On Tohji’s first mixtape t-mix, the Tokyo native enlists the help of a star-studded cast as he rises out of the Japanese underground scene. Following his past few projects that have gone in more experimental directions, t-mix returns to Tohji’s cloud rap/hyperpop roots. His most polished work to date, the production from Palmistry and Mechatok takes on the frozen, ethereal sound of Drain Gang and Sadboys. The Mechatok-produced “ULTRA RARE” is brimming with the same pulsating drumlines as Bladee’s Good Luck while “Twilight Zone” features Tohji and Bladee finally collaborating together in a dreamy universe. Heavy doses of autotune and EDM influence breathe life into Tohji’s hypnotic flow on t-mix.
Tohji has been branching off into experimental directions over the past few years. The 2021 mixtape KUUGA was a collaborative effort with fellow Japanese rapper Loota and French producer Brodinksi. Chaotic, noisy, and full of bizarre vocal inflections, the sinister mixtape felt like a departure from Tohji’s style of emo/cloud rap. At the same time, his Mall Boyz side project with gummyboy released the addictive, summery single “POOLSIDE” which clearly showed his melodic side wasn’t going anywhere. 2022’s broken ep is a tribute to his crashed Mazda RX-7 by mixing his emo rap roots while showing off his singing voice. t-mix is Tohji’s return to cloud rap and seems to serve as the intro for a new mixtape series. On Instagram, he implies that more t-mixes will be coming in the future. While t-mix is familiar ground for Tohji, it’s easy to see that cloud rap is his most comfortable element.
On the best song on the album, “Super Ocean Man”, the Banvox-assisted production transitions between hip-hop and EDM seamlessly. The addictive humming samples with the pounding bassline call to mind the summery waves found on “POOLSIDE”. With flanger effects, breakdowns, and loops, the production comfortably flows with Tohji’s airy rapping. t-mix doesn’t just show off Tohji’s rapping, however. “UFO” is a dreamy closer with Mechatok’s futuristic synths dripping down Tohji’s singing voice as it echoes through falsettos. While there are moments like “nerunerunerune” where the vocals just echo far too long, the end result never wavers from his vision. t-mix sometimes slows down with its skits but the ethereal, dreamscape that Tohji creates is still captivating. The sharp production gives t-mix an edge of polish that Tohji’s music hasn’t had before. With so many notable features, it feels like Tohji is finally breaking out of the underground. It’s exciting to see where the t-mix series goes from here and where Tohji decides to take his sound next.
Must Listens: Super Ocean Man, Twilight Zone, ULTRA RARE
