"indie"'s too stifling a word for her but
the Shiina Ringo thread
― Mackro Mackro, Friday, 29 August 2008 16:05 (fifteen years ago) link
If Buffalo Daughter still around?
― Mackro Mackro, Friday, 29 August 2008 16:08 (fifteen years ago) link
You might wanna take a look at this thread.
At the risk of sounding like a creepy Japanophile, I honestly think that the Japanese do rock music better than just about anyone these days.
In the above thread I mentioned some bands and why I like them, I don't want to be too redundant so I'll just post some youtube links:
Zazen Boys, one of the bands which rose from the ashes of Number Girl, are pretty much essential.
Sambomaster have three solid albums of fantastic, manic pop/rock under their belt, but their most recent material has been a bit disappointing.
Bloodthirsty Butchers are pretty solid indie-ish rock as well.
Unfortunately, I think a lot of this really good stuff doesn't crossover to US audiences as easily as stuff like Polysics, Boredoms, etc. because it's more "serious" and doesn't fall in line with our stereotypes about "wacky japanese people." It's a shame.
― telepathy_rock!, Friday, 29 August 2008 16:32 (fifteen years ago) link
Bloodthirsty Butchers used to be a more metallic/post-hc sort of thing, didn't they?
― contenderizer, Friday, 29 August 2008 16:35 (fifteen years ago) link
Well to me that sort of thing falls under the "indie" umbrella...but I don't want to get into one of those hair-splitting arguments about what "indie" signifies...it's like the definition of "pornography"--you know it when you see (or in this case, hear) it. It's all purely subjective, you know?
― telepathy_rock!, Friday, 29 August 2008 16:42 (fifteen years ago) link
Zazen Boys, for example, DEFINITELY do the "metallic post-hc" thing, but then, they also do jazzy breakdowns and weirdo minimalist pop.
― telepathy_rock!, Friday, 29 August 2008 16:43 (fifteen years ago) link
Another thing is that these bands are all moderately successful/popular within Japan. Actual "japanese indie" is probably much tougher to get a hold of over here.
― telepathy_rock!, Friday, 29 August 2008 16:45 (fifteen years ago) link
Well, in that case, Paintbox! Awesome melodic hc.
― contenderizer, Friday, 29 August 2008 16:48 (fifteen years ago) link
plus-tech squeezebox flying rhythms nissennenmondai
― Steve Shasta, Friday, 29 August 2008 19:00 (fifteen years ago) link
nissennenmondai
is it one word? what does it mean?
― ian, Friday, 29 August 2008 20:41 (fifteen years ago) link
"y2k problem"
― Steve Shasta, Friday, 29 August 2008 20:45 (fifteen years ago) link
GREAT band name.
― ian, Friday, 29 August 2008 20:46 (fifteen years ago) link
^They have some nice youtube clips. Wish I got to see them when they were in Chicago for the first Million Tongues event. Nissennenmondai, that is.
― Trip Maker, Friday, 29 August 2008 20:54 (fifteen years ago) link
plus-tech squeezebox
I LOVED them around 02/03 but I never thought of them as indie. sorta post shibuya-kei
and if we're going that route, today, YMCK has a couple tracks in my playlist now. chiptune, but with heavy j-pop/post-shibuya melodies.
capsule too, but they're closer to shibuya-kei
This might be worth taking recommendations from if you're into this brand of stuff:
http://www.last.fm/group/PicoPop%21%21%21
― PappaWheelie V, Friday, 29 August 2008 22:54 (fifteen years ago) link
I don't know if Petty Booka are exactly what you're looking for...
http://www.sister.co.jp/pettybooka/
― dlp9001, Saturday, 30 August 2008 00:31 (fifteen years ago) link
piana has made three lovely records, she's vaguely in the cocteau twins realm and mostly avoids the annoying helium voice syndrome.
― keythkeyth, Saturday, 30 August 2008 05:03 (fifteen years ago) link
Rie Tanaka - Raison D'etre (from Chobits)
― tony orlando and dawng (PappaWheelie V), Sunday, 21 September 2008 16:34 (fifteen years ago) link
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/57LboHngkn4&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/57LboHngkn4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
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Godmother and Godfather of Shibuya-kei, Takako Minekawa and Cornelius. Get Fantasma if you haven't already. Cornelius's music nowadays is really like listening to music that will be on spaceships fifty years from now. Takako Minekawa is perhaps one of my favorite musicians of all time and any album by her is worth getting, especially the Maxi-On EP.
