Bugseed is a producer from Tokyo that’s been putting out music for the past couple of years, but is still relatively unknown Stateside. Fortunately, he just teamed up with the French label Cascade Records, who will hopefully help expand his international profile. This particular record is collection of beats Bugseed had posted on his old Soundcloud page, sequenced here to showcase his skills as an instrumental hip hop producer.

One listen to Soundcraft, and it will be clear that Bugseed has some chops. All of his beats are incredibly inviting, with really crisp drums that work together with enveloping bass lines to draw you in to his intimate style. The album is really sexy, with Bugseed showing a great feel for midtempo and down tempo grooves that just lock in and force you to bob your head. He also demonstrates a really subtle touch on developing songs, building on loops and motifs slowly, without forcing anything. There is a nice balance of material that draws on older styles of music and instrumentation, while also veering into more experimental and odd-sounding synthesizer-driven songs. The only song that doesn’t really fit on the record is “Bedria neo funk,” a remix of Gravediggaz’ “Nowhere To Run To, Nowhere To Hide.” It’s a great remix, to be sure, adding a new dimension to the song, creating some great tension and energy with his beat, - it just doesn’t fit in the context of the rest of the album. Perhaps if it was moved onto the end of the record, and packaged as a bonus remix it might have made more sense, but it’s a little jarring in between two down tempo numbers, and on a record where it’s the only track with vocals.

Bugseed definitely has my attention, and he’s shown a great feel for instrumental hip hop production. Soundcraft is a really inviting record, and I’m sure it’s only going to get better from here.