{"title":"Japanese \u0026 South East Asian Music","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"various-artists-beat-nippon-girls-2-japanese-pop-rocknroll-1965-70","title":"Various Artists - Beat Nippon Girls 2: Japanese Pop \u0026 Rock'N'Roll 1965-70","description":"","brand":"BIG BEAT","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":53021392765270,"sku":"MRM-00274","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/CDWIKD-321_1200_1200_6b4636a7-ba8d-49bf-94ec-0cafb996d926.jpg?v=1780588974"},{"product_id":"beat-nippon-girls-japanese-pop-bossa-nova-1966-1970-nippon-girls-japanese-pop-beat-bossa-nova-1966-1970","title":"Beat Nippon Girls: Japanese Pop \u0026 Bossa Nova 1966-1970 - Nippon Girls: Japanese Pop, Beat \u0026 Bossa Nova 1966-1970","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Big Beat International label returns with a bang and another celebration of the wonderful world of Japanese pop. After our acclaimed GS I Love You volumes, it’s the girls’ turn, as we examine the female side of the country’s remarkable pop scene with Nippon Girls.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BIG BEAT","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":53021392929110,"sku":"MRM-00275","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/CDWIKD-288_1200_1200.jpg?v=1776169007"},{"product_id":"eddie-marcon-torso-home-before-dark","title":"Eddie Marcon \u0026 Torso - Home Before Dark","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn conjunction with the 2025 repressing of the Nora Guthrie \"Emily's Illness\/Home Before Dark\" 7-inch single, we have here, in the same format, a lovely cover of the latter tune, performed by Eddie Marcon, a band based in Himeji, Japan. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe band's vocalist, Eddie Corman, and musician\/producer, Shintaro Sakamoto, wrote the Japanese lyrics for this gorgeous version, recorded in 2024 and originally unintended for public release; however, this slice of sweetness, delivered by the full band comprising guitar, keyboards, bass, percussion and wistful winds is now available to the lucky listener. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe flipside, recorded in 2025, is an intriguingly ghostly recomposed version for cello and flute by TORSO, a Tokyo instrumental duo, who used the basic tracks from the Eddie Marcon version of \"Home Before Dark\" as a 'guide' before finally deleting the basic tracks.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"EM RECORDS","offers":[{"title":"7”","offer_id":53021441786198,"sku":"MRM-00988","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/0def7403db78fece8af7d20aaa1d73bf.jpg?v=1775191233"},{"product_id":"erika-kobayashi-phew-dieter-moebius-radium-girls-2025-reissue","title":"Erika Kobayashi Phew, Dieter Moebius - Radium Girls (2025 Reissue)","description":"In the shadow of the nuclear accident in Fukushima in 2011, Japanese musician Phew, artist \nErika Kobayashi, and German electronic music pioneer, Dieter Moebius (Cluster, Harmonia),\ncame together for an extraordinary project. Together, they developed the concept album, \n'Radium Girls 2011', which they released in 2012 under the project name, Project UNDARK — \n114 years after the discovery of radium by Marie and Pierre Curie. The album is dedicated to \nthe so-called 'Radium Girls', female factory workers in the United States during the 1920s \nwho painted watch dials with radioactive luminous paint and suffered severe health conse-\nquences from radium poisoning. On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the atomic \nbombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the label Bureau B is reissuing Radium Girls — for \nthe first time also on vinyl.","brand":"BUREAU B","offers":[{"title":"Cd","offer_id":53021443653974,"sku":"MRM-01032","price":17.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP (First Time On Vinyl!)","offer_id":53021443719510,"sku":"MRM-01033","price":31.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/8fc64334a9a6c330a6c6a9d8f7b952a5_8ae0abee-468e-4762-a22b-2f5f4eabdabf.jpg?v=1775191476"},{"product_id":"ghost-temple-stone-2024-repress","title":"Ghost - Temple Stone (2024 Repress)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003eFollowing Second Time Around, Ghost repaired to the deserted temples and sacred places that inspired their early gestation, drawing on the energies found there over a two year period to render their heard and unheard musics with the calmest spirit among all Ghost releases. Vibrations of the ancient and the sacred reverberate in bucolic space, extruding openly and with contentment from the very heart of the shared creation of Ghost.\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"DRAG CITY","offers":[{"title":"Limited Clear Green LP","offer_id":53021458202966,"sku":"MRM-01266","price":30.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/a0875656950_10.jpg?v=1775835435"},{"product_id":"gs-i-love-you-japanese-garage-bands-various-artists","title":"Gs I Love You : Japanese Garage Bands - Various Artists","description":"\u003cp\u003eProof that the Japanese have always excelled at anything they put their hand to, including interpreting Western rock, comes with this new Big Beat collection GS I Love You, packed with some of the most impressive beat and garage sounds you'll hear from any country. GS refers to Group Sounds, the name the Japanese media gave to the local explosion of bands circa 1967.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BIG BEAT","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":53021475701078,"sku":"MRM-01352","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/58e5fca26777437dfcf848f502d0aaf4.jpg?v=1775193227"},{"product_id":"gs-i-love-you-too-various-artists","title":"Gs I Love You Too - Various Artists","description":"\u003cp\u003eProof that the Japanese have always excelled at anything they put their hand to, including reinterpreting Western rock, comes with the growing cult appreciation for their amazing mid-1960s GS rock scene. GS refers to Group Sounds, the name the local media gave to a glut of garage bands circa 1967.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs usual the set features copious liner notes, including full group histories and many pictures of these rarely glimpsed acts. With breathtaking master tape sound, the GS style really leaps out of the speakers at you, and GS I LOVE YOU TOO is definitely not for the faint at heart, or the culturally myopic for that matter. Oh, and it's still only the second legally licensed GS collection outside of Japan (the first being our earlier volume of course!) - Ace\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BIG BEAT","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":53021475766614,"sku":"MRM-01353","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/CDWIKD-196_1200_1200_1.jpg?v=1776089318"},{"product_id":"joe-hisaishi-a-symphonic-celebration-music-from-the-studio-ghibli-films","title":"Joe Hisaishi - A Symphonic Celebration: Music From The Studio Ghibli Films","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"product-description rte text_body_md\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor his first album on Deutsche Grammophon, Joe Hisaishi, the revered Japanese composer whose work has become synonymous with the magical Studio Ghibli animations of director Hayao Miyazaki has created an exciting series of symphonic arrangements of his original soundtracks for such Ghibli classics as Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke and My neighbor Totoro. Fittingly titled A Symphonic Celebration, it presents state-of-the-art recordings of his extraordinary work for this much-loved artistic force in animated movie-making. Recorded in London by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by the composer, its tracks are newly arranged by Hisaishi for symphony orchestra and features Grace Davidson, Avi Avital, Bach Choir and Stephen Morris. To celebrate Joe Hisaishis success and create a special piece of memory of the Paris concerts 2024 Deutsche Grammophon now releases a special edition with a unique Ghibli-Cover on vinyl.