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Album Details

• Artist: The Retail Sectors
• Single:
The First Step To End The Life (remix)
• Label: Hidden Shoals
• Year of Release: 2007
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: mschmitt on 2008-01-07

One of the most exciting artists to release work through Hidden Shoals, The Retail Sectors is the project name for Kentaro Togawa. Born in Yamanashi, Japan, Togawa began making music at the age of 15—finding most of his inspiration from the music of the Final Fantasy video games and the cinematic soundtracks of Joe Hisaishi. The eclectic young man also works under the moniker The Wholesale Sectors.

The First Step To End The Life single is taken from The Retail Sectors’ mini-album Foregone Conclusion—which includes collaboration and remixes from the likes of Maps and Diagrams, Headphone Science, and Si Begg. Begg, whose remix of “The First Step To End The Life” is featured on this release, has described Togawa’s work as “Radiohead meets Philip Glass.”

The remix is very reminiscent of Radiohead, in that the track combines ambient instrumentals with a subtle dance-floor backdrop. As “The First Step To End The Life” progresses through its four minutes, the song smoothly develops and grows, developing into a shimmering orb of catchy melodies. Like a series of rolling hills, Si Begg takes Togawa’s work through a series of lulls and climaxes, gracefully leading the listener amongst relaxing yet invigorating sonic landscapes.

This bodes well for Togawa, who has yet another full-length due out in early 2008 through his Symbolic Interaction—his own label. The busy music-maker will surely shape a bright future out of his scintillating music.

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