One of the areas where I’ve lightened up in regards to music is getting bent out of shape out of unorthodox band names. Which isn’t to say that a random semi-colon or WaCKy CapiTILIzation is something I just swallow…I just roll with it more, content that most new band names are pretty dumb all over…
Busy year for Yokohama sample whizz ΔKTR. He’s already shared one of the year’s warmest releases via the hazy dance grooves of suburbanfunkessentials, and now he’s letting listeners even deeper into this world with Lala. Via Fuzzoscope, it’s a beefed-up set, clocking in at 22 tracks, ranging from the laid-back glow of “Toundsrack” to the…
A little context…I’m listening to (and writing about) this one from downtown Shibuya, so seeing all of the bright lights and people wandering around (on a Monday! What a city!) is playing a role here. But Futari No Bungaku’s “City Liner” manages something not much city pop revivalists can, which is actually get some emotion…
Given his presence in the harder-edged world of Trekkie Trax and the current Tokyo electronic music scene, it’s easy to forget Carpainter shines when he’s moving swiftly. “Orange Wind,” his new single released via Secret Songs, breezes ahead, Carpainter using space as a tool to bring out the sensuality hiding in the corners. Which isn’t…
The current increase in interest around older Japanese music — especially from the individual members of Yellow Magic Orchestra — has been a neat development, and makes the music electronic outfit Crystal has been making this decade look all the more ahead of the curve (errrr, by looking back). Crystal Station 64 found the group…