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":53021514236246,"sku":"MRM-01637","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/Joe-Hisaishi-Royal-Philharmonic-Orchestra_A-Symphonic-Celebration-Music-from-the-Studio-Ghibli-Films-of-Hayao-Miyazaki_Tour-Edition-2LP-Paris_s507616_o3623259_a437724_v11660576.b39c07.webp?v=1776091202"},{"product_id":"krgovich-shabason-tenniscoats-wao","title":"Krgovich Shabason, Tenniscoats - Wao","description":"\u003cp\u003eRecorded over two unplanned days at the oceanfront artist haven, Guggenheim House, in Kobe, 'Wao' captures the magic of pure improvisation, the joy of instant connection, and the quiet poetry of everyday life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMusically, 'Wao' floats between Tenniscoats’ delicate, experimental folk-pop and Shabason and Krgovich’s signature warmth and melodic clarity. There’s a gentle sense of surprise running through the album—ideas passed hand to hand, vocals offered up like gifts, each track arriving without force. The sequence of the record follows the order the songs were created, preserving the freshness and flow of the experience. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA tribute to ease, trust, and the joy of making something ephemeral together, 'Wao' is less a polished statement than a beautifully shared moment. As Saya whispered after one take, “Oh… wao.” That quiet awe says it all.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WESTERN VINYL","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":53021533176150,"sku":"MRM-01825","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/9f95df68b0e5dd19711f511d2c543e86.png?v=1775196135"},{"product_id":"kudo-reiko-tori-kudo-tangerine","title":"Reiko\/Tori Kudo - Tangerine","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"column-375 relative stack-large\"\u003e\n\u003caside class=\"large-screen-content large semi-bold\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTangerine is a gorgeous late-period set culled from three live performances by the enigmatic, brilliant Kudos.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReiko and Tori Kudo have been at the epicentre of a wave of Japanese music with the emphasis on originality, intimacy, odd melodicism and chance-taking. It sometimes feels like their influence is everywhere.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eRecorded at Village Hototoguiss, Japan, during autumn, winter and spring 2011 and 2012, the makeup of Tangerine is the culmination of over thirty years of experimentation, improvisation and intimacy between Reiko Kudo and Tori Kudo. Beginning their collaborative musical activities in the late 1970s and documenting their movements as Noise, it would be an earlier Les Rallizes Dénudés gig that would prove influential in shaping the duo’s lifelong impulse for collaboration and free play – it was, after all, where they first met. Over the course of a decade, they became associated with Hideo Ikeezumi’s seminal PSF (Psychedelic Speed Freaks) scene, Tori playing with the likes of Ché-SHIZU and Fushitsusha and self-releasing cassettes before forming the first incarnation of Maher Shalal Hash Baz.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eMaher Shalal Hash Baz, Tori’s storied musical ensemble of an ever-rotating cast of contributors, would perhaps find difficulty with Tori if called his own. First surfacing in 1985 on a Shinichi Satoh-released cassette compilation, the group would spend the next thirty years playing live and recording, their sound finding solace with labels as far-reaching as Geographic and K. Tori would welcome local amateur and professional musicians, neighbourhood children, friends and passersby on stage, while in the studio, the likes of Ikuro Takahashi (LSD March) and Takashi Ueno (Tenniscoats) have joined him and Reiko on seminal sides such as Return Visit To Rock Mass and Blues Du Jour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/aside\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"A COLOURFUL STORM","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":53021534552406,"sku":"MRM-01827","price":30.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/a0776340230_10.jpg?v=1776097611"},{"product_id":"les-rallizes-denudes-67-69-studio-et-live","title":"Les Rallizes Denudes - 67- '69 Studio Et Live","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTemporal Drift presents the first-ever officially sanctioned reissue of celebrated Japanese cult band Les Rallizes Dénudés’ three albums, originally compiled and released in limited quantities on CD in 1991. Led by the enigmatic Takashi Mizutani, Les Rallizes Dénudés has gained an almost mythical status the world over with their delicate balancing act between transcendent psychedelia and pure sonic assault, maintaining its status as an underground phenomenon throughout their three decade existence and beyond.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e‘67-’69 STUDIO et LIVE, MIZUTANI \/ Les Rallizes Dénudés, and ‘77 LIVE are the only albums released during Les Rallizes Dénudés’ lifetime, between its formation in 1967 at Doshisha University in Kyoto to its last-ever show in 1996 at Club Citta in Kawasaki. Produced by Mizutani, the three discs collectively provide a window into the (in)famously impenetrable band’s first decade of existence.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e‘67-’69 STUDIO et LIVE features early recordings that capture the reckless energy of the band’s formative years in Kyoto. Includes early takes of Rallizes staples “Memory is Far Away” and “The Last One,” the rare tender ballad “Bid Calls in the Dark,” possibly Mothers of Invention-inspired (complete with a kazoo solo) “Vertigo otherwise My Conviction.” CD edition includes two previously\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e unreleased bonus tracks, including a take on the classic stomper “Tobacco Road” (more Blues Magoos than Nashville Teens.)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eProduced in collaboration with The Last One Musique, the new label set up by former members and associates of Les Rallizes Dénudés, ‘67-’69 STUDIO et LIVE features newly remastered audio by former Rallizes member Makoto Kubota and new liner notes by Yuasa Manabu.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"TEMPORAL DRIFT","offers":[{"title":"Purple LP","offer_id":53021543825750,"sku":"MRM-01900","price":48.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/ef209494eb6fdf82b75e67701d36b223.png?v=1776268946"},{"product_id":"les-rallizes-denudes-jittoku-76","title":"Les Rallizes Denudes - Jittoku ‘76","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis newly discovered tape captures their July 30, 1976 performance at Jittoku.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"TEMPORAL DRIFT","offers":[{"title":"2CD","offer_id":53021543891286,"sku":"MRM-01901","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/fd2241e05b278f2d04c781e0123962c1.jpg?v=1775196588"},{"product_id":"maher-shalal-hash-baz-blues-du-jour","title":"Maher Shalal Hash Baz - Blues Du Jour","description":"\u003cp\u003eClear vinyl (2nd edition).