Tokyo Blog, Tokyo Story
The blog of Stephen David Smith, Tokyo, Japan 2012
Now Viewing: All Posts in Music
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu
Here’s the music video for a new Japanese artist I recently discovered. Someone recommended this one to me and after checking it out on YouTube I noticed that it seemed to have gone viral with a lot of people in the west sharing it because of it’s crazy visuals and its Harajuku Kawaisa / Decora elements. The song is produced by Yasutaka Nakata who also does Perfume’s stuff.
SonarSound Tokyo 2012′s Superb Lineup
This year’s SonarSound Tokyo 2012 sports the most unmissable lineup ever: Squarepusher, Clark, Global Communication, The Cinematic Orchestra, Vincent Gallo, Mount Kimbie, Rustie, Hudson Mohawke and way more(!). It takes place on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd of April and a one day ticket will set you back ¥7,750 in advance and ¥8,500 on the day and the two day ticket costs ¥14,500. Regardless of cost, this is surely a must-go-to event for any electronic music fan. I’ll certainly be there as it’s my birthday on the 24th! I’ll be here both days, and then off to relax in the hot springs of Izu the following day! It’s going to be a great weekend – let me know if you’re going.
Radio Tokyo Volume 4 – Commercial Breaks
This episode of Radio Tokyo showcases some of the more leftfield Japanese artists past and present that I had in my collection. As ever, I don't present or narrate, but at the same time it's not just a straightforward mix. There's a real variety of genres, styles and BPM here, so I wove them together with some samples taken from retro Japanese TV commercials, and that's where the name and the theme of this episode comes from. Here's the playlist, enjoy:
Playlist:
- I, Me, My, Mine - Polysics
- A11 A10ne - Buffalo Daughter
- LSD - Trippple Nippples
- Rocket - Polysics
- 4 Little Joeys Remix - Kiiiiii!
- I Wanna Be Sedated - Shonen Knife
- Twiggy Twiggy - Pizzicato Five
- Mogu Mogu - Chinza Dopeness
- Spam Keikoku - Shonen Knife
- Pajama Party Pop - Lullatone
- Sugar Water - Cibo Matto
- The Audrey Hepburn Complex (Billy Wilder Mix) - Pizzicato Five
View all podcasts in the Radio Tokyo series and download this episode here.
Washed Out at Liquid Room, Ebisu – Tonight
Just wanted to quickly mention for chillwave and dreampop lovers out there, that Washed Out will be playing at Liquid Room in Ebisu tonight. It’s ¥5,500 in advance, but it looks like tickets on the door will be the same price. i was really thinking about going down myself, but I really am too busy to go. If you do have time, I heartily recommend you go and catch this – starts at 7:30. Full details can be found on Liquid Room’s page for the event.
The Fox Is Black Desktop Wallpaper Project
Personally, I don’t like to keep the same wallpaper on my desktop for more than a week, tops – so I was lucky to find this excellent collection of wallpapers by various creatives so I didn’t have to! I strongly recommend you check this out, but be careful as I spent far too long going through the entire category of posts looking at these. If you’ve found a desktop you like you should also check the mixtape section as it’s also really great. All you need to get on: a fresh desktop and an array of tunes to work to.
Radio Tokyo Volume 3 – Late Summer
Summer is still very much with us here in Tokyo – it’s still hot and humid and free time is usually spent sitting in the park listening to music. You can however feel that Autumn might be on its way, so here is a new episode of Radio Tokyo to suit. I don’t really prefer any particular genre when it comes to music, but a phenomenon that pretty much sums up my summer of 2011 is the continued rise of throwback sub genres of U.S. indie synthpop, namely Glo-Fi and Chill Wave, Dream Pop amongst others. It seems like the rehash of the 80′s sound is set to continue and a few proponents of this mainly American sound seem to be channeling The Beach Boys (in a good way). This ties in pretty well with my summer because I’ve been getting more nostalgic in my hobbies and the way I dress and we’ve been playing a lot of old school video games in this ¥50 arcade in Shibuya. So without any further ado, click to listen below and check the playlist:
Playlist:
- Despicable Dogs – Small Black
- Slow Peels – Com Truise
- Kim & Jessie – M83
- Collapsing At Your Doorstep – Air France
- Stay Close – Delorean
- Burn Bridges – Dom
- Please Stay – Summer Heart
- Swimming Field – Memory Tapes
- You – Gold Panda
- David – The Radio Dept.
