Feng's Distorted World : 鋒言鋒語

Chris Hale is a DJ and producer who is based in Tokyo, Japan. I've been listening to several of his tracks lately. My favourite track here would be "Kimochi" from "Womb" EP . The word "Kimochi" literally means "It feels good" in Japanese. Chris Hale's music is deep and sometimes dark. His tracks have dominated such global charts as Acid Planet, Broad Jam, and Sound Click. Chris’ tracks regularly top the house, tribal house, progressive house, and Detroit charts for weeks to months at a time. Other producers and DJs with such similiar styles include Satoshi Tomiie, Nat Monday, Future Sound of London, and PQM. His music also gets regular play by club and radio DJ's around the world as well as on underground radio. Chris DJ's at clubs throughout Tokyo, and is the resident DJ at the monthly "Worship" party. He is a veteran re-mixer, most recently mixing tracks for Bitstream Dream (Om, Bedrock).

Below is a review from Aadvark records:

Chris' “sound” is actually difficult to describe, but some have called it “dark soul” music - dark atmospheres fused with soulful rhythms. His music pushes simplified genre labels in order to avoid the constraints associated with pre-conceived definitions. When his music is smooth, it’s oh so very smooth. It slides against the skin like silk until it settles, blending in and becoming a soothing second skin. It’s hypnotic and seductive. And classing it as chill-out or come-down music is selling it well short. And when he wants to play rough…the beats get downright nasty without ever being heavy handed or in your face.

You never quite know what to expect when a Chris Hale track starts. The instrumentation he deploys gives each track its own unique texture, flavour and mood. Add a mix of beats and FX and the effect can be lush, as skilful as a Geisha, as sharp as a Kissaki, as precise as Kanji or as hard and swift as a Kendo kick. The end result is one of aural perfection.

An admirable trait with the Japanese dance scene is the secret of knowing exactly what sounds are out there on the wider scene without ever being controlled or dominated by them. The Japanese have always been happy to go their own way while being plugged into global scenes. So perhaps it’s no accident that Chris chose to live there, expanding his horizons all the while. His tracks have discipline without rigidity with a natural form and function. It’s a very Japanese thing. And what sounds so simple and effortless hides a master of the craft.

He is just as comfortable throwing acid jazz, breaks, or banging techno into the mix. If you ask him, Chris simply makes the type of music he likes to dance to in dark, smoke and sweat-filled subterranean clubs.



Listen to several of his tracks here.

Chris Hale - Kimochi (It feels good) (Streaming Media)
Chris Hale - EX:TC

Do visit his site on Soundclick here and Xp8r Music, his record label for more track samples and tour schedule.