Talented  French producer Joakim has announced the upcoming release of his 4th album, Samurai, out on Tigersushi and Because Music on March 17th.

The album, which was inspired (in part) by Yukio Mishima’s book, Hagakure: Samurai Ethics & Modern Japan, is a follow-up to the acclaimed 2014 LP, Tropics of Love.

Joakim has also released a playful video for ‘Numb’, an upcoming track from Samurai. Directed by Adrian Yu, it is a parody of YouTube make-up videos, and sees Joakim straight-facedly telling the viewer that he is going to show them a technique called “numb”, because he “doesn’t really feel [himself] without it.” The video then performs a cheeky, strangely enthralling version of the ‘one-take’ video, as we watch Joakim be made up in full Kabuki ‘war paint’.

A promising start by the French artist to what should be one of the most exciting early releases of 2017.