A Cinematic Martial Arts Extravaganza from Seoi Nage

An immense new album release from Seoi Nage brings out a soundscape that I can honestly say I haven't quite heard before because they are blending these series of genres and bringing in an incredibly cinematic backbone to the table, along with layers of funk, soul, jazz, and more, and the entire thing just jives and gets your body moving.

This record has a unique approach. The soundscapes of more than half of it are completely vintage cinematic aesthetics. To me, this is incredible because of how well they nail that sound down to the point where it gives me these strange bouts of nostalgia. It feels like watching old martial arts movies late at night alone on the couch.

They blend those sets of horns and orchestrated martial arts movie sounds together with explosions of funk jams, and the whole thing just flows incredibly.

The record is called No Retreat, No Surrender. 

The very first track you get introduced to on the record is called "Gongs, Fists & Symbols", which right off the bat gives you this crazy bass line that jams out, brings that funk underbelly to the forefront, laced with these keys and a crazy vintage sound effect that wobbles and waves throughout the track. It's quite trippy but also really addictive.

Organs wail in the background, and right from the start, you get an idea of this gorgeous blend of approaches the record is going to portray.

The album is kind of like a concept record, and as you go through the songs, you can see that this whole thing is actually supposed to be like a theatrical or cinematic martial arts extravaganza.

It's got all kinds of great samples in there, and certain tracks hit hard and bring on this killer atmosphere that you get pulled right into.

"Caine vs Shaolin Bounty Hunter" is one of my favorite tracks because it gives a lot of these staples in one set.

The whole thing is so incredibly lush, and there are so many layers to soak in throughout this record.

Certain tracks bring out some outstanding guitar work that blends that funk and soul with plenty of jazz undertone, but never strays from the classic martial arts cinema Factor, and this is something that I absolutely adore because I haven't really heard anything that hits me this way. I'm not sure I've ever heard a record based on classic martial arts cinema before, and composed of original music.

"Enter The Dragon" is a song that wrapped itself around me really well. This track is very guitar-focused; the drumming is incredible. Full on jazz classic style with amazing time signatures, changes, fills, and it just gives a liveliness to the music in a very particular way.

The guitar work on this track in particular is absolutely outstanding as it creates layers of those textures and Sonic presents along with the vintage Grit that the entire thing gives off.

The title track of the record, which is actually the closing track on the whole thing, is another one that just makes your body move. The grooves on all of these songs make you think of a combination of those classic cinematic approaches, jazz, and almost hip-hop chill style. But, of course, it's riddled with all this other instrumentation that comes into play.

Actually has the Enter the Dragon soundtrack on vinyl, and I have watched numerous martial arts films late at night by myself, growing up in the 80s and having even interviewed martial arts film masters like Eric Lee, Don the Dragon Wilson, and more. This record hit an incredible sweet spot for me.

This is for anyone who likes inventive, experimental, jazz, funk, or soul, chill, orchestrated, and Theatrical music, along with anyone at all who loves vintage martial arts filmography.

If you're any of these types of people, you absolutely do not want to miss this because you'll be pulled right in, and you will be brought into this World in a heartbeat.

Check this out now and listen to the entire album from start to finish because that's the way it was meant to be heard. Again, it's almost like a concept record,  a cinematic martial arts concept album. An absolute opus of a release.

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