\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"GEOGRAPHIC MUSIC\/ DOMINO","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":53021553459542,"sku":"MRM-02006","price":23.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/59f6b1b49c060bb7fed690e008d09970.png?v=1776360487"},{"product_id":"meiko-kaji-gincho-wataridori","title":"Meiko Kaji - Gincho Wataridori","description":"\u003cp\u003eJapanese actress\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMeiko Kaji\u003c\/strong\u003e, who was born in Tokyo, has become a worldwide cult icon thanks to\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQuentin Tarantino\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ewhen he heavily based his\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKill Bill\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003efilms on the 1973 revenge genre film\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Lady Snowblood\u003c\/strong\u003e,' one of Kaji's most famous films. Renowned for her roles in the highly acclaimed\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Stray Cat Rock'\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Female Prisoner Scorpion'\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003efilm series, Kaji became one of the most famous exploitation actresses in Japan in the early 70s. Invited by film studios to sing the theme for many of her films, she ended up recording five albums for\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTeichiku\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ebetween 1972 and 1974, which have become increasingly sought-after over the years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cstrong\u003eGincho Wataridori\u003c\/strong\u003e\" was the very first album released by Meiko Kaji in 1972 and is a great mix of kayokyoku (Japanese Pop), traditional Enka Music, psych rock and 70s cinematic groove. The album features the song \"Gincho Wataridori\" a theme song for the eponymous gangster film released by\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eToei Films\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ein 1972 (and known outside of Japan as \"\u003cstrong\u003eWandering Ginza Butterfly\u003c\/strong\u003e\"). On the cover of the album, Meiko actually wears the kimono she wears in the film. The song showcases Kaji's distinctive singing over a funky backbeat and fuzz guitar. It was recorded straight after the shooting of the film and Kaji remembers the recording process, as told to Hashim Bharoocha for the liner notes: \"\u003ci\u003eAfter two weeks of filming, mentally I’m still in my character, so I would go to the studio to record the song in that mindset. So when I’m recording my vocals, I’m still acting.\u003c\/i\u003e”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Ginchou Wataridori\" was produced by two seasoned Teichiku producers,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYorifumi Ito\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKenji Nakajima\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand features a superb mix of pop songs (\"\u003cstrong\u003eHakodate Monogatari\u003c\/strong\u003e\"), funky ones (\"\u003cstrong\u003eKoini Inochio\u003c\/strong\u003e,\" \"\u003cstrong\u003eShitto\u003c\/strong\u003e\") and atmospheric ones (\"\u003cstrong\u003eJingi Komoriuta\u003c\/strong\u003e\") making the perfect setting for Meiko Kaji's unique singing, reflecting the cool, dangerous atmosphere of the films she would star in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first of a series of five LPs produced for Teichiku between 1972 and 1974, \"Gincho Wataridori\" marks the beginning of Meiko Kaji's fruitful career as a recording artist and is a unique testament of her singing talent which Wewantsounds is delighted to reissue in its full glory with gatefold sleeve, remastered from the original master tapes.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WEWANTSOUNDS","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":53021566796118,"sku":"MRM-02100","price":34.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/f59351b66058551d5a50e657966975a7.jpg?v=1775197771"},{"product_id":"midnight-in-tokyo-4-various-artists","title":"Midnight In Tokyo 4 - Various Artists","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTsunaki Kadowaki, a staff member at Kyoto’s record store Meditations, the supervisor of \"New Age Music Disc Guide\", and the founder of Sad Disco, curates the fourth installment of \"Midnight in Tokyo\" themed around Ambient Kayō.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe album presents 12 exquisite pop tracks infused with an ambient feeling, resonating deeply with the evolving landscape of the mid-2020s—a time of post-hyperpop and Y2K revival.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Midnight in Tokyo series by Studio Mule focuses on Japanese music, serving as a soundtrack for Tokyo nights—whether for home listening, club play, or as a driving BGM, transcending location and space. After a six-year hiatus, the fourth volume takes \"Ambient Kayō\" as its new perspective, compiling genre-defying tracks released between 1977 and 1999 to explore the intersection of Japanese ambient and pop music.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor this long-awaited fourth installment, selections were made regardless of record label status (major or independent), era, format (vinyl or CD), original release price, or prior reissues. Instead, the focus was on music that deeply moves the listener, is open-minded and evocative, brims with inspiration and spiritual insight, and embodies the \"utagokoro\" (singing heart) of Japanese artists.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"STUDIO MULE","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":53021570203990,"sku":"MRM-02157","price":35.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/4b54f4e67af7345e5505697958617595.jpg?v=1775198097"},{"product_id":"mono-forever-home-live-in-japan-with-orchestra-pitreza","title":"Mono - Forever Home: Live In Japan With Orchestra Pitreza","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen MONO first conceived of a live concert backed by an orchestra, it seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime dream — an event that would require a unique set of circumstances, an enormous crew of like-minded and generous contributors, and a titanic amount of luck. At exactly a decade into their career, it was by far their most ambitious undertaking. They flew from their home country of Japan — where, at the time, they were ironically less acclaimed and accomplished than in the United States and Europe — to New York City, where they assembled an orchestra, secured a historic venue near Lincoln Center, and bet on themselves to pull off a truly unforgettable evening. Not only was the concert a rousing success, but it spawned what has become a defining part of MONO’s identity: the orchestral live performance. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSince that magical night in NYC in 2009, MONO have performed more than three dozen live concerts with a diverse array of orchestras, spanning nearly as many countries throughout the world. Their last such concert in Japan, however, was more than 15 years ago. A quarter-century into their storied career, MONO has finally come home. