Mo’ Wax — Where Are They Now: El-Malo (1993)
Mo’ Wax was a record label started by James Lavelle in 1992, which closed about ten years later. Initially they released 12" singles and licensed a compilation from Japan of Japanese Hip Hop, until 1994 when they began releasing albums of their artists original work. While some of these artists such as DJ Shadow, DJ Krush, and Money Mark continued releasing music after Mo’ Wax closed, others have seemingly disappeared from the music scene. In this series I will look at each artist on Mo’ Wax and try to find out where are they now…
In 1993 the Japanese duo El-Malo released the El-Malo EP on Mo’ Wax, and also appeared on the Jazz Hip Jap compilations. The Jazz Hip Jap compilations were originally two volumes released in Japan beginning in 1992, which were later combined into one for a Jazz Hip Jap release on Mo’ Wax also in 1993. El-Malo’s Sling And Solution appeared on the original first volume, while They Cuss, I Fuss featured on volume two. They were then given their own mini album in Japan, titled Dagger To Fool, which featured the title track and some remixes.
The Mo’ Wax El-Malo EP release collects these tracks together, while Sling And Solution and They Cuss, I Fuss both appear on Mo’ Wax’s Jazz Hip Jap album as well. The linear notes from the EP describe El-Melo’s sound as “new school japanese fusion, a mixture of leftfield Brazillian, jazz & phunk samples with beatz ’n’ weird psychadelic guitar & reverb shit!”
The group was a collaboration between Ryuichiro Yunoki and Shigekazu Aida, first appearing in 1991 on a Godzilla tribute album where they performed a Ska rendition of the Godzilla theme song.
In 1993, following their appearance on Jazz Hip Jap, they released their debut album, Starship In Worship, in Japan on Bellissima Records, a sub label for Toy’s Factory. The group’s second album was produced by Keigo Oyamada (aka Cornelius), and El-Malo went on to release a total of six albums, and two mini albums, with their final album released in 2008 which immediately went to #1 in the HMV Shibuya Indie Chart.
Three months after their final album together, both members released solo albums on the same day, June 18 2008. Their release was proceeded by the announcement on June 16 that Shigekazu Aida was leaving El-Malo, with the decision reportedly made in 2007 when their final album was being planned. At the time their current record label, Traffic, announced that the final album would make a trilogy with the group’s new solo albums.
Both Ryuichiro Yunoki and Shigekazu Aida had previously worked with other artists throughout their careers, but their 2008 albums were each the first time either had gone solo. For Ryuichiro Yunoki’s album, Nevaeva, the album was likened to “Radiohead, Portishead, Talking Heads” by the labels Harry Yoshida, who felt Nevaeva was “undoubtedly a historic masterpiece.” The album featured Cornelius on the song Summer Phase, as well as Keiichi Sokabe, Eiko Ishibashi, and AxSxE (NATSUMEN) across the album. Following his debut, Ryuichiro Yunoki has not released another solo album, making it his only solo release to date. In 2015 he formed ONEshowBOYS with Arata Inoue, which is still active, though their most recent gig for May 2020 was cancelled due to the Corona Virus. Most recently Yunoki has taken part in an album to raise money for a music venue which closed due to the virus.
Shigekazu Aida released his solo album, So It Goes,in 2008 and followed it with Pink Greande in 2010. Outside of his solo career Aida previously contributed to Hiroshi Fujiwara’s Nothing Much Better To Do album, Natural Calamity‘s Lust In The Dust, and played guitar for Nigo on the Bape Heads Tour 2000. Aida has also been a member of Foe, who formed in 1999 but seem to have been quiet since 2012, and was a member of Hige from 2010 until around 2013. Currently Aida is a member of Dubforce, a group which features Gota Yashiki of Melon and Major Force fame, who released their debut album in 2019. Aida continues to work as a musician and producer, and has contributed to films and advertising throughout his career.
While it was reported that when Shigekazu Aida left El-Malo the group would continue in a new form led by Ryuichiro Yunoki, nothing has been released under the El-Malo name since 2008. The pair did reunite in 2018 when Shigekazu Aida held a concert named Great Aygon Festival and Ryuichiro Yunoki appeared as a guest, but no new El-Malo has been announced.