― Adam Bruneau, Sunday, 21 September 2008 21:45 (fifteen years ago) link
― Adam Bruneau, Sunday, 21 September 2008 21:48 (fifteen years ago) link
Destroy: Maher Shalal Hash Baz. Maybe could pass for "edgy" but certainly not listenable...
Nisennenmondai are really cool, guitars look giant
― sonderangerbot, Sunday, 21 September 2008 22:07 (fifteen years ago) link
Chocolat - Like a Starberry
― tony orlando and dawng (PappaWheelie V), Sunday, 21 September 2008 22:42 (fifteen years ago) link
Not sure where Momus is, but:
Kahimi Karie - One Thousand 20th Century Chairs
― tony orlando and dawng (PappaWheelie V), Sunday, 21 September 2008 22:47 (fifteen years ago) link
Kaji Hideki - Good Morning Call Song
― tony orlando and dawng (PappaWheelie V), Monday, 6 October 2008 03:46 (fifteen years ago) link
what is the feeling here (if any) about yura yura teikoku
― thorn, Monday, 6 October 2008 06:58 (fifteen years ago) link
Tenniscoats
― milling through the grinder, grinding through the mill (S-), Monday, 6 October 2008 07:09 (fifteen years ago) link
Green Milk from the Planet Orange. More of a live band than a studio band, but amazing nonetheless.
― Nate Carson, Monday, 6 October 2008 08:34 (fifteen years ago) link
the new tenniscoats record is lovely. they ought to have a thread. i think we're edging away from edgy. eddie marcon, two of lsd march, are really great. there's a new nagisa ni te lp, and shogu tokamaru's touring. i trust monorail music for albums of the month with a japanese theme.
― schlump, Monday, 6 October 2008 12:50 (fifteen years ago) link
The new Zazen Boys album has been out for about a month now, and it is bananas:
― telepathy_rock!, Wednesday, 8 October 2008 01:21 (fifteen years ago) link
http://www.last.fm/group/Japanese+Indie
― "Chameleon Man" (PappaWheelie V), Tuesday, 11 November 2008 17:35 (fifteen years ago) link
love em. especially the live album. "sweet spot" is pretty good but more subdued than I expected, I like when they freak out more
does Nisennenmondai have an album? or a single? I've only heard their track on the first Million Tongues comp
huh looks like they have a couple EPs and a bunch of CDRshttp://www.nisennenmondai.com/discography-e.html
― dmr, Tuesday, 11 November 2008 17:43 (fifteen years ago) link
what is Bump of Chicken considered to be?
― the sir weeze, Tuesday, 11 November 2008 18:00 (fifteen years ago) link
new midori hirano is lovely
― keythkeyth, Wednesday, 12 November 2008 02:14 (fifteen years ago) link
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/146854-nisennenmondai-neji-tori
― dmr, Saturday, 15 November 2008 16:49 (fifteen years ago) link
Instant Cytron
― The New Herb Stempel (PappaWheelie V), Saturday, 22 November 2008 14:51 (fifteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb12tEVqVx8
― the heart is a lonely hamster (schlump), Sunday, 21 June 2009 19:37 (fourteen years ago) link
I loved LushRush, is it on the same label, Noble?
― MaresNest, Sunday, 21 June 2009 22:58 (fourteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57LboHngkn4
that sounds very cornelius produced, were they "together" at some point? Milk Rock (Cornelius remix) - Takako Minekawa is great as well
also digging Tenniscoats, 坂本龍一 + 嶺川貴子, and supercar is getting even better after repeated listenings
― messiahwannabe, Tuesday, 23 June 2009 09:53 (fourteen years ago) link
Aside from her first album possibly, everything Takako Minekawa has ever recorded is mindblowingly awesome.
I got a couple of albums by Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her and they were pretty cool. The "17" record is wonderful and stripped down 90s experimental j-rock. They made a LP-length video for it called "Motorhead and Drive Video" and I recently transferred my copy and put a few videos on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlHWaOuxyvc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_L85N0CrrI
― Adam Bruneau, Sunday, 28 June 2009 01:38 (fourteen years ago) link
the most recent midor hirano is on noble. it's similar to lushrush, possibly more spare? strategic.
