BOTANICA is the newly established Japanese label created by DJ/ Producer, Iori Wakasa. It was formed for him to utilize it as a foundation for the realization of his own unique, artistic expression. And now, he has the pleasure to announce his label’s inaugural title with the release of his own BOTANICA EP. Born in 1988 in a rural Japanese city surrounded by mountains and the sea with a mild climate, Iori grew up playing RPGs with a father who was a devoted game aficionado. And he was introduced to electronic music through game music from an early age and formed his musical sensibilities through playing the classical piano around the same time. Influenced by the spirituality and idiosyncrasies of punk rock and ethnic and indigenous music in his youth, also gradually influenced by the Tokyo club scene and the music, it didn't take him long before he made the choice to start DJing at the age of 17 and soon afterwards, started exploring the path of music production as a form of self-expression. Iori set up Botanica to convey 2 main concepts of 'presenting music that provides each listener with their own viewpoint' and ‘to construct a fusion between 'nature' and 'man-made objects and human activity’. Through the experience of traveling around Japan, Europe and Asia and connecting with people of different languages and cultures, he became to appreciate that music transcends all languages and grooves, and the framework in which he would like to shape his perspective and embody it as his way of life is what he envisions as the vital expression for BOTANICA, The two tracks and the artwork included in this first EP are the first steps towards hopefully chronicling the story of the vortex that he resides in now and the new forest that he plans to weave in the future with his label. 'The Pure Land' means in Japanese 'Gokuraku-Jodo (= a space where you can live in bliss)', but in English it is closer to 'utopia' or 'paradise'. However, 'The Pure Land' is a musical work that evokes a hypnotic and pleasant euphoria through the gradual layering of multiple rhythms and soft particles of spatial sound design. It is also shaped with the aim of liberating the listener and guiding them towards their primal self. In contrast, 'Lunar Down' expresses the changes that occur in the human state of mind during the extended period from moonrise to moonset especially when the moon sets from its zenith and is completed with a focus on maximum dance floor impact via an inner voice that resonates in the brain that echoes throughout a well-textured bass line and rhythm track. The artwork for the front cover of this EP was created by SHINOZAKI HILOSHI, an illustrator who has been traveling and painting to express his true way of life that he learnt in the 10+ years of commuting between Tokyo (the end) and the Hawaii Islands (the beginning), and the graphic designer hiro, who stands by Iori`s side as his life partner and as the person who understands him the best. Iori`s first steps are complemented by the label design and art direction by graphic designer hiro, who stands by his side as his life partner and most understanding partner, and the proof is the physical cut, which is presented as the foundation for the future. VITAL SALES POINTS: - First release from BOTANICA based in Tokyo, Japan by Iori Wakasa. - He regularly DJs in Japan as well as around the world and in the past, has performed at a number of parties and festivals throughout Japan as well as done 2 successful European tours and has gone to a number of Asian countries such as Indonesia,Vietnam, and South Korea. - Botanica's main priority is to put an emphasis in releasing top quality 12 Inches on vinyl with highly artistically captivating designs. - Iori Wakasa has previously released his works on Steve Bug's Dessous, Satoshi Tomiie's Saw Recordings, Get Physical, Highgrade, Sound Of Vast, Vaal's Baastard, Unknown Season. - He has also done remixes for prominent producers such as Satoshi Tomiie, Rick Wade, Zoe Xenia, Vaal, Foog, Tom Conrad, Satoshi Fumi, Ben Hoo, Guido Nemola, Franco Bianco and others. - Iori`s past releases has also been supported by Radio Slave, Steve Bug, Move D, Ame, Dixon, Trus'Me, Satoshi Tomiie, Chateau Flight, Sis, Pezzner, Sleep D, Gonno, Atjazz, Ben Watt, Levon Vincent, Luke Hess, Matthew Dear, Rick Wade, Delano Smith, John Digweed, Richie Hawtin, Osunlade, Nic Fanciulli, Luciano, Kerri Chandler, Dyed Soundorom, Alex Celler, Dubfire, DJ T, Reboot, Robert Owens, Steve Lawler, Jimpster, Peter Dundov, Daniel Wang, Gorge, Shur-i-kan, Robert Babicz, Vaal, Joris Voorn, Andre Crom, Don WIlliams, M.A.N.D.Y, Ray Okpara, Ian Pooley, Stacey Pullen, Matt Tolfrey, Chida, Satoshi Fumi and others.