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eForever Home: Live in Japan with Orchestra PITREZA\u003c\/em\u003e celebrates MONO’s 25th Anniversary OATH Orchestral World Tour, which stretched to 20 concerts in Europe, Asia, and the United States in the final months of 2024. Recorded in front of a sold-out crowd at Spotify O-EAST in Tokyo, Forever Home features a 12-piece orchestra — led by orchestra director and frequent collaborator Chad McCullough — supporting MONO as they perform their latest album, OATH, in its entirety. The 100-minute concert concludes with a pair of the band’s most iconic songs — “Ashes in the Snow” and “Everlasting Light” — that pay homage to that first-ever orchestral live performance in NYC 15 years ago. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecorded and mixed by MONO’s longtime touring sound engineer Matt Cook, Forever Home captures the venerable group in their natural environment, and at their most transcendent. With the symphonic accompaniment of Japan’s Orchestra PITREZA, MONO makes a room in Tokyo feel like a limitless sea — mercurial, contemplative, and overwhelming.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"TEMPORARY RESIDENCE","offers":[{"title":"Metallic Gold 3LP","offer_id":53021574562134,"sku":"MRM-02218","price":49.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/88344a40e9d1a4d847a04c64ab00a440.jpg?v=1775198434"},{"product_id":"mono-under-the-pipal-tree-25th-anniversary-edition","title":"Mono - Under The Pipal Tree (25th Anniversary Edition)","description":"Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the release of MONO’s debut album, \u003ci\u003eUnder The Pipal Tree\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ci\u003eUnder The Pipal Tree\u003c\/i\u003e is the debut album by now-legendary Japanese experimental rock band, MONO. Released in 2001 on avant-garde icon John Zorn's Tzadik label, \u003ci\u003eUnder The Pipal Tree\u003c\/i\u003e showcased a young Japanese quartet whose wide range of influences – most notably Sonic Youth, Mogwai, The Velvet Underground, and Neil Young's Crazy Horse – were on ferocious and ambitious display. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThough MONO would eventually become known for their expert marriage of metal and classical genres, \u003ci\u003eUnder The Pipal Tree\u003c\/i\u003e highlights the band's psychedelic roots. Long stretches of hypnotic, melodic washes give way to scorching guitar freakouts that evaporate into haunting silence. It's remarkable not just for its earnest exploration, but for its startling execution. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e25 years and a dozen albums later, \u003ci\u003eUnder The Pipal Tree\u003c\/i\u003e stands as one of the great debut albums by a seminal underground band.","brand":"TEMPORARY RESIDENCE","offers":[{"title":"\"Iridescent Forest Night\" 2LP","offer_id":53021574627670,"sku":"MRM-02219","price":41.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/3da0c06888deb72c53693014b9d41c63.jpg?v=1775198440"},{"product_id":"nagisa-ni-te-newocean-2023-reissue","title":"Nagisa Ni Te - Newocean (2023 Reissue)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSince their first album in 1995, Japan's Nagisa Ni Te has created an enchanting and deeply personal sound world woven from elements of folk, psychedelia and rock along with wistful melodies and gentle arrangements. Centered on Shinji Shibayama (Hallelujahs) and Masako Takeda's partnership, the group has created intimate, emotionally resonant music that floats and breathes with an ease that can only come from a sort of telepathic chemistry. Released in Japan on the group's 25th anniversary, Newocean is a clear eyed, expansive collection of songs evoking love and loss, hazy sunshine and looming darkness, human yearning amidst nature's grandeur.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BLACK EDITIONS","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":53021581312342,"sku":"MRM-02277","price":52.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/a2935462618_10.jpg?v=1776443813"},{"product_id":"ost-castle-in-the-sky-laputa-image-album","title":"OST - Castle In The Sky:  Laputa - 'Image Album'","description":"\u003cp\u003eJoe Hisaishi’s Laputa: Castle in the Sky Image Album returns as a vinyl reissue, capturing the atmosphere and themes of the beloved film.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProduced ahead of the official soundtrack, the album was composed from ideas shared by director Hayao Miyazaki and producer Isao Takahata with Joe Hisaishi.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sleeve design features cutouts of Pazu and Sheeta from the theatrical poster, and the double jacket includes a replica cel of Pazu and Sheeta.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Studio Ghibli","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":53021647438166,"sku":"MRM-02476","price":49.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/172590-joe-hisaishi-sora-kara-futtekita-shoujo-castle.png?v=1780249791"},{"product_id":"slomo-the-creep-20th-anniversary-edition-first-time-on-vinyl","title":"Slomo - The Creep (20th Anniversary Edition)","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis ambient doom masterwork is available on vinyl for the first time via Ideologic Organ. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is a storied album of verbal history, and emerged from a figurative long barrow deep within a virtual space of great depth and contemplation, an inverted framing of acoustic space with heavy floors ranging from the wake of COIL to the heaviest Japanese fire of psychedelia to the monuments of drone coagulating in the early ‘aughts. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Slomo is a 2-piece made up of myself, Holy McGrail, and Howard «Iron Man» Marsden. Our debut album THE CREEP was released in a run of 100 copies on FUCK OFF \u0026amp; DI in 2005, after attracting a great buzz in its earlier promo form. THE CREEP is a single 1-hour-long track recorded live with minimal overdubs \u0026amp; zero eye-contact. Malnourished musical structures flourish, flounder and flag in virtual stasis.\"\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"IDEOLOGIC ORGAN","offers":[{"title":"Indies Only Remastered LP","offer_id":53022136238422,"sku":"MRM-03006","price":30.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/fad4aa84cc4c8e9c4cdc147082918a8a.png?v=1775202875"},{"product_id":"susumu-yokota-magic-thread-2025-reissue","title":"Susumu Yokota - Magic Thread (2025 Reissue)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMagic Thread\u003c\/em\u003e is Susumu Yokota’s deeply soothing and delicate debut release on the Skintone label. With a spartan palette of sounds and textures, Yokota taps into a fundamentally human need to fuse and connect disparate fibres, magically forming work which glistens and pulsates with life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMagic Thread\u003c\/em\u003e originally came out in 1998 as a limited-edition CD release of 500 copies. Initially intended for the Japanese market, it came without any artwork in a standard transparent CD case adorned only by a sticker containing essential album information and a quote:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e‘Somewhere in the process of evolution, the spinning and weaving of thread became possible for humankind. How did this come to pass? It can only be that the thread is possessed of magical properties.’\u003c\/em\u003e – Yokota, 1998.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"LO RECORDINGS","offers":[{"title":"Gold 2LP","offer_id":53022176018774,"sku":"MRM-03198","price":40.