It has been a good year for Japanese artists creating catchy music out of chaos. DJWWWW (we will decide on the proper stylization one day, I swear) found beauty in the overwhelming world of pachinko, while Foodman taped together all sorts of sounds to create a wonky and absorbing wonder with Ez Minzoku. Isamu Yorichika’s…
Yesterday Once More returns with a new split release from Hiroki Yamamura and DJ NHK Guy, each contributing an original cut and then remixing the other. For their own numbers, each create retro-tinted juke, Yamamura moving in a slightly more fragmented direction (and feeling very out of time in the process) on “Mask,” while DJ…
We’ve long been fans of the folk-leaning whispers of Predawn, and her stock has slowly but surely risen in recent years. Her latest album came out this September, and “Universal Mind” was the first taste of it. A bit has changed — the simplistic, bare-bones structure of her earlier works have been beefed up a…
Producer Nyankobrq has created tracks both hyperactive and a bit slower in pace, but latest creation “Märchen” has it both ways. It’s, for the most part, a pretty laid back, full of cheery synth lines and a skip-worthy beat. Only a few gravity-twisting electronic touches disrupt the sunny day vibes — until Nyankobrq allows a…
Prolific Chicago juke producer Traxman was one of the most influential figures in inspiring Japan’s own juke scene, having toured the country early on and appearing on releases by artists such as Paisley Parks. An even larger meeting makes sense then, and Trax Of The Rising Sun – Traxman Vs Japanese Juke delivers. It can…