― keythkeythkeyth, Sunday, 28 June 2009 02:51 (fourteen years ago) link
If you like Takako Minekawa seek out some Tomoe Shinohara, Nagisa Cosmetic or Paris Match
― MaresNest, Sunday, 28 June 2009 17:18 (fourteen years ago) link
This is pretty good (fresh from hearing it for the first time thanks to Tesla over at Electric Mole):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qpQoirfcLo
There's also a Candy Says cover:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmA4GfEuRxg
― _Rudipherous_, Saturday, 20 November 2010 17:12 (thirteen years ago) link
new tenniscoats forthcoming:http://blog.tenniscoats.com/images/tokinouta_600.jpg.400px.png
i don't think there's ever been much discussion of them on here?, but i get a lot out of them, particularly the record with secai.
― your LiveJournal experience (schlump), Monday, 11 April 2011 11:08 (thirteen years ago) link
Support the love for tenniscoats.
No Boris?
― Moka, Monday, 11 April 2011 15:14 (thirteen years ago) link
couldnt find a relevant thread to post this in since there isnt a thread of lo-fi japanese test card music that dissolves into atonal guitar harmonics & broken down tape echos but anyhoo, this whole album is such a joy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei6o6uc6gOU
― fuhgeddaboudit! (missingNO), Thursday, 20 November 2014 17:53 (nine years ago) link
the boy who cried fantanto
― imago, Thursday, 20 November 2014 17:58 (nine years ago) link
nah I'll give it a listen or 0.02
im not trying to be your friend
― fuhgeddaboudit! (missingNO), Thursday, 20 November 2014 18:00 (nine years ago) link
I was wondering if there was a suitable thread for people to paste up some new(ish) JP music that was outside the Idol/J-Pop/Dance music sphere, it could be noisy, poppy, whatever and I guess this thread fits. let's enjoy Japan!
385 (sanhachigo)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWweM9eaxg4
Spangle Call Lilli Linehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2FxhiY7qGg
Skillkillshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgnhxYSvd10
― Here Come The Felas (MaresNest), Sunday, 6 December 2015 20:40 (eight years ago) link
Going to have to work my way through this thread at some point.
But for now, here's this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQc-2bBmdfw&ab_channel=Motfd
― ultros ultros-ghali, Monday, 7 December 2015 23:59 (eight years ago) link
https://burnyourhometown.wordpress.com/ / "Travels in Japanese underground music"
― dylannn, Tuesday, 8 December 2015 10:34 (eight years ago) link
Forgot that it's good practice to actually say what the links are, but anyway, glad someone likes it!
I keep meaning to bring up Jyocho as well so I'll do that now, they're sort of math-rock with a strong influence from Midwest emo. That's not particularly unusual but they do it in a way that make my eyes moist, their album from last year is lovely stuff
https://open.spotify.com/album/7mRW1P9lDdXC47czngKQ2F
― like him hate us? Sure you are. Its in the cool aid. (ultros ultros-ghali), Tuesday, 2 April 2019 14:07 (five years ago) link
are eX-girl indie?
just found out they're a thing again. there's a single. guess i'm gonna have to buy it.
https://i1.wp.com/exgirl.lolitapunk.jp/info/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/28DC7929-1D6A-4B50-B927-EA57B1645D2B.jpeg?resize=724%2C1024
― afriendlypioneer, Tuesday, 2 April 2019 19:47 (five years ago) link
whoa, I was listening to them just yesterday. I wonder if it's the same line-up
― like him hate us? Sure you are. Its in the cool aid. (ultros ultros-ghali), Tuesday, 2 April 2019 20:05 (five years ago) link
this is what the official page says:
http://exgirl.lolitapunk.jp/info/
It is a pleasure to be able to announce everyone on eX – Girl reunion today.Last summer, when I returned from Mt. Hakusan, which was opened for climbers 1,300 years ago.Suddenly, I thought I wanted to play again as ‘eX-Girl’, which was the rock band consisted of three women who were playingmainly in overseas for 10 years since 1997.At that time, I did not tell anyone that story.But the next day, suddenly from the US record label called Secret Records contacted me and told they were interested in releasing the sound sourcefrom old ex-Girl on a vinyl.Yes! All of a sudden!And we released it in the US at the end of last year.Also, I received a message asking for having a live concert tour in the US.I answered, “If I could find a new member.”To find someone who can sing, play musical instruments, with atmosphere and mental strength, and also can do performance must be quite difficult, I thought.However, I found them!Both of them are beautiful women who “love Mother Earth”.I am so delighted and am thinking this must be heaven’s discretion!We will be playing in the US in the next spring, and in Europe in the summer.As we are a new member, and in 11 years absence, we are going to have several live performance in Japan, and will continue topower up.The first reunion live concert will be held at Kichijoji GB on Thursday, 18th October, 2018!We are psychedelic, spacious and unique rock band with the concept of “Came to save the Earth from the Planet Kero Kero!”Please do come to the first celebration live concert of our reunion!