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/ee15614961b176c168dc98c26bf4c339.jpg?v=1775203989"},{"product_id":"tenniscoats-tan-tan-therapy","title":"Tenniscoats - Tan-Tan Therapy","description":"\u003cp class=\"x_x_MsoNormal\"\u003eJust over a decade ago, Japanese indie-pop duo\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eTenniscoats\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003erecorded “\u003cb\u003ePapa’s Ear\u003c\/b\u003e” (2012) and “\u003cb\u003eTan-Tan Therapy\u003c\/b\u003e” (2007), two albums made with musical and production help from Swedish post-rock\/folk trio\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eTape\u003c\/b\u003e. Originally released on\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eHäpna\u003c\/b\u003e, they are beautiful documents of the exploratory music made by a close-knit collective of musicians, fully at ease with each other, playing songs written by\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eTenniscoats\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand arranging them in gentle and generous ways. Released during a prolific phase of collaboration for\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eTenniscoats\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e– during the late ’00s and early ’10s, they would also collaborate with\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eJad Fair\u003c\/b\u003e,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Pastels\u003c\/b\u003e,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eSecai\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ePastacas\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e– they have, however, never been available on vinyl. In collaboration with\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlien Transistor\u003c\/b\u003e,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eMorr Music\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis now reissuing these albums with bonus material.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"x_x_MsoNormal\"\u003eFilled with graceful pop songs, autumnal folk tunes, and gentle yet risk-taking improvisations, “\u003cb\u003eTan-Tan Therapy\u003c\/b\u003e” was the first\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eTenniscoats\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ealbum to be released in Europe, after a run of albums on Japanese labels, and the excellent “\u003cb\u003eLive Wanderus\u003c\/b\u003e” (2005) on Australian imprint\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eChapter Music\u003c\/b\u003e. It was also the first recorded evidence of their collaboration with the three members of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eTape\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand that group’s extended musical family. It opens with one of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eTenniscoats\u003c\/b\u003e‘ signature songs, the pop fantasia of “Baibaba Bimba”, with\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eTenniscoats\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003esinger\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eSaya\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003erepeating a light-headed incantation over joyous brass. The essence of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eTenniscoats\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis contained in “Baibaba Bimba”: uplifting melody and playful musicianship, tinged with distant echoes of winsome melancholy.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"MORR MUSIC","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":53022191878486,"sku":"MRM-03258","price":20.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/a2149398479_10.jpg?v=1776098270"},{"product_id":"tenniscoats-the-papas-ear","title":"Tenniscoats - Papas Ear","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJust over a decade ago, Japanese indie-pop duo Tenniscoats recorded »Papa's Ear« (2012) and »Tan-Tan Therapy« (2007), two albums made with musical and production help from Swedish post-rock\/folk trio Tape. Originally released on Häpna, they are beautiful documents of the exploratory music made by a close-knit collective of musicians, fully at ease with each other, playing songs written by Tenniscoats and arranging them in gentle and generous ways. Released during a particularly productive time for Tenniscoats – during the late ‘00s and early ‘10s, they would also collaborate with Jad Fair, The Pastels, Secai and Pastacas – they have, however, never been available on vinyl. In collaboration with Alien Transistor, Morr Music is now reissuing these albums both digitally and on double vinyl, with extra tracks.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis reissue mini-series starts with »Papa’s Ear«. The second album from this expanded line-up of Tenniscoats, you can hear the musicians are immediately comfortable in each other’s presence, and they’ve almost intuitively understood what they can offer to one another. Saya and Ueno of Tenniscoats bring their magical, gentle folk-pop sensibility, and their winning way with straightforward, yet lush melodies. Johan Berthling, along with fellow\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eTape member Tomas Hallonsten, plus guests Fredrik Ljungkvist, Lars Skoglund, Andreas Söderstrom and Andreas Werlin, all generous and creative presences in the Swedish jazz underground, shades in the songs with endlessly inventive arrangements, highlighting the warmth and curiosity at the core of the Tenniscoats’ aesthetic – sometimes taking the songs in unexpected directions, other times pillowing the melodies with the softest of brushstrokes and the kindest of tones.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e»Papa’s Ear« includes some of Tenniscoats’ most memorable songs. »Papaya« is a lustrous dreamland of a song, with the Swedish musicians singing ‘pa-pa-ya’ as an enchanted tattoo, while Saya’s piano and melodica clank and huff out, further expanding the song’s horizon. It’s followed by the spindly and mysterious »Sappolondon«, where drums and double-bass shuffle and pulse under weeping accordion and bittersweet clarinet. Saya’s voice sighs into the frame while the musicians breathe lungfuls of sweet drones and flick glittering countermelodies across the song’s surface. It reminds a little of the wild kindness of Movietone, or the regal charm of Carla Bley’s compositions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eElsewhere, you can hear Tape and their friends embracing the freedom offered by the songs of Tenniscoats: see, for example, the glistening electronics in »På floden«, like a keyboard conducting a music box on a distant planet; or the descending phrase for winds on »Sabaku«, dovetailing beautifully into a creek of moon-lit texturology. The double-LP ends with two extra tracks, drawn from the 2008 Tenniscoats\/Tape split single, also released by Häpna., »Lutie Lutie« is a sweet delight, driven by a clacking drum machine, the Tenniscoats duo joined by Hallonsten on glockenspiel and synthesizer, and special guest, Japanese indie-pop legend Kazumi Nikaido, as choir. »Come Maddalena« rounds off the set, a brooding cover of an Ennio Morricone tune, the music by Tape, the vocals by Tenniscoats and Nikaido. Open-hearted and full of puckish spirit, »Papa’s Ear« is an album of great tenderness and warm friendship.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"MORR MUSIC","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":53022191911254,"sku":"MRM-03259","price":40.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":53022192075094,"sku":"MRM-03260","price":17.