- Midnight City – M83
View all podcasts in the Radio Tokyo series and download this episode here.
Radio Tokyo Volume 2 – Ode To Concrete
For the second in the Radio Tokyo series, we will be exploring soundscapes befitting the metropolis. Post-dubstep IDM with plenty of dark undertones and melancholic aural atmospheres in this decidedly city-centric episode ode to vacant plots, government housing projects and urban decay. Showcasing in Volume 2 will be mostly artists from Warp and Hyperdub imprints. Here’s the playlist:
- Forgive – Burial
- Digital Fauna – Zomby
- Out In The Streets – Africa Hitech
- Foil – Autechre
- Flat Of The Blade – Massive Attack
- Klavierwerke – James Blake
- 124 – Photek
- Midnight Request Line – Skream
- Spicy Sammich – Flying Lotus
- Gangslap – Africa Hitech
View all podcasts in the Radio Tokyo series and download this episode here.
POLYSICS
Hello. Got some Polysics for you today. Enjoy.
Radio Tokyo Volume 1 – Airspace
A little foray into the art of Podcasting here. The first in a series of radio broadcasts / mixes. This first one is something of an experiment. Haven’t gotten used to the software yet, so not as well made as I’d like, but still; this first episode takes an aeronautical theme, inspired by the airliners that pass over my house on their way to the newly opened international runway at Tokyo Haneda Airport.
Playlist:
- Blue Calx – Aphex Twin
- Wing Body Wing – Four Tet
- Amo Bishop Roden – Boards of Canada
- Hilarious Movie of the 90′s – Four Tet
- Genshi – Susumu Yokota
- Circling – Four Tet
- Cocoon – Bjork
- Goodbye – Kevin Shields
- There is a Number of Small Things – Mum
- Pink Stones – Memory Tapes
- Z Twig – Aphex Twin
- Auto Pilot – Lusine icl
View all podcasts in the Radio Tokyo series and download this episode here.
Peter, Bjorn & John Feat. Yoyogi Rockabillies
This great music video for the song Nothing to Worry About by Peter, Bjorn & John features the Tokyo Rockabilly Club. People will probably know them as the guys who rock out in Yoyogi Park in Tokyo. Check it out – the guy’s got a motorcycle in his apartment!
Four Tet – Japan Tour 2010
This is a late notification that Four Tet will be playing at Club Eleven in Tokyo this Friday 3rd Dec. This is a big deal in itself because Four Tet is one of my favourite artists, but on top of that, Club Eleven is the newly reopened, legendary Club Yellow. Club Yellow closed down a while back but has recently reopened with some nice new touches inside. I’ve never been there but everyone I speak to says it was their favourite club in Tokyo. Surely this is a must-go-to event? Unfortunately for me, I have to get up early Saturday morning and I have the JLPT N3 language test on Sunday, so it’s actually a no-go, but please get yourself there if you’re in town. Failing that, get hold of the new album, There’s Love in You.
Boards of Canada – Sixtyniner
Musical interlude from BOC. The idea is with these posts is that you just click play and you have something to listen to while you read.
Chinza Dopeness – Mogu Mogu
Tokyo rapper Chinza Dopeness’ unique style is new to my ears, but I’m going to get the album as a result of listening to this. Via Shane Lester’s Vimeo.
Family Mart Jingle via Korg
This is pretty goofy, but it’s a remix of the Family Mart jingle that you usually hear when you walk into one of their convenience stores. The guy’s pretty hot with the Korg too. The cheesy techno it descends into would usually be a turn off, but in this situation it suits the chimes perfectly! People in Tokyo will definitely recoginse it.
Azukiiro No Kaori
Musical Interlude. I couldn’t find any videos worthy of showcasing the fine electronic music produced by Susumu Yokota, so I made my own. The track is Azukiiro No Kaori by Susumu Yokota from his Sakura album. All of the footage was shot Autumn/Winter 2008 and Autumn 2009.
