DJ Oonops Presents: Japanese Jazz Fusion Trio Nautilus' De La Soul "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays" Cover/Remix (Oonops Drops Vol. 2)

"So, I asked Toshi[yuki Sasaki] from Nautilus because of his creative Jazz style and singer Fleur Earth, who I had in mind as the voice for this version to [fully] realize it for me. And yes, there will be another cool re-interpretation of a classic tune... I'll keep you updated," DJ Oonops told The Witzard roughly two years ago. He was talking about Nautilus & Fleur Earth's Beastie Boys "Root Down" cover from Oopops Drops Vol. 1; at the time, the part about "another cool re-interpretation of a classic tune..." was largely irrelevant, but now, all of a sudden, it has become relevant! DJ Oonops is currently assembling Oopops Drops Vol. 2 for a September release on Hanover, Germany-based Agogo Records—an "extensive compilation covering genres from Dub, Jazz, Funk, Soul to Beats & Hip Hop"—and has unleashed "another cool re-interpretation." This time, Oonops has paired Japanses Jazz Fusion trio Nautilus up with Japanese songstress Kei Owada, Canadian emcee Abdominal, and German producer glueset for a cover/remix of De La Soul's 1991 single, "A Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturdays'" from DE LA SOUL is dead originally released on Tommy Boy.


For the purposes of Nautilus' single, now fittingly re-titled as "Rollerskating Jam Named "Sundays,'" DJ Oonops has released a digital single version of the B-side from Agogo Records' upcoming 7-inch. While Side A will feature Nautilus' stripped down version of De La Soul's "A Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturdays,"' as well as The U.M.C.'s "One to Grow On," Side B will feature glueset's remix of Nautilus' original instrumental re-interpretation, this time, with Abdominal & Kei Owada. It's a jarring re-vision, which seemingly retains the whole "old school rollerskating jam" feel of De La & The Native Tongues' original, yet, much like "Root Down," adds a whole new 2019 flip to an undisputed Conscious Hip-Hop classic. Nautilus' "Rollerskating Jam Named "Sundays'" White Vinyl 7-inch is currently available to pre-order from Agogo Records' Bandcamp page and the glueset Remix from Side B is now streaming. Both "Rollerskating Jam Named "Sundays'" & Oonops Drops Vol. 2, on which Nautilus' single will re-appear, will be properly released on Agogo Records starting Friday, September 25, 2019.

"I had this idea of a cover version of De La Soul; plus, a little part of The U.M.C.'s. So, I asked my friends Nautilus (Kei Owada is featured on their album.) So. I thought it would be an interesting twist on this classic to have a Japanese vocal part in it. Next, I thought about the dope Rap style of Abdominal from Canada. Last step, was to get a heavy drums version for the dancefloor; besides DJ'ing and hosting my radio show, I'm a professional product designer and work together with glueset, who is a [serious] vinyl digger and producer—and graphic designer... he did the cover design for my compilations, [Oonops Drops Vol. 1 & 2, too—so, it was clear for me to ask him for this remix."

- Oonops (@dj_oonops)