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/a3367824198_10.jpg?v=1776169081"},{"product_id":"the-pastels-tenniscoats-two-sunsets","title":"The Pastels \/ Tenniscoats - Two Sunsets","description":"\u003cp\u003eThere’s been a long-standing fraternal relationship between elements of the Glasgow and Tokyo music scenes and Two Sunsets is undoubtedly one of its most lush fruits. Between Illumination and this full-length the Pastels were busy setting up their own label (Geographic, which this album was released on) and writing music for film and theatre while Tenniscoats were being extremely productive while honing their affecting craft. As a marriage, Two Sunsets is a balanced statement replete with a sun-lapped atmosphere and beautiful playing throughout. Some of the haziest the psychedelic pop you’ll ever hear, an optimistic, summery sound and always a joy.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"DOMINO RECORDS","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":53022301552982,"sku":"MRM-03490","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":53321138635094,"sku":"MRM-04998","price":21.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/89fc3bb7169d5fd7df19fb50cc708431.png?v=1777393398"},{"product_id":"tori-kud-studio-village-hototoguiss-2007-2022","title":"Tori Kudo - Studio Village Hototoguiss 2007-2022","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMatsuyama in Ehime is the birthplace of haiku, and to this day, haiku submission boxes are placed around town. Young people gather in a haiku society-like manner. In other words, they observe and contemplate well, but their approach is generally instant, casual, and somewhat careless. There is a local disposition here, which they call \"yomoda\" in the dialect—a blend of humor and sadness. It’s as if they pretend to agree to demands in a laid-back way, all while delaying the big decision. It’s a matter related to the moment and ethics.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNear the famous Dogo Onsen is Studio Village Hototogisu, named after the magazine Hototogisu started by Masaoka Shiki, the father of haiku. The studio was once a large psychiatric hospital, which Mr. Tsuru, the owner, completely remodeled, turning the third floor into his music studio. Tsuru-san is both a psychiatrist and an avid enthusiast of classic rock. He’s a broad-minded adult who also accepts my type of music. About once or twice a month, I randomly select an instrument or device from his vast collection, gathers whoever happens to be around, usually his family, and in about two hours, we record and mix a piece. This album is a compilation of those recordings. The album cover is designed after Matsuyama's specialty confection, \"Ichiroku Tart.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrom around the time of the pandemic, I started layering his dobro guitar or mandolin over my tracks on purpose. The mainstream and the fringe—once opposing camps—merged after this pandemic, a convergence in rock history that’s etched on side D of this album, reflecting the current global situation. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCould a society of free-verse haiku poets sharing both love and resentment for Matsuyama be possible? It’s a question that touches on the future course of nationalism. (Tori Kudo)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BRUIT DIRECT DISQUES \/ ARCHEION","offers":[{"title":"Black 2LP In Gatefold Sleeve","offer_id":53022349820246,"sku":"MRM-03629","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/a3848174703_10.jpg?v=1775751145"},{"product_id":"non-band-non-band","title":"Non Band - Non Band","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Japanese punk rock movement known as Tokyo Rockers began in the summer of 1978. It incubated an independent music culture as well as a host of fascinating, individualistic musicians. One of the more striking units was the male-female duo Maria 023. NON played bass for them, and it was here that she first attracted attention. However, Maria 023 was short-lived, and NON would not reappear until the following year, August 1979, on stage at the legendary concert event \"Drive to 80s\". Her unbilled performance at the event consisted of several songs for solo bass and vocals, and her combination of intensity and a distinctly female emotionality made a striking impression. In the months that followed, NON continued to play solo and she became a pivotal presence among the female rockers on the scene at the time.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFinally she shifted from solo to group performance, and formed NON BAND. After several member changes, the line-up stabilized into a unique trio with Kinosuke Yamagishi on violin and clarinet, and Mitsuru Tamagaki on drums. It was with this line-up that the group reached a musical peak.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"TAL","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":53025418805590,"sku":"MRM-02406","price":33.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/a3540666229_10.jpg?v=1775742216"},{"product_id":"geinoh-yamashirogumi-ecophony-rinne","title":"Geinoh Yamashirogumi - Ecophony Rinne","description":"","brand":"TIME CAPSULE","offers":[{"title":"Black Vinyl LP","offer_id":53058482864470,"sku":"MRM-04117","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/544e6402d1075a6470d33733250a0a3b.jpg?v=1775597608"},{"product_id":"cowboy-bebop-songs-for-the-cosmic-sofa","title":"Cowboy Bebop: Songs For The Cosmic Sofa","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePresenting “COWBOY BEBOP: Songs for the Cosmic Sofa,” an auditory journey with striking designs by the acclaimed Toshiaki Uesugi, known for his work for the Cowboy Bebop franchise. This LP, curated with the guidance of Yoko Kanno, is a collection of chill-out and downtempo tracks taken from the Cowboy Bebop discography. Explore iconic songs like “ADIEU” from \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eCowboy Bebop: Blue\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e featuring Emily Bindigerand a brand new recording of the hit “THE REAL FOLK BLUES” featuring Mai Yamane. Join the cultural phenomenon that is Cowboy Bebop in this outstanding vinyl format.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Milan","offers":[{"title":"Pink \u0026 Blue Marbled Vinyl LP","offer_id":53071400993110,"sku":"MRM-04210","price":33.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/8f4657c6dde8aa0bc3df43c7a860f030.webp?v=1775744160"},{"product_id":"ost-the-cat-returns-double-lp-with-etched-side","title":"OST - The Cat Returns (Double LP with etched side)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Cat Returns – Original Soundtrack\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003epresents Yuji Nomi’s whimsical and richly orchestrated score for Studio Ghibli’s fantastical adventure film. Blending European classical influences, playful character themes, and lighthearted waltzes, the music perfectly reflects the film’s surreal journey between the human world and the Kingdom of Cats.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe soundtrack follows Haru’s transformation from an ordinary schoolgirl into an unlikely heroine, moving from gentle, introspective pieces to exuberant parade music and eccentric character motifs. Highlights include the stately themes for the Cat King, the elegant presence of Baron Humbert von Gikkingen, and lively cues such as\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eHaru’s Boogie-Woogie\u003c\/em\u003e. The set also includes the film’s theme song\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eBecome the Wind\u003c\/em\u003e, performed by\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAyano Tsuji\u003c\/strong\u003e, along with five bonus tracks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis 2×12” vinyl edition features music spread across three sides, with the reverse of the final disc showcasing laser-etched character artwork, making it a standout collector’s piece for fans of Studio Ghibli soundtracks.