Uchina Slenten Project (Shimas, HARIKUYAMAKU, Higa Itsumi, MARINO) / Akada Shuri Dennai / Tinsagunu Hana (7")

Along with the release of their second album, the album "Uchina Slenten Project / Akada Shuri Dennai / Tinsagunu Hana (7")", which was sold out due to its popularity, will be re-pressed in limited quantities!

The Uchina Sleng Teng project, featuring Okinawan folk songs set to the powerful riddim "Sleng Teng," which revolutionized the reggae world in the 1980s, has finally begun. The long-awaited 7-inch release has been announced!

The DJ unit Shima's (Simmers), comprised of Nu-doh of Churashima Navigator and SHINGO (MC) of ISLAND HERLEM, have released a 7-inch of "Akata Shuri Dennai," an Okinawan folk song set to the riddim "Sleng Teng," which revolutionized the reggae scene in the 1980s. The B-side features "Tinsagunu Hana" by Higa Itsumi (vocals, sanshin) and MARINO (sax), a Miyakojima native who has supported Black Wax and Mariko Hamada. Recording and editing were handled by HARIKUYAMAKU, a representative Okinawan artist.

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Sleng Teng is a monster riddim that sparked a computerized revolution in the Jamaican dancehall scene in the 1980s. In Okinawa, the folk songs "Akatasundunchi" and "Tinsagunu Hana" have been passed down since ancient times as anonymous songs. Shima's DJ Nu-doh has been planning a "Sleng Teng x Okinawa folk song" chanpuru project for 25 years, and it has finally come to fruition. It all began when he "heard Sleng Teng and knew that Okinawan folk songs would be a perfect match in terms of their musical scale." Reggae and Okinawan folk songs are attracted to each other, as seen in the creation of the classic "Bye Bye Okinawa." Perhaps it is in the Okinawan blood that he is able to intuitively sense this. "Akata Shuri Dennai" was originally sung at festivals to welcome Miroku (Miruku) at Shuri Dennai during the Ryukyu Dynasty. Today, it's a beloved children's song, accompanied by musical accompaniments such as "See-ya-pu, see-ya-pu," and is played by children. "Tinsagunu Hana" is a moral song that encourages people to take their parents' teachings to heart. Both songs are typical Okinawan folk songs often heard from a young age, but even those who don't speak Okinawan dialect find themselves humming along to their catchy melodies. The song selection reflects DJ Nu-doh's heartfelt wish to "spread Okinawan songs around the world through accessible songs." Based on the motto of "always meeting, talking, and making music," this project fosters bonds between participating artists and their "doshigwa" (friends) and is a labor of love created through playful play with music and song. After 25 years of hard work, "Uchina Slenten" will take flight into the world in 2024.

Text by Tokue Okabe

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<Participating Artists>

●Shimas

Nu-doh and SHINGO are a DJ unit whose sole purpose is to get people dancing. They are active mainly in Okinawa Prefecture, with their genre-less music selection and explosive energy.

●Itsumi Higa

He began learning the sanshin when he was in elementary school, and would perform at nursing homes and other facilities with his mother. In 2002, he studied under Sakuta Asao, a master of the Nomura School Music Association. After graduating from university, he has performed live Ryukyu folk songs and Ryukyu classical music both within and outside the prefecture and overseas. He is the sixth certified successor of the Okinawa Prefectural Designated Intangible Cultural Property Okinawa Traditional Music Nomura School Preservation Society. He is a master of sanshin and flute at the Ryukyu Classical Music Nomura School Music Association, and a teacher at the Ryukyu Folk Song Association.

●MARINO

Born in Miyakojima. Since 2009, he has been honing his skills mainly at live music venues in the Kansai region. In 2012, he joined the funk jam band Black Wax, based in his hometown of Miyakojima. He has released four albums produced by Makoto Kubota. He has supported numerous musicians and participated in recordings. He is also a member of the Miyako folk song unit Miuni. He is also active in Okinawa, Shimane, and Tokyo, with units including Mariko Hamada and Nao Kodama, and with pianist and folk instrument player Masatomo Utashima.

●HARIKUYAMAKU

Born in Nishihara, Urasoe City, Okinawa Prefecture in 1989, he is a music producer, dub engineer, and DJ. He currently resides at Tower of Dub Studio in Koza. He began his musical career as a bassist, and after exploring rock, hardcore, and numerous overseas travels, released the album "Shima DUB" in 2012, a return to his Okinawan roots. He has since played in bands such as Churashima Navigator, Isatooment, angama, and Gintendan. He has released a split album with Makoto Kubota titled "Kanasu Remixes" (2018), "Oshima Yango Bushi" (2019) with singer Yukino Inamine, and ambient works such as "Subtropica" (2020) and "CHOUJI feat. Ne-Nes - No Woman No Cry" (2021). In 2023, he composed the music for the WOWOW-produced drama series "Fence," written by Akiko Nogi. On November 3rd of the same year, he made his major debut with the album "Mystic Islands Dub," a dub mix of carefully selected old Okinawan songs from "Okinawa Music Collection" (1965).

Side A

1. Inside the Akada Shuri Palace

Side AA

1. Tinsagu Flower

[7"]

Product number: TBV-0051

Released by Tuff Beats

Release date: Wednesday, February 14, 2024