Shinichi Osawa, who has been active at the forefront of the global club scene since the 1990s as MONDO GROSSO, has formed a new unit with model, poet, and DJ RHYME, RHYME SO, and the new unit has released their debut single digitally through the New York label 88rising. The artwork for the debut single, "Just Used Music Again," was created by Hajime Sorayama, who first appeared in a show in Tokyo last fall and garnered attention for his collaboration with Dior for the 2019 Men's Pre-Fall Collection.

RHYME SO "Just Used Music Again" album jacket

88rising, the group that released the band, which has performed in Tokyo, Paris, and New York, is a New York-based hybrid media platform that has been promoting Asian culture globally since its founding in 2015. The song will be the pre-release single for the compilation album "Head In The Clouds II," which is scheduled for release on October 11th. Sorayama, who was chosen to create the artwork, said, "I drew a surf girl robot for the outdoor festival (held at Los Angeles State Historic Park in August) and for the album cover. I also approved work from my archives to match their desired image."

88rising's compilation album "Head In The Clouds II" cover


88rising says, "We are honored and excited to be releasing the music of RHYME SO, the legendary Japanese producer Shinichi Osawa and poet/muse RHYME, for the first time!"




Text by Tatsuya Noda