Makoto

Born in Tokyo’s Taitō ward, Makoto — full name Makoto Shimizu — has been developing an electronic style since the late 1990s that sits between drum and bass, jazz, soul, funk and touches of house. Influenced early on by LTJ Bukem and the British drum and bass scene of the late 1990s, he began producing around 1998 and quickly became known for a melodic, fluid and harmonically refined sound. Spotted by Bukem, he released his debut album Human Elements in 2003 on Good Looking Records, followed by Believe In My Soul (2007) and Souled Out (2011), where his approach expanded to incorporate more soul and house textures. Alongside his productions, Makoto has collaborated with artists such as MC Conrad, DJ Marky, Deeizm and S.P.Y, while maintaining a steady DJ presence at clubs and festivals. In 2009 he founded the entities Human Elements and HE:Digital to support his work as a producer and curator. Based in London from 2018, he continued his trajectory with the albums Salvation (2017) and Tomodachi Sessions (2019).