Go Kurosawa: soft shakes [Album Review]

Go Kurosawa
soft shakes
Guruguru Brain [2025]

“A sketchbook of sound that feels loose, playful, and alive—Go Kurosawa at his most instinctive, with every track a new doorway.”

Album Overview: Go Kurosawa—drummer, vocalist, and co-founder of Kikagaku Moyo, as well as the mind behind the Guruguru Brain label—has spent the last decade shaping the global psychedelic underground. With soft shakes, his first true solo record, he finally steps out alone. Recorded during his last stretch living in Rotterdam before moving home to Japan, the album feels like both a farewell and a fresh start. Instead of a grand statement, it’s more like flipping through a sonic sketchbook: playful, curious, and full of unexpected turns. Kurosawa plays everything himself, picking up whatever instrument is nearby, following instinct more than plan. The result is loose but purposeful—a diary of transition set to sound.

Musical Style: The record drifts between psych wanderings, folk-tinged strums, funky grooves, and lounge-like textures. Acoustic guitar might melt into fuzz, while horns, percussion, and keyboards swirl in and out like guests in a revolving doorway. It’s eclectic but never chaotic, tied together by Kurosawa’s steady pulse and knack for keeping momentum even when the vibe shifts.

Evolution of Sound: Kikagaku Moyo thrived on collective improvisation; soft shakes trades that dynamic interplay for solitude. Here, Kurosawa layers one idea over another until a song takes shape. That shift makes the music feel more intimate, sometimes even fragile, but also brimming with surprise. It’s the sound of an ensemble player learning how to carry the whole conversation himself—and enjoying the freedom of it.

Artists with Similar Fire: If you’re into Broadcast’s dreamy collages, Haruomi Hosono’s playful solo wanderings, or Dungen’s kaleidoscopic genre-mixing, you’ll like this record. There are flashes of early Animal Collective in the loose, exploratory flow and even some Khruangbin-like ease in the way the grooves stretch out.

Pivotal Tracks: “Moon, Please” opens with beats front and center while Kurosawa’s vocals drift deep in the mix, pulling you gently into his world. “Jungle Cooking” is one of the livelier cuts, its horns and vocals giving it a buoyant, almost celebratory sway. “Autowalk” shows his fascination with movement, turning a simple loop into a hypnotic meditation. Closing track “Cloud Rock” cranks up the guitars for a raw, climactic finale—proof he hasn’t forgotten how to turn up the psych heat.

Lyrical Strength: Lyrics pop up sparingly and mostly act as texture, adding to the dreamlike haze rather than pushing a narrative. That choice leaves space for listeners to project their own stories, making the album feel personal and universal all at once.

Final Groove: soft shakes is both a departure and a beginning: the first time Go Kurosawa has let himself be the band, the producer, and the voice all at once. It’s not about polish or perfection—it’s about instinct, discovery, and the thrill of trying something new. For longtime fans, it’s a reminder of his restless creativity; for newcomers, it’s a welcoming entry point into his world. Either way, this record sets the stage for whatever comes next in Japan, where Kurosawa is already building a new studio and a new chapter. You get the sense this is just the opening sketch, and the real mural is still to come.

KIKAGAKU MOYO REVIEW HISTORY
Kumoyo Island (2022) / Live At Levitation (2021) / Deep Fried Grandeur w/ Ryley Walker (2021)

GO KUROSAWA LINKS
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp | Guruguru Brain