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KEXP Presents: Shugo Tokumaru

KEXP's session with Japanese musician Shugo Tokumaru would be charming in any language. On his albums, the young multi-instrumentalist meticulously crafts every aspect by himself, and he's reported to have used more than 100 different instruments in his recordings. Live in the studio here, he's backed by a small army of musicians who wield a colorful arsenal of tiny plastic whistles, toy xylophones, bird whistles and more. The band even brings along a clown puppet.

Performing "Rum Hee" from Tokumaru's fourth album Port Entropy, these players create an incredibly whimsical environment. Even if you don't understand Japanese, Tokumaru's bright, breezy single defies getting lost in translation.

Watch KEXP's entire session with Shugo Tokumaru on KEXP's YouTube channel.

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Janice Headley