Land of the Rising II

I've always loved the sound of Elijah Nang, but it wasn't until I heard his new release Gaijin II Tale of Rai 外人 before I could easily say - this dude is in my top 5 chillhop producers of 2020.

The 20 track LP stands above most of the lofi and chillhop releases I've heard in a while. From storytelling to production style, the UK producer has managed to create a whimsical beat world where one could simply get lost. What I love about the track I selected for today "Land of the Rising II" is the way electronic and downtempo music is incorporated within, especially the female vocals. So soothing.

The LP, as the title suggests, is a continuation of his 2019 LP Gaijin 外人 (gai-jin - (noun) foreigner/outsider in Japanese).

Elijah shares...

It’s been a year and 3 months since the foreigner arrived at the Land of the Samurai.

The epic sequel continues where our young hero Rai is on a quest to find his way back home and regain his memories that he once lost. Learning the way of the samurai, Rai has become highly skilled in his swordsmanship under the tutelage of Hachiro Sensei. Rai has matured but understands that there is plenty more room for growth. During this time on top of the vibrant Yama no aki, Hachiro reveals some clues in regards to how he can return home.

He explains that in order for him to go back home, he would have to face the shogun of this land in a 1-on-1 duel. That’s all he is able to share, but what Hachiro and Rai don’t know is that the shogun is also a foreigner and as to who the foreigner is, well…it happens to be Rai brother.