Shigetohas always had the ability to travel between his influences with ease. Whether it’s the sample based pastiche of earlyFour Tet, the compressed murk ofActress, the L.A. beat scene’s disjointed funk or thedusty, downbeat houseof his hometown,Zach Saginawhasbuilton these touchstones and created something truly unique.Saginaw’s landmark 2013 long playerforGhostly,No Better Time Than Now, showcases his penchant for slow moving beats and shifting melodies. As a jumping off point, “Detroit Part 1” delivers one ofShigeto‘s best tracks to date (a Part 2 was finally released onThe New Monday, also highly recommended). While it looks to hip hop, the track trades off some of the grittiness for more subtle flourishes. There are moments like this throughout the record; quiet interludes are upended by more funky affairs, slumping beats are treated to tiny xylophone tones. It’s these juxtapositions that makeNo Better Time Than Nowa great listen, one that has only gotten sweeter with time.

• black vinyl pressing
• full color printed inner sleeve
• digital download included
• music label: Ghostly International 2013

reviewed by Joey Coco 12/2017

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