder if they had been around longer, maybe the earth would not be the same place. a prime and easy example being Steve Jobs. i don’t think it’s an understatement to say that a great many people wonder how the Apple company and, by extension, the iPhone would look today if he were still around. to me, Nujabes comes to mind i this manner quite a lot when listening to his music. there’s only so many times you can revisit his limited library of work, before beginning to think on it. “if they were alive today, i wonder how their work would have continued to affect the world today.” sure there are many other wonderful artists out there who both worked with him and grew up inspired by him, yet no one can quite create what he had, how he had. there’s a restraint and a care and love to his work you can really feel. there is no shadow of doubt in my mind that he found a unique way to express himself in an equally unique way. in a line of brilliant people that passed too early, for me, Nujabes sits alongside them.
more than a few avenues lead people to his work today. heard of lofi hip-hop girl on youtube? maybe you’ve dabbled in the modern japanese hip-hip scene. or you might have one friend who won’t shut up about his taste in music, hell bent on making some website to prove it all. what about those long series of recommended DJ sets on youtube. surely some algorithm that has inevitably sent him your way in some shape or form. it’s places like these where you’ll find the roots his work used again and again and again and again. for me, and for most, it was the 2004 anime “Samurai Champloo.” a dope cool show that mixes Edo era samurai and historic japan with blends of hip-hop, breakdance and graffiti adjacent culture. a follow-up show from the director of “Cowboy Bebop,” Shinichirō Watanabe. damn, another legend. i don’t know what’s cooler, that the creator of one of the most iconic anime of all time made a follow-up badass show about breakdancing samurai (it totally works), or that he had the prescience to use Nujabes in the soundtrack production. among many other legendary a song and artist choices, its a exceptional show that is further lifted to grace by its soundtrack. when i was 14, this was so beyond the music i was raised with. once again japan took a standard genre and weaved it into something completely new, and it was special. even after 15 years i am still coming back to that well, as thirsty as ever.
but what about after? five years after his passing, “Luv(sic)” was released, by Shing02, an album i think helped to better proliferate his work. the “Luv(sic)” series is probably most well recognized among his work. coming in 6 parts and a few remixes, some of Nujabes and Shing02’s best work are represented here. it’s a “hexology” made over a long time with a lot of considerations. “Luv(sic) pt2” is my personal favorite. lyrics begin strong, “relax… here we go” creating a powerful atmosphere that i’m perfectly content to exist within until i always hit repeat for round two. the track has the perfect amount of head-nodding beat and background rap, it’s all there to tell the story or just there to chill with. if anyone listens to Nujabes, you can be sure they have their own favorite “Luv(sic)” track and im sure plenty of debates have been had over them.
an indelible through-line weaves its way through all of Nujabes work. for me, it feels like positivity, earnestness, emotional discovery, ambition, good will, reflection, the human spirit distilled in it’s vague and kaleidoscopic ways. its pretty tough to put definitive finger on what exactly i love about his work, yet the single greatest quality i would say is an evident lack of cynicism. compare hip-hop from Japan to that of America and you’ll hear quite a different story. work that feels less about material gain (not all of course), work that feels less angry, less hungry. the art a culture puts into the world is greatly indicative of the culture itself. i’m not here to argue which country is better for what reasons, i merely want to highlight how similar genres can be vastly different based on the place and people it comes from. the values of the culture and the people are vastly different between Japan and America. there’s greatness and struggles in both world, but just go look at LAX and Osaka Kansai Airport in a single day. you’ll know what i’m talking about. i‘ve always struggled to find interest in American hip-hop for one reason or another, it never really spoke to me. the flavor and style coming from artists like Nujabes and Shing02 feel much more in line with myself. it simply feels less cynical to me. today, i find more appreciation in that representation of work than ever. the genre branch has recently taken a great hold on music taste lately, and i have only one man to blame.
i’m not saying it’s something so profound as all this as the reason why lofi-hip-hop youtube channels are so big today. sometime people just want to study with some chill beats and cool sample loops. yet even here Nujabes’ signature is found all through the scene. light-hearted no-worries kind of musical instruction drives the whole sound. it’s the kind of music you want to exist with. most of the time i listen to Nujabes just to go shopping, clean around my home, get ready for work, etc. Nujabes feels best when used as the background soundtrack to daily life. sure i’ve listened to “Spiritual State” and “Feather” one-thousand plus times by now (no really) but what’s another few thousand more times over the course of the rest of my life. some music i listen to engage with, Nujabes is more a feeling. lole starting a day with a hot shower, like ending a long day with a late-night coffee or enjoying the familiarity of the only pair of white shoes i wear, sometimes i just like how these things fit into fabric of my day. some things don’t need to be engaged with to be enjoyed. that sounds a lot like youtube-lofi-hip-hop kinda vibes to me. then, suddenly, Nujabes feels a little more ever-present in our life, without even realizing.
Nujabes was known to be a rather private person. it might be no wonder that his work feels just as personal, quiet and intentional. if he’s like any other artist i know, his work reflects the way he lived his life. when i listen, i find peace, even in the questions. his musical output may not top billboard charts or play in the saturday night club, yet his work more resembles that of a sapling tree. a slow steady growth up and out, with deep roots. whether he intended to or not, his work has become a foundational part of a lot of people’s lives. as background music, as formative music taste, in peoples’ DJ hobbies, in the ears of someone simply grocery shopping, in someone finding a chance to ground themself from anxieties, of someone attempting to get in touch with nature or themselves. Nujabes’ touch is there whether they know it or not. not the work of a cynical or dangerous man, but of someone who seems to champion a more beautiful, contemplative and uplifting side of life. personally, his music has been there for every exercise, every long run, every relationship, every year commuting to work, every great hike, every depression, every best moment i’ve experienced in my life. from important to inconsequential, and that’s not an understatement in the slightest. this piece was not written for a simple appreciation of another human’s work, but from a deep sense of gratitude. Nujabes has touched a great many people and even more that might not have realized. despite his passing away so long ago in 2010, Nujabes is a sound to continues to grow, a sound that continues to live with us. his is a sound that never ends.
written byMarcus Landeros