“The first ever international release of Ryuichi Sakamoto's landmark 1984 album Ongaku Zukan, originally issued in Japan on his own School label in 1984. Remastered by Saidera Mastering in Tokyo. The early '80s were a turning point for Japanese musician Ryuichi Sakamoto. As a solo artist, the smash hit soundtrack he had composed for 1983's Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, had put him on the verge of becoming a global superstar. Meanwhile he had called a halt to his work with Yellow Magic Orchestra; the...

"1978 was a key year for Japanese music. Haruomi Hosono, one of the country's most innovative musicians had just formed Yellow Magic Orchestra pursuing the sonic experimentation he had started with his solo album Paraiso. The album, recorded between December '77 and January '78, featured both Ryuichi Sakamoto and Yukihiro Takahashi. Hosono quickly invited both musicians to form YMO but before the group could release their first album, Sakamoto entered the Nippon Columbia studios in April 1978 with a plan...

Led by guitarist Kido Natsuki of Bondage Fruit, Salle Gaveau combines the art-music tango, as typified by the brilliant and famous work of Astor Piazzolla with a rock energy and zaniness. Using the same quintet musical configuraration as Piazzolla's...

"Though hes renowned for his roles in Acid Mothers Temple and Zeni Geva, and for leading the bands Koenjhyakkei and Koekyojinn, since 1985 Ruins has been Tatsuya Yoshidas primary musical outlet. Beginning in 2006, Yoshida would occasionally fill the vacant second slot with alto saxophonist Ono Ryoko, one of Japans most indemand studio musicians. Their duo, Sax Ruins, transforms Yoshidas compositions from heavy, nimble prog to dense, hyper kinetic big band jazz, not entirely unlike Sonny Rollins sitting...

Before the advent of the Japanese school of progressive rock music during the Eighties, represented by Gerard, Outer Limits and Pageant, among others, a certain number of local bands of great interest were already active. Amongst them, the name of Shin...

“The first international reissue of Ayako Shinozaki's Music Now For Harp released in 1974 by Nippon Columbia. The LP was released on the label's cult "Master Sonic" series and features Shinozaki's harp soundscape on works by renowned composer Toru Takemitsu and Katsuhiro Tsubono. The highlight of the album is the spaced-out, ethereal 25-min ambient epic "Heterodyne" featuring cult musician Takehisa Kosugi (Taj Mahal Travellers, Group Ongaku) on electric violin and sound waves.
Japanese harpist Ayako..

"Following on from the gutsy blues-rock groove of the band's first and probably only genuine studio release, 1971's Eve, Speed, Glue & Shinki's second release, originally released in 1972 on Atlantic and often referred to as Tiger, brought together a...

A note from Tokio Hasegawa:
"The first LP by the Taj Mahal Travellers was recorded at Sogetsu Hall in Tokyo on July 15, 1972, which became the title of the work and was released the same year by CBS Sony Records. A live performance celebrating the 50th anniversary of this album was held on July 15, 2022.
The only original members of the Taj Mahal Travellers who attended were myself and Seiji Nagai. This is because two of the six members passed away, two are religiously active and they cannot...

"Suishou No Fune [soo-ee-sho no foo-nay] was formed in 1999 by guitarists Pirako Kurenai and Kageo. They were quickly acknowledged in Japan for their unique take on Japanese psychedelic traditions but it wasn't until their inclusion on PSF's Tokyo...

Together again (semi-posthumously) for the 1st time!

“Officially licensed from Irwin Chusid of the Sun Ra estate, Cold Spring's Justin Mitchell negotiated rare and unreleased tracks from the Sun Ra archive to be remixed and treated by Masami Akita (Merzbow). The tracks incorporate the jazz power of Sun Ra, carried into brutal excess by the legendary Japanese artist Merzbow.”

Kazuto Shimizu-keyboards
Yoshida Tatsuya-drums
Nasyuno Mitsuru-bass

“The Japanese improvising rock trio of Kazuto Shimizu on keyboards, Nasyuno Mitsuru on bass, and Yoshida Tatsuya on drums performing live at Club Goodman in Akihabara, Japan on February 15, 2016 for technically superb, fast paced, turn-on-a-dime, joyful prog-oriented playing.”

