I headed out to see LORD ECHO, a multi-instrumentalist and producer based in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, who was visiting Japan to DJ.
A tour schedule that goes west to east, then west and east again, before heading west once more...
His body of work blends soul, reggae, Afro, funk, jazz, and more, with a sound that feels both nostalgic and fresh. So, what would his DJ set be like?
The venue wasn’t in Kobe, but in Kakogawa, just beyond Akashi: a fairly large café-restaurant called “ON THE HILL”.
A stylish entrance. You can enjoy a drink outside, too.
This time, he wasn’t playing in Osaka or Kyoto; Kakogawa was his only stop in Kansai.
It seems all kinds of places for enjoying music, cafés, and the like have been popping up in Kakogawa lately, and “ON THE HILL” is certainly one of them.
I’ve seen Tommy Guerrero play here before, and I love how special it is to listen to music in this peaceful atmosphere, so different from the city center.
The view from the terrace
True to its name, “ON THE HILL” offers a wonderful view from its perch on a gentle rise. It’s the perfect venue for LORD ECHO’s music, so DJ AKIHISA—a customer at Strada and a drinking buddy of mine—and I hit the road and headed west.
Since we’d made the trip all the way to Kakogawa, we first stopped for a bite at “Ryu,” a renowned neighborhood Chinese restaurant in Higashi-Kakogawa. Apparently, “Ryu” is written with the character for “dragon” and pronounced “Ron.”
Famous for its gyoza
“Kimchi Nikumeshi.” “Nikumeshi” is written in hiragana.
Sour-and-spicy noodles (sā rā men)—a little spicy, and they’ll make you sweat
When we arrived at “ON THE HILL,” we caught up and chatted for a while with Mr. Sakajiri of Wonderful Noise, the label that represents LORD ECHO and the promoter behind this tour.
It seemed LORD ECHO had just started playing, and the floor already had a great vibe. The set kicked off with a fun run of Latin- and salsa-flavored selections, with reggae sprinkled in between.
LORD ECHO
There were no dynamic lights like a disco ball, yet somehow the room never felt lacking—just cozy and welcoming.
So many great tracks came on that I was constantly using Shazam.
Early in the set, he dropped his hit cover of Sister Sledge’s “Thinking of You,” and the crowd went wild.
The guitar intro brought a huge cheer
After that, he played all kinds of music, centered on dub and reggae but ranging across Afro-boogie, house, techno, rockabilly, and more, with no regard for BPM or genre.
Dropped after an MC that sounded like, “Next up, something faster!”
Kraftwerk, too!
The bar counter is huge and looks awesome
Haven’t heard this in ages!
Toward the end, he played his huge 2016 hit “Just Do You” in an extended set that felt like a double-copy mix, using dub and instrumental versions as well.
All the great photos were taken by DJ AKIHISA
After that, support DJ Naoki Matsumoto took over in style with this track!
As someone who loves listening to music across genres, this set was right up my alley—I loved every minute! It was great that I couldn’t predict not only what the next track would be, but even what genre he’d play next.
Live shows are great, but DJ sets are fun because you get to hear lots of the music the DJ personally likes—their musical tastes, if you will. And you discover tracks you’ve never heard before!
LORD ECHO, ON THE HILL, and Ryu are all well worth checking out!
※Shop LORD ECHO-related releases here!
https://www.stradarecords.jp
Photo by DJ AKIHISA (City Records Lounge)
https://www.instagram.com/djakihisa
