Yamato Shows His Essential with Latest Release!

Essentials EP Jacket Cover

DJ/producer Yamato is dropping his biggest release of 2022 in Essentials EP. Having worked for Pioneer as a technical developer of Pioneer CDJ series, he has an unrivaled competitive advantage few other artists can touch. A keen sense of songwriting, a brand-savvy skillset, and an ability to surround himself with the right team makes it clear as to why he’s achieved so much in his internationally acclaimed career.

With over 30 million views on YouTube, Yamato not only began uploading to the platform early, but showcased clever live DJing video themes which resulted in the attention of a worldwide audience. Showcasing his incredible long-form DJ sets in a gorgeous setting using a multi-camera set up, Yamato was able to create lucious eye-candy videos that kept YouTubers coming back for more and demanding more of this content. The series has become one of several breaking points in a chain of successful stages this artist has journeyed through.

With the lockdown era coming to a close globally, Yamato’s goal with Essentials EP is to stir up energy within the listener and close the secluded, adverse chapter of their recent past.  Featuring vocal collaborators Mike Macdermid and Poe Leos, the experience is jam-packed with uplifting, positive melodies while still sticking close to the roots of Yamato's signature sound.

Featuring Mike Macdermid, title track “Essential,” launches with a shining, heavenly disposition. Piano House and electro-inspired sound design backs up a moment capturing mood brought about through the lyrics. A build up hits and transitions the song to a melodic drop, taking the single to a peak moment. The section showcases deep house influences, as the previous sections rinse and repeat, giving Macdermid an ability to continue onward.

Yamato also released a music video for “Essential” which you can check below along with the streaming link for Essentials EP here!

Music Corner EX: Yamato

Yamato is an impossibly highly skilled DJ and producer, who has redefined the boundaries of CDJ mixing who got his start in 2011.  Just two years after his DJ debut, Yamato took first place in the burn WORLD DJ CONTEST 2013 JAPAN competition, which was sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company. Soon after, during the burn STUDIOS RESIDENCY global contest held in Ibiza, Spain, he was selected by the late superstar DJ Avicii to co-star at the burn YARD in Budapest festival in Hungary, becoming the first Japanese artist to perform with Avicii. Since then, Yamato has been a fixture at clubs and large festivals in Japan and around the world.

Yamato’s outstanding skills with a Pioneer CDJ deck are an incredible sight to behold – if you’ve never seen him perform live, check out a video on YouTube to see this master at work. The video “CDJ-2000NXS2 & DJM-900NXS2 Performance”, which stars Yamato and was produced by Pioneer DJ Global to promote its 2017 model deck, has racked up 13 million views on YouTube. Watching Yamato perform on four CDJ decks and manipulating a wide array of controls and effects at lightning speed, you’ll be astonished by his deft abilities – before you know it, you’ll have lost yourself in the beat, and the 4-minute video will be over, ready for you to cue it up again.

In February 2021, Yamato was asked by Pioneer DJ to create a series of videos with tips and tutorials on how to improve your DJ technique, using Pioneer’s most advanced CDJ model, the CDJ-3000. The series, titled Yamato - CDJ-3000 DJ Tips, is published weekly on Yamato’s YouTube channel, running every Friday for 10 weeks from February 12 through April 16 2021.

But Yamato’s talents extend beyond performing as a DJ. In March 2021, his song “Blaze” was used in a promotional tourism video aimed at attracting visitors to the city of Nagoya. The track incorporates the sound of the taishogoto, a traditional instrument that is sometimes call the ‘Nagoya harp’, into a high-tempo dance tune, fusing the tradition of yesterday with the sound of tomorrow.

Since 2019, Yamato’s tracks “Level One” and “Level 2” have been featured in Konami’s arcade game beatmania IIDX. “Level 2” was so popular that it ranked in the trending chart on Twitter in Japan – yet another glimpse of the many talents of this unique electronic musician. While “Blaze”, “Level One” and “Level 2” have not yet been released to download or stream, but check out Yamato’s YouTube channel to experience his unmatched DJ skills in action!

Be sure to check out the Yamato’s official website, Twitter, and Instagram, along with the DJ performance of his track “Autumn” below!