This is 2 Japanese women who have been working since 1985. I believe this is their 1st release, & it is reminiscent of an updated Young Marble Giants (due to the drum machines & general combination of simplicity with tunefulness) with microtones! This ...

“Recorded in a live setting and played with instruments conserved in the collections of the MEG Museum, Cutting Branches For A Temporary Shelter is Midori Takada's very own rendition of "Nhemamusasa", a traditional work emblematic of the musical repertoire for mbira of the Shona of Zimbabwe, well known worldwide, thanks notably to its version by Paul F. Berliner included on the famed 1973 album The Soul of Mbira. The choice of this title by Midori Takada evokes the links between traditional African and...

Comes in a Stoughton "Tip-On" jacket with printed inner sleeves.

"The highly-anticipated reissue of Japanese percussionist Midori Takada's sought after and timeless ambient/minimal album Through The Looking Glass, originally released in 1983 by RCA Japan. Considered a holy grail of Japanese music by many, Through The Looking Glass is Midori Takada's first solo endeavor, a captivating four-song suite capturing her deep quests into traditional African and Asian percussive language and exploring...

“A new full-length album by celebrated Japanese percussionist Midori Takada, in collaboration with Buddhist monks belonging to the Samgha group of the Shingon school of Koya-san, led by Reverend Syuukoh Ikawa. Recorded at The Premises Studio (London) and in Tokyo in 2019, You Who Are Leaving To Nirvana is a majestic work combining a suite of six Buddhist liturgical chants and a musical creation by Midori Takada. The Buddhist chants come from three types of repertoires: shomyo ("Teisan", "Unga-Bai"...

“Adroit jazz guitar, prog rock fantasia, and Japanese environmental music all rest comfortably behind Leo Takami's "Next Door." The follow up to the acclaimed "Felis Catus & Silence", "Next Door" finds Takami ruminating on passages-of time, seasons, consciousness. Through music, Leo contemplates daily events and finds beauty in ordinary moments. He also seems to be questioning the value of being stuck in the world, allowing his mind to wander towards something beyond it. His music is earnest, deeply...

“In August 1969, Masayuki Takayanagi formed his first New Direction group and embarked on an unparalleled musical journey that over the final 22 years of his life would define him as an uncompromising artist who would forge a visionary new musical language. Comprised of himself on acoustic and electric guitar and joined by Motoharu Yoshizawa on bass and Yoshisaburo "Sabu" Toyozumi on drums, Takayanagi's group created a new unconstrained form of music; It expanded on the most radical, fiery elements of...

"Digitally remastered edition. Hyperborea is the nineteenth major release and thirteenth studio album by Tangerine Dream. It spent two weeks on the UK album chart peaking at #45."

''A founding member of the Fluxus Movement with Takehisa Kosugi, Yoko Ono and George Maciunas, Yasunao Tone has been doing experimental sound pieces since the early 1960s. For the past ten years much of his work has centered on extending the possibilit...

This is drummer Yoshida Tatsuya (Ruins, Koenjihyakei, Korekyojinn), guitarist Uchihashi Kazuhisa (Altered States, Ground Zero) and pianist Mishiba Satoshi (who plays in the rock band "Kinniku Syojotai", who are a major, big band in Japan). This is ten...

Tatsuya Yoshida-drums, voice, synth, piano
Risa Takeda-piano, synth, effects

“Thirteen high-speed rock improvisations on drums, synth, piano & voice from the continuing collaboration of Magaibutsu label leader & drummer Tatsuya Yoshida and synthesist & pianist Risa Takeda, each track titled for Nordic mythology, the album title a reference to the World Tree, a giant ash supporting the universe; dramatic, amazing, unconventional instrumental music.”

Four new compositions exploring free jazz, Cagean dialectics and noise improvisation...beginning and ending with two of the most intense recordings Otomo has ever done, the centerpieces of this remarkable CD join the Cagean aesthetics of randomness and...

''Japanese Free Jazz has a history that goes back to the 60's, & Otomo's latest project brings together some of the best free jazz players in Japan with noise musicians Sachiko M & Akita Masami (Merzbow). Features 3 bizarre covers of tunes by Eric Dolp...

Katsui Yuji plays violin, keyboards and percussion (but mostly concentrates on very atmospheric synths and violin) and Mr. Bondage Fruit, Kido Natsuki plays acoustic guitar. While not ambient, it's surprisingly low-key.