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Studio Ghibli","offers":[{"title":"2xLP","offer_id":53071722152278,"sku":"MRM-04229","price":49.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/e19d0b3c0691f079806febd44b84d6e8.png?v=1775748374"},{"product_id":"ost-spirited-away-double-lp","title":"OST - Spirited Away (Double LP)","description":"\u003cp\u003eStudio Ghibli announces the release of the iconic soundtracks from Hayao Miyazaki’s legendary films, composed by Joe Hisaishi — now available on vinyl for the first time!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA must-have for fans, and the perfect way to relive your favorite films with emotion and nostalgia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLimited edition remastered soundtrack.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"STUDIO GHIBLI RECORDS","offers":[{"title":"Black Vinyl 2LP","offer_id":53071908634966,"sku":"MRM-04233","price":49.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/fb12193f14d913a4cdcf19e3f7af4f63.jpg?v=1775753081"},{"product_id":"minute-tango-a-compilation-of-short-tracks-each-about-one-minute-long","title":"Minute Tango: a compilation of short tracks each about one-minute long","description":"\u003cp\u003eDelightful 10 track one-minute miniatures 7\" single with Eddie Marcon, Directorsound and other gentle souls. Into it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What would happen if we gave ten musicians a one-minute track and free creative rein to produce anything that they wished? I decided to find out and posed this challenge to ten\u003cspan\u003e musicians who I respect. The only restriction was the time limit. Anything else was fair game. The resulting compilation bends time and transcends genre, perhaps even harkening back to those halcyon days when we were all first starting out as young artists, experimenting with the limited tools at hand to find a unique voice all our own. Sure, some of the tracks run slightly over the one-minute mark, but no problem. We wouldn’t want to cut a single second of these crystalline contributions, brimming with a potent mix of both playfulness and purposeful intent.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is one notably longer track by Romu Aoyagi, who generously obliged our request to record a whistled cover version of “Esquisses, Op.63: No.48, En Songe”, originally composed by Charles-Valentin Alkan (1813-1888). The track has been included in full with gratitude to Aoyagi.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e September 4, 2025 Takashi Hishigaki\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"double dyno recordings","offers":[{"title":"7\" vinyl","offer_id":53802501505366,"sku":"MRM-05347","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/a1873151036_10.png?v=1779112791"},{"product_id":"various-artists-nippon-psychedelic-soul-1970-1979","title":"Various Artists - Nippon Psychedelic Soul 1970-1979","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe kaleidoscopic psychedelia of 1970s Japan captured a fragile and fertile moment as the country sought its future in funk grooves, heavy reverb and lyrical hallucinations.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e（🇯🇵👇）\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe follow-up compilation to Time Capsule’s Nippon Acid Folk, Nippon Psychedelic Soul takes myriad pathways into the tripped-out undergrowth of 1970s Japan. Finding their feet at home and looking for inspiration abroad, the musicians featured here were engaged in the communal soul-searching that followed the breakdown of the 1960s protest movements. Some made it big, others drifted into oblivion. The music they left behind shimmers with intensity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt the core was Happy End, the first project of YMO’s Haroumi Hosono, whose distortion-heavy guitar and crisp back-beat laid the foundations for Japanese lyrics that flipped the paradigm of Japanese rock music on its head. With it came a new found sonic ambition, such as in the bold Philly-soul style arrangements of producer Yuji Ohno, whose work with occult wandered Yoshiko Sai shares some of the bittersweet grandeur of Rotary Connection or David Axelrod.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThen there was Jun Fukamachi, a pioneer of Japanese synthesis, whose debut album was a carnival of orchestral funk\u003cspan\u003e, euphoric horn lines and rich production, complete with soaring guitar solos, psychedelic organ and a truly cinematic finale. The first and only time Fukamachi would sing on record, ‘Omae’ rips like the ultimate end-of-nighter.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eInfluenced by giants of the US soul scene, maverick composer Hiroshi “Monsieur” Kamayatsu (otherwise known as ‘the Brian Wilson of Japan’) went one step further, enlisting Tower of Power to play on ‘Have You Smoked Gauloises?’ The B-side to Monsieur’s biggest-selling single, it coasts with sophisticated cool - a liquid bassline and suave keys comping under a roaring trademark ToP sax solo. No surprise it found favour once more on the Acid Jazz dance floors of ‘90s London.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSuch was the spirit of experimentation that big studio productions and private press releases sat side-by-side, with the likes of Momotaro Pink and Kazushi Inamura, taking their hopes of success into their own hands with the resources available to them. More reflective but no less robust, theirs was a heavy, fat-backed drum sound, soaked in dramatic, soulful psychedelia.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf some were dreamers and others space cadets, none were further out than sci-fi writer, musician, activist and self-made scientist Tadashi Goino, who transformed his own fantasy novel Messenger from the Seventh Dimension into an operatic prog odyssey with few discernible musical reference points – a majestic and completely bonkers outlier even among company as strange and brilliant as that which is collected here.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLess a compilation of a scene, as a compilation of a sentiment, Nippon Psychedelic Soul is a wild ride from start to finish, shattering the narratives of the Japanese folk and rock tradition into a million tiny pieces.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e🌐\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e70年代の日本におけるサイケデリック・ソウルを再考察。はっぴいえんど、かまやつひろし等の豪華キャストから自主制作盤アーティストまで、極色彩なファンキーグルーヴと重厚な残響によって覚醒した当時のニッポンを振り返る。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eレーベル前作「Nippon Acid Folk 1970-1980」に引き続き、本作では同時代におけるよりトリップ感溢れるサイケな世界観に足を踏み入れる。60年代末における反体制運動の終焉によって行き場を失いつつも、なんとか方向性を見つけようとしていた当時の日本人の若手音楽家達は、国外からインスピレーションを受けながらも、国内の経済発展と共にその地に足を着けながら自らの魂の探求をすることになった。成功を手にした者もいれば、忘れ去られた者もいたが、当時の彼等が残した音楽は未だに強烈な輝きを放っているのだ。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eそんな物語の中心に居るのは日本が誇る至宝、細野晴臣が率いたはっぴいえんど。彼等の代表曲「春よ来い」の歪んだギターとキレのいいバックビートの上に自然と流れる日本語歌詞はその後の日本におけるロック音楽のパラダイムを完全に覆すことになった。またフィラデルフィア・ソウル的な豪華なストリングス編曲が印象的な佐井好子の楽曲はルパン三世のサントラで有名な大野雄二が手掛けた。怪奇幻想小説等に大きく影響を受けたその独特な世界観を展開する彼女はロータリー・コネクションにも通じる趣がある。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eその後日本におけるフュージョン音楽を引率する事になるキーボード奏者の深町純のデビューアルバムは意外なことに日本初だったキーボード弾き語り系シンガーソングライターとしての作品だった。