Japanese artist Sweet William releases an instrumental album and 14 accompanying illustrations

Born in 1990, Japanese beat maker Sweet William has released his newest album Beat Theme. Known for his delicate track making, skilled sampling sensibility, and sonic scenes, this album follows his style using traditional Japanese instruments mixed over old school hip-hop and electronic beats. With an eclectic and multi layered sound, his work appeals to fans of DJ Krush, DJ Shadow, J Dilla, Biship Nehru, and Chester Watson.

Sweet William debuted his solo career with the album Lo One in 2015, featuring collaborations with JIVA Nel MONDO, Warbo, and Tsubaki. Collaborating again with Tsubaki in 2017, their album Jasmine gained heightened popularity in the Japanese hip-hop scene. Earlier albums by Sweet William include Orange (2016), la blanka (2018), Jasmine Instrumentals (2019), and la blanka instruments (2019)—a revisit of his 2018 release. Other albums in his discography include numerous collaborations including Arte Frasco from 2016 which featured artists from Lo One plus Yuya Sato, ANPYO, NF Zessho, and Jimmenusagi, and his previous release Brown from 2019 which featured deep beats collabs with J. Lamotta, kiki vivi lily, and Jambo Lacquer.

Beat Theme holds true to Sweet Williams’ down tempo, hip-hop style and features fourteen instrumental tracks inspired by his memories of beloved music spanning many genres. The album’s cadence is made up of dense musical compositions expressing a range of attitudes and rhythms. Tracks such as ‘Eat Two’ feature stark sounds and hip-hop rhythms that incorporate the entire body and express themselves through the heartbeat of the music. For the album’s release, Sweet William teamed up with Japanese Illustrator Moeno Otsu to create 14 illustrations—one for each track on the album—making this musical work a multi-faceted and interdisciplinary experience.

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Born in 1990, producer / beatmaker from Aichi Prefecture Sweet William took the Japanese hip hop scene by storm alongside Okinawan MC 唾奇 (Tsubaki) - with the release of their album ‘Jasmine’ in 2017.

The release received widespread support, largely for it’s smooth, expertly-crafted beats and head-nodding lyrical wordplay. But in many ways, it is the album’s deep and personal approach that makes it an honest gem of Japanese modern music. The album’s title ‘Jasmine’ refers to the local tea of Okinawa, which has been a favourite drink on the islands since the days of the Ryukyu Kingdom for hundreds of years. The title sums up the sound and feel of the album well: a refreshing and fragrant experience with notes of nostalgia. The release is an invigorating start to finish listen with guest appearances from Fukuoka-born singer Kiki vivi lily and Tokyo rapper Jinmenusagi.

Following up this modern day classic is a recently released fresh perspective on the album - Jasmine Instrumentals. Stripping away all the extras to let Sweet William’s meticulous productions speak for themselves, the album contains velvety keys, crunchy beats and crisp samples. There’s even a bonus beat ‘Walkin’ (above) not previously found on the original album.

’Jasmine Instrumentals’ is highly recommended for any hip hop head, beat scene fan, or someone who just needs a good chill after a long week.

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