Review from XLR8R

Is it a rule that abstract electronic labels must launching with limited-edition compilations? Japan's SAAG Records will be excused for following rules, because Anchor and Hiiro are filled with top-notch beats and melodies.

Some of the featured names, like Logreybeam and Octopus Inc. will be familiar from labels like Merck and Schematic, but plenty of unknowns from the Japan scene round things out. Hiiro is more beat-oriented, epitomized by Julien Neto's "Amenimo", which stretches grainy pads over whispers in Japanese and triplet taps, while Anchor favors beat-less soundscapes like Toshiaki Ooi's spacious, strange "Energy in Woods".

Review from DE:BUG

Eine Compilation eines neuen Japanischen Labels voller ruhiger digitaler Musik die auch schon mal klassische Aspekte haben kann, mal mit knorpeligen Beats kickt, dann wieder fiepsig und verschwommen sich irgendwo in den Meeren der Moglichkeiten herumtummelt, oder klingelnd konkret mit dieser Art von verzauberten Loops arbeitet, die man sich in der eigenen Umgebung zusammengeklaubt hat, aber hinterher klingen wie Oval auf Speed. Eine CD die von Track zu Track besser wird und auf der es einige Leute wie Prosswell, Toshiaki Ooi, Ilkae oder Sabi zu entdecken gibt. (Aufnahmekriterium fur die CD scheint irgendwie gewesen zu sein schon mal was auf Merck veroffentlicht zu haben.)

Review from Staal Plaat "VITAL WEEKLY" (#360)

Japan appears to be a hotbed of emerging, young talent in abstract electronic music these days. Saag Records just released its first album/compilation, "Anchor", which contains artists from around the globe. Several of the artists are affiliated with some well know labels as M3rck, U-Cover and Schematic Records to name a few.

The compilation ranges from melodic and dark idm to beautiful sound collage and textural ambient pieces. Some of the artists on Anchor that have made an impact in the industry are Proswell, Ilkae and Sense. Ooi's "energy in woods" is one of the standout tracks on "Anchor". "energy in woods" is a well constructed folk/electronic track reminiscent of the crispness of Gel, the playfulness of Takagi Masakatsu and the folkness of Gel's newest project, dorine_muraillee on Fatcat Records. "energy in woods" contains filtered piano and bells, which float around pleasant clicks and pin pricks that tickle the ears. Kiyoshi Ono's "rcta" contains tight and gritty beats that help mold his dark melodies. Anchor's monster track is Sense's "simple jam", which is anything but simple. The track is filled with clusters of tones weaving through thick, muddy dubscapes, piled on top of rigid beats.

SaagRecords should be placed in the record bin near labels like Active Supspension, Progressive Form, Carpark and of course M3rck. Pure ear candy!

Review from IGLOO MAGAZINE

There is obvious diversity in the sound of Anchor, a compilation that is both interesting and quite listenable on the relatively young Saag record label.

Starting with a longer chilled out track from Logreybeam, this sort of low-fi ambience sets a good tone for what's ahead. Proswell's contribution has a sound you can surely expect if you've heard his album on Merck Records called Konami -- stretched atmospheres that make for an enjoyable and thorough listen. One of the finest tracks comes from Energy In Woods. Both tracks by Toshiaki Ooi from this compilation and also the track released on Desk Elephant are excellent -- the sound can be explained as experimental improvisation combined with micro noises. Ilkae's track is based on a simple repetitive loop that is quite effective (You can also find more of his work with labels like Civik and Neo Ouija). The killer-track on Anchor could be Sense's "Simple Jam", a perfect mix of pop ambience with a simple & memorable rhythm. Anchor ends with a rhythmic space ambient track from Epoq (Surgery/Corewatch fame). Anchor also features cuts from Somshit, MD, Kiyoshi Ono and Sabi, so you definitely get your money's worth.

Overall, this compilation bares a general sound that is more experimental and less pop variation from the amazing indie-electronic sound coming from labels like Morr Music and City Centre Offices. Definitely looking forward to the future compilation and album releases from Saag.

Review from FAKEZINE

First touch with this interesting label was their really cute designed site that gave me feeling that their sound is equaled cute. Quiet nice list of artist that produces fine experimental sounds compiled on this Japanese label saag.

On anchor compilation (first release on saag) you can find more know artists, like proswell or more unknown like someshit and logreybeam. If we dig deeper into sound of the comp we can find sound that spreads from fine ambient soundscapes like first track dokama by lograybeam or 4 matins from proswell to glitchy moments of toshiaki ooi on track energy in woods. There is also some rhythmic stuff that shows different approach of saag sound, like track victurm from somshit that is quiet warp oriented or really sweet track lofing brown by ilkae. There is also some deep dark ambient stuff like ceylon tiles from sabi or mellow ambient rhythmic stuff from sense and epoq.

Most of the tracks are maybe in conventional region of ambient sound that at least we can say its heard by now but at the very own end complete feeling of this comp is that this is very good start for label which intention is digging in new approaches in ambiental structures of sound. Waiting for their second comp and first full-length release.