Yasushi Ide

Yasushi Ide is a Japanese street icon, once called "the Guru of Shibuya-kei" in the '90s, a movement blending eclectic pop styles with artists like Cornelius, Pizzicato Five, and Original Love. (Ide also managed Original Love and Kenji Ozawa.) Throughout his career, he built a global network, collaborating with legends such as Josh Milan (Blaze), Don Letts (punk-reggae pioneer), and Jeff Mills (Detroit techno legend), releasing music through his label, Grand Gallery.

In 2020, during the pandemic, Ide launched the Cosmic Suite project, reconstructing music Jeff Mills had created for violinist Chieko Kinbara. The 36-minute space-themed track received acclaim both in Japan and overseas, marking a new chapter in his career.

In 2022, Ide released Cosmic Suite 2, adding vocals to the original instrumental. Guest artists include Afrika Bambaataa, Don Letts, Josh Milan, DJ Krush, Tony Allen, Style Scott, and Gota Yashiki. The album also features key figures from Japan's underground scene like Kan Takagi (Major Force), Kaoru Inoue (Chari Chari), Fantastic Plastic Machine, and Calm.

Known for his broad musical range, Ide is also acclaimed as a dub artist; his dub version of Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" was selected for Late Night Tales mixed by Don Letts in 2021. His music reflects Tokyo's melting pot of Dub, Jazz, House, Hip Hop, Afrobeat, Punk Rock, and Techno — an avant-garde sound uniquely his own.