Looks like they were at SXSW. I honestly had no idea. Been listening to them a bit lately as well and just assumed they were totally defunct.
― afriendlypioneer, Tuesday, 2 April 2019 20:13 (five years ago) link
new mitsume album, ghosts, is out today
it's a keeper
― afriendlypioneer, Wednesday, 3 April 2019 14:41 (five years ago) link
I'd like to actually hear what it sounds like before spending $8, but eX-girl's new single is being released Stateside by Alternative Tentacles:
https://alternativetentacles.com/product/the-crown-of-dr-keroninstein/
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 15 April 2019 19:25 (five years ago) link
Their last album was on Alternative Tentacles, and is fantastic
tbh I only know their last 2 albums - are the first 5 similar cos I should probably listen to those at some point
― Colonel Poo, Monday, 15 April 2019 19:32 (five years ago) link
Yes, pretty much. One is almost entirely acapella. Kero Kero Kero is really good and less 'proggy' than the last two albums.
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 15 April 2019 19:41 (five years ago) link
New Yogee New Waves album is really good, particularly this track
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2a2Z5mRfRw
― afriendlypioneer, Tuesday, 16 April 2019 13:08 (five years ago) link
Does Shintaro Sakamoto count, or is he too popular/western
― Dan I., Tuesday, 16 April 2019 13:17 (five years ago) link
new Sakanaction double came out last month without me realising. great video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxqYUbNR-c0
― Hmmmmm (jamiesummerz), Tuesday, 16 July 2019 14:10 (four years ago) link
i'm on track 3 and can confirm this album is REALLY REALLY GOOD.
― Hmmmmm (jamiesummerz), Tuesday, 16 July 2019 14:18 (four years ago) link
never heard of this group but that video is indeed great, captures a vibe that's very in right now
― frogbs, Tuesday, 16 July 2019 14:26 (four years ago) link
the album doesn't quite reach the same heights as "Music" or "Yoru no Odoriko" from the s/t and probably leans a little more mellow/MOR than i'd prefer from them overall but they're still enjoyable as always. their run of singles over the past 6 years is still pretty strong when compiled on this album, especially "Shin Takarajima" and "Sayonara wa Emotion". out of the new stuff "Wasurerarenaino" is definitely my favourite and yeah the video is great too - they have a knack for excellent videos
― ufo, Tuesday, 16 July 2019 14:27 (four years ago) link
Posted this in the J-pop thread too.
Agree with all of the above - the album is great but definitely could have used some editing. Either way, they're easily my favourite band of the past five years or so - an instinctive knack for building and releasing tension, soaring pop choruses, great videos, morose but with a sense of humour about it. Everything I love in a band pretty much.
― Roz, Tuesday, 16 July 2019 15:00 (four years ago) link
Nice video, checking that album out! Sort of strikes me as vaporwave and future funk being reflected back from where the bulk of the sounds came from.... or are those movements not as western in origin as I'm thinking? I lived in Japan for a couple years in the 00s and just sort of remember those sounds just being everywhere out in the air (radio/TV), while I was more concerned with the local indie and hiphop of the time. It was all a good mix. Got to dip into this thread's suggestions some more.
― maffew12, Tuesday, 16 July 2019 15:11 (four years ago) link
vaporwave/future funk etc. have been heavily drawing from and sampling 80s japanese city pop in addition to western disco etc., and over the past decade or so there's also been a city pop revival in japan, though much more mainstream than in the west where it's mostly just been a hip influence and sample source etc. though there is "plastic love"'s bizarre youtube popularity
― ufo, Tuesday, 16 July 2019 15:22 (four years ago) link
oh i think i misread that a bit but anyway, "wasurerarenaino" is very much in the tradition of that city pop revival rather than any western vaporwave/future funk influence i'd think. there has been the occasional actual crossover from vaporwave back to the city pop revival, most notably 'vaporwave idol group' Especia whose music was city pop revival music but also drew heavily on vaporwave aesthetics after their producers stumbled upon some vaporwave on soundcloud via its heavy use of japanese text lol.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e089x6ba1Zo
― ufo, Tuesday, 16 July 2019 15:30 (four years ago) link
hahaha. no you got me. this is exactly the kind of link i was curious about. I'd only even heard of "city pop" recently. Living there it was just like, oh this is what 'new wave' was over here?
