Some of my favourite artists are Japanese, The Boredoms, Susumu Yokota, Merzbow, but none of these folks appear on this compilation. In fact I’ve never heard of a single artist that pops up here. Yet that’s not a bad thing, as there are some really interesting and odd moments. Japan has a reputation for exaggerated and totally wrong pop, of a garish dogs breakfast of Western influence and Japanese traditions twisted and tortured within an inch of its life. Chanchiki have spent way too much time listening to Frank Zappa, but where do the soccer cheers and a million other influences come from? And what’s with the Japanese and dub music? I know Dry and Heavy and Audio Active (neither of whom appear here), but what of Oki Dub Ainu Band, Nami Makioka, or Ryukyu Underground? It’s all blunted beats, heavy reverb on the snare and tripped out atmospheres. Where does it come from? Well everywhere. The Japanese seem incredibly adept and drawing upon a vast array of seemingly incompatible influences to craft their own hybridized view of the world. And this compilation is incredible, things that shouldn’t work do, and these bizarre mashed amalgams of genres exist not just alongside but even within the more overtly traditional material. With an abundance of contextual information, these Rough Guide compilations are consistently delivering a great starting point for those who wish to dive in deep. Forget the Geisha on the cover this music isn’t about traditions, it’s about the future.
Bob Baker Fish
