• Music

    Paniyolo + Akio Watanabe – 家並み – Yanami

    June 23, 2024 - By 

    From the release’s Bandcamp site: “A guitarist Paniyolo and a steelpan player Akio Watanabe are releasing a duo album “Yanami (The row of houses)”. Based on the 11 sketches, they have painted a space kept in tranquil atmosphere with a guitar and a steelpan, each sketch has a glimpse of subject what could be found as you spent more time at home. Focused on the familiar daily life environment that we have overlooked, each piece of music is written with margins and lingering sound. This album is released for the first time in four years, since their release of previous…

  • Music

    Hatis Noit – Aura

    June 19, 2024 - By 

    Compared to the human voice, everything else is mimicry.  Hatis Noit is an Japanese artist working out of London whose experimental vocal works compare favorably to artists like Laurie Anderson and the ever-wonderful Anna Homler.  It’s a strangely soothing listen.

  • Music

    WaJazz: Japanese Jazz Spectacle Vol.I – Deep, Heavy and Beautiful Jazz from Japan 1968-1984 – The Nippon Columbia Masters – Selected by Yusuke Ogawa (Universounds)

    June 10, 2024 - By 

    From the Wajazz Series Bandcamp page: “Universounds, HMV Record Shop and 180g team up for an exceptional release: from blazing hard bop to free jazz, to introspective saxophone solos and massive big band sounds, renowned Japanese jazz expert Yusuke Ogawa presents an essential 14 track collection of “WaJazz” music taken from the Nippon Columbia vaults. Featuring Jiro Inagaki, Minoru Muraoka, Hiroshi Suzuki, Hozan Yamamoto, Count Buffalo, Takeshi Inomata, and much more!”

  • Music

    Norio Maeda “Rock Communication Yagibushi” LP – Gatefold sleeve and 2pp Insert (Black Vinyl)

    June 5, 2024 - By 

    Folks, this is another stunner from our friends at Wewantsounds!  Norio Maeda’s sound crosses funky Blaxploitation grooves with music you would find from a 70s ‘krimi’ soundtrack out of Italy or Germany.  Expect to find heavyweight vinyl with gorgeous packaging.  This one is NOT to be missed!  Check out the Youtube link above to get a taste of what is coming your way.

  • Music

    Chiyomi Yamada – Gilyak Songs

    May 27, 2024 - By 

    From Chiyomi Yamada’s Bandcamp site: “Piano songs by the Japanese composer Akira Ifukube (1914–2006), interpreted by , voice, and Reiko Yamada, piano. Ifukube, who also composed the theme song of “Godzilla”, wrote these magical pieces based on traditional songs from native tribes of northern Japan. The sound and style of this music are somewhere between western contemporary and eastern traditional music, creating a unique fusion of musical and aesthetic elements. The piano songs are complemented with an epic piece for classical guitar solo by Ifukube, played by the Dutch guitarist David van Ooijen.”

  • Music

    Fumio Itabashi – Watarase

    March 16, 2024 - By 

    Our friends over at Wewantsounds have released a post-bop gem by pianist Fumio Itabashi which will be available in April 5th, 2024.  From their Bandcamp site: “Wewantsounds is delighted to reissue Fumio Itabashi’s sought-after album “Watarase” hailed as one of the great Japanese jazz albums and featuring Itabashi on piano playing an inspired mix of standards and originals. Recorded in 1981 for Denon and released the following year, the album has since reached cult status among jazz connoisseurs, thanks to Itabashi’s inventive piano playing and to its cult title track, a superb soulful and spiritual composition. Newly remastered by Nippon…

  • Music

    Various Artists – Funk Tide – Tokyo Jazz-Funk From Electric Bird 1978-87

    February 8, 2024 - By 

    From our incredible friends at Wewantsounds, we have another scorching compilation of Japanese jazz-funk.  From the label’s Bandcamp site: “Following the success of the ‘Tokyo Glow’ compilation, Wewantsounds once again teams up with Japanese Tokyo-based DJ Notoya to dig the rich Electric Bird catalogue and come with a versatile selection of sunny Jazz-Funk gems recorded between 1978 and 1987 for the label. A tasty selection featuring Yasuaki Shimizu, Toshiyuki Honda and Mikio Masuda, together with a few American musicians such as Ronnie Foster and Bobby Lyle. Most tracks make their debut outside of Japan and the album has been designed…

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    Meat Beat Manifesto & Merzbow – Extinct

    February 6, 2024 - By 

    Neither Merzbow nor Meat Beat Manifesto will need no introduction to connoisseurs of either Industrial music or the sound that made Wax Trax! Records famous.  I never, in my wildest dreams, thought that these two would join forces for an album, and, miracle of miracles, their styles actually work well together.

  • Music

    Various Artists – Alex from Tokyo presents Japan Vibrations Vol.1

    February 5, 2024 - By 

    From the World Famous Records Bandcamp Site: “Dive into the exhilarating era of Japan’s electronic dance music scene from the mid ’80s to the mid ’90s with Japan Vibrations Vol. 1. The hand-picked collection by DJ and musical storyteller Alex from Tokyopays homage to the trailblazers and innovators who shaped the landscape. […] Experience the vibrations of pioneers Haruomi Hosono, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Yasuaki Shimizu. Of culture-shaping forces Hiroshi Fujiwara, Kan Takagi, Susumu Yokota, Silent Poets, Mondo Grosso and Kyoto Jazz Massive. And of new-generation artists CMJK (C.T. Scan), Mind Design, Okihide, and Hiroshi Watanabe. The evolution of a scene,…