Thanks!
― maffew12, Tuesday, 16 July 2019 15:34 (four years ago) link
I'm never far away from being in a Clammbon phase, I keep all they rekkids close to hand despite the fact the last three EPs have been available only in Japan and not in normal shops but music instrument shops, coffee houses and little stationery shops in Kichijoji back streets, severely testing my fanhood, but they're more than worth the hassle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3lCCKXe998
― MaresNest, Tuesday, 16 July 2019 16:20 (four years ago) link
I saw Clammbon perform live a zillion years ago and they did a serviceable cover of Judee Sill's "That's The Spirit", let me see if I can find it on the 'tube.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Tuesday, 16 July 2019 19:16 (four years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlNdjcBW3J4
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Tuesday, 16 July 2019 19:17 (four years ago) link
(this would have been ~2005, forget who they were opening for...)
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Tuesday, 16 July 2019 19:20 (four years ago) link
I am jealous !
― MaresNest, Tuesday, 16 July 2019 20:27 (four years ago) link
Sakanaction album is kind of dull (to me) outside that incredible first track. The video, oh my. One of the best I've ever seen.
― afriendlypioneer, Wednesday, 17 July 2019 14:05 (four years ago) link
Love these guys -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BfmNBlzHFY
― Maresn3st, Tuesday, 17 December 2019 17:57 (four years ago) link
Ha, I love that. That pace shift really gets in your head!
― Le Bateau Ivre, Tuesday, 17 December 2019 18:17 (four years ago) link
this is messing with my brain
― frogbs, Tuesday, 17 December 2019 18:18 (four years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdQk3rMnU9M
beautifully bonkers
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 27 January 2020 20:05 (four years ago) link
this is awesome, thanks
― culture of mayordom (voodoo chili), Monday, 27 January 2020 20:58 (four years ago) link
I hope there's more to come. I've been playing the hell out of Endangered Species over the last couple weeks and it is a fantastic record.
― afriendlypioneer, Thursday, 30 January 2020 16:59 (four years ago) link
japanese indie mp3 store and stream, looks to be tenniscoats-focused and -run https://minnakikeru.com/
some interesting stuff
― adam, Monday, 16 November 2020 21:20 (three years ago) link
I love this band so much -
https://croissantchicago.bandcamp.com/album/crankshaft
― Maresn3st, Friday, 4 December 2020 16:20 (three years ago) link
This is great. You would probably like a lot of other stuff in the vocaloid scene.
― Allen (etaeoe), Friday, 4 December 2020 18:51 (three years ago) link
if you can point me to bands that use it but aren't J-Pop, Techno or more traditional vocaloid music, I'd be super interested to hear.
― Maresn3st, Friday, 4 December 2020 23:01 (three years ago) link
two recent singles from AprilBlue who sound kind of like the Beths but with a bit of a shoegaze thing going on:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycnxITz8LpUAprilBlue - Clarity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiOPbeOgPkoAprilBlue - シーサイド
― o shit the sheriff (NickB), Monday, 8 November 2021 17:19 (two years ago) link
If I may shill for myself and my friends for one sec.
Japan Alternative Sessions, a radio show I started a few years back has been reactivated, it's not just indie/alt we cover as much ground as possible, old and new music. The plan is to do a 2 hour+ show once a month and put it out on Mixcloud and YouTube or wherever else we can.
This is the latest edition:
https://www.mixcloud.com/JapanAlternativeSessions/japan-alternative-sessions-edition-70/
― Maresn3st, Sunday, 26 December 2021 12:53 (two years ago) link
Stumbled across this little gem today, really great debut, for fans of Clammbon, Tricot, Spangle Call Lilli Line etc:
https://ungulatestokyo.bandcamp.com/album/ungl-009-downt-downt
― Maresn3st, Saturday, 8 January 2022 16:05 (two years ago) link