本作収録の「お前」ではサイケなオルガン、空間歪み系エフェクトで揺れるギターとボーカル、そして陶酔のホーンセクションでシネマティックな編曲を披露。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e90年代のアシッド・ジャズ期に一度国内外で再評価されたかまやつひろしの代表曲「ゴロワーズを吸った事があるかい」も収録。当時たまたま来日していたベイエリア・ファンク界の伝説的バンド、タワー・オブ・パワーを捕まえ、時代に残る名曲をその場で即興的に録音したという。そのような大規模なスタジオによるプロダクションと同時に収録しているのが自主制作盤として残された2作、大阪のバンド、貧゜苦巣（ピンクス）による「8月の印象」と北海道出身の稲村一志と第一巻第百章による「部屋の中」。どちらも荒削りながら重厚なリズムセクションの上にソウルフルでドラマチックに展開するフルートやギターのサイケデリックな音色が響き渡る。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eそして個性豊かな収録アーティスト中でも特に異彩を放つのが自費出版SF作家、音楽家、活動家、そして自称科学者の五井野正。自身のファンタジー小説「七次元よりの使者」をオペラ的とも言えるプログ組曲に生まれ変われさせ、本作収録の「時間を超えろ」で完全無比な音世界を構築した。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e本作「ニッポン・サイケデリック・ソウル 1970-1979」はある音楽シーンのコンピレーションというよりは、当時のフォークやロックの伝統を打ち破り、その多彩な個性によって当時の心理状況を投影した感情の集合体と言えるかもしれない。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e「Nippon Psychedelic Soul 1970-1979」はタイム・カプセルが日本の過去の様々なシーンを切り取って紹介する “Nippon Series” の一部です。発売中の他タイトルと今後の発売予定タイトルと併せてお楽しみ下さい。\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ecredits\u003c\/h3\u003e","brand":"TIME CAPSULE","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":53807229403478,"sku":"MRM-03716","price":28.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/a0085361020_10.png?v=1779118030"},{"product_id":"nippon-acid-folk-1970-1980","title":"Nippon Acid Folk 1970-1980","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA counterculture movement united by an expansive, experimental and deeply soulful sensibility, Japan’s rebel protest music challenged the status quo and changed the country’s music industry in the process.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e（🇯🇵👇）\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe birth of Japan’s nascent acid folk scene was rooted in the messy and invigorating political climate of the late 1960s. It is a story of Dadaists, communists, pharmacists and cult leaders, led by a young generation of upstart students, artists and dreamers hellbent on turning their world upside down.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBorn on the campuses of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, and centred around newly formed independent label and left-wing stronghold URC, this uniquely Japanese form of folk expression provided an outlet for musicians who were tired of aping Western sounds and instead found ways to sing in Japanese and integrate traditional forms in new ways.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt the forefront of this movement was Yellow Magic Orchestra’s Haroumi Hosono, a polymath innovator whose band Happy End released the first Japanese language rock album, and whose influence would go on to be felt across Japanese music for decades. Alongside, and informed by the Kansai scene’s Takashi\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Nishioka and Happy End collaborator Ken Narita, they experimented with cadences and accents of the Japanese language to open the door for others to experiment with their own forms of psychedelic folk too.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSome, like Nishioka, were more inspired by Dadaism than drugs, while others, like Kazuhisa Okubo, would ultimately find work as a chemist, having founded two further folk groups that flirted with varying levels of success. Obstinately uncommercial, relentlessly creative, the music featured on Time Capsule’s Nippon Acid Folk represents a broad church of influences.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePerhaps the wildest addition to this congregation however was Hiroki Tamaki, a classically-trained violinist and committed iconoclast, whose synth-prog odysseys hinted at his obsession with the divine. Subsumed by the teachings of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, he penned an album in praise of the infamous religious leader of which two superbly mind-bending tracks are featured on this compilation.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCharting the decade from 1970 to 1980 as the dreams of political and spiritual liberation seeded in the ‘60s turned to dust, Nippon Acid Folk surveys a little explored corner of Japanese music history, but one which ultimately laid the foundations for an independent music industry, launching the careers of Hosono and others in the process.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNippon Acid Folk 1970-1980 is pressed on 12” vinyl and represents the start of Time Capsule’s deep dive into Japan’s rich history of folk and psychedelic soul music.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"TIME CAPSULE","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":53807453536598,"sku":"MRM-03715","price":28.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/a3260292840_10.png?v=1779117674"},{"product_id":"niningashi-heavy-way","title":"Niningashi - Heavy Way","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA long-lost Japanese acid folk gem, Niningashi’s 1974 private press debut Heavy Way shimmers with originality, deft song writing and a dream-like groove.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e（🇯🇵👇）\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlthough he was training as a pharmacist, Kazuhisa Okubo was much more interested in prescribing musical medicine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA coming-of-age album, Heavy Way captured a turning point in Okubo’s life, and Japanese society more widely as a nostalgia for the pastoral calm of the traditional life, met the cosmopolitan thrill of coffee, sex and cigarettes in the big city.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIntoxicated by Tokyo, driven by a passion for music and surrounded by a thriving acid folk scene, the young student filtered his experiences through a psychedelic cocktail of soulful influences from the US and Japan.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNiningashi was his first band, and Heavy Way was their only album. It was honest and raw, deep and strangely funky, in an off-beat kind of way. Across nine tracks, Okubo and the 6-piece band put their own spin on the new folk sound of Japan, combining witty lyrics with electric guitar-driven solos and crisp, understated grooves.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMelancholy and profound, opening track ‘Ameagari’\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e feels like a synthesis of Harvest-era Neil Young and Haruomi Hosono’s Happy End. Then there’s the whimsical washboard country sound of ‘Semai Boku No Heyade’; the moody, low-lit charm of ‘Restaurant’; and ‘Hitoribotchi’, a sensitive portrayal of childhood, steeped in memories of rainfall that will resonate with fans of Woo and Mac Demarco.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhile Okubo would go on to taste success with psychedelic folk bands Neko and Kaze, the latter of which scored three #1 albums, little is known about his mysterious debut with Niningashi.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSelf-released by Okubo in 1974, and featuring album artwork by his brother, it has slowly generated a cult following online, intrigued by its soft and enchanting sound. So few records were ultimately pressed that those remaining have fetched up to £1,500 online.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFeatured on Time Capsule’s era-spanning collection Nippon Acid Folk, Niningashi’s Heavy Way is a deep-cut grail of a vibrant time in Japan’s musical history, where even the pharmacists were making jams.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e１９７４年作・日本の自主制作アシッド・フォーク・激レア・アルバムが