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July 27, 2005
Other Music
I recently am listening to the following:
Can / Tago Mago (remastered rerelease)
Can / Monster Movie (ditto)
Fleckfumie / Out of Order
Fleckfumie / Ausland
Joni Mitchell / Hejira
Trico! / Love Home
Patrik Torsson / Statements of Facts
Power Shovel Audio
is a new japanese label, though mostly without japanese artists, releasing apparently excellent (from what I have heard) indie acoustic-electronic (acoustatronic? electroustic?) solo artists from abroad in Japan. Patrik Torsson from the above list is one of them, and his Statements of Facts is very very impressive with one caveat (and this may be a heavy barrier to entry for some): You have to get over the fact that he sings a whole lot like Thom Yorke. Apparently, his pervious releases on Swedish label Häpna, have been entirely instrumental, however I have yet to hear them. More about Power Shovel Audio here.
Posted by shane at 03:59 AM
Trico!
A favorite japanese indie avant-electronic label of mine, Flyrec, has just released its first new album in a while. It’s the debut from an artist called Trico!, a japanese female pianist, accordion player, and vocalist. It’s quite good, so please give it a try, and support this excellent label.
Additionally, there was a release party two days ago (Ok, I should have posted this earlier) on the 24th with excellent accompanying artists and labelmates Cinq, Omb, and Kazumasa Hashimoto. Samples of all their releases are conveniently available from this one page.
Posted by shane at 02:58 AM
Back From Vacation And Back On Vacation
The huge gap of entryless time in the last month or so represents a time in life that I would rather not revisit, though nevertheless it culminates in the completion of the VAST project that was the making of the DVD for Hifana’s new album, Channel H, which we (W+KTokyoLab) will release next month (some screens in previous entry).
Before the start of said period of entrylessness, I had a one week break from work, in which my good friend Daniel came to visit Tokyo from Seattle. Together we travelled the country (well, a very small part of it) and had quite a good time. we left for Nagoya with Gunji, Yuko, and Rumie on friday, after he had come in on Thursday. We met other freinds Kenji and Tatsuya down there.
Daniel and myself
Just a modicum of the enormous expo site
Tatsuya was quite kind to accommodate everyone in a ryokan-like fashion, as his family runs an inn which is adjoined to their home, where we stayed for free. Saturday we hit Aichi expo 2005 (too much to say here, perhaps I will follow with a seperate post sometime) and ate at some spectacular unagi restaurant at night.
Sunday, everyone but Daniel and I slept in and then relaxed at a nearby onsen (I was very jealous). The two of us, on the other hand, went back to the expo for a second day. That night we headed home to Tokyo. Monday, tuesday, and wednesday was spent exploring the city, and thursday in Kamakura, followed by dinner with my friend Risa, and drinks at this really great bar in Ebisu called X+Y. On friday, Daniel took the airport shuttle to Narita around noon, and thus ended the festivities.
About three weeks of intense work followed, and starting yesterday, I now find myself on a two week excursion to the great state of California to visit dearly missed and treasured loved ones (sappiness utterly intentional). On the agenda is an impending trip to San Francisco, probably the only place I could live in if I was to move back to the US.
Posted by shane at 01:17 AM
July 23, 2005
Channel H Yatto Dekimashita
Posted by shane at 08:29 PM
Goin’ Back To Cali
I’m goin’ back to Cali...Cali...Cali...
July 25th, KE 001, from Tokyo to Los Angeles.
Posted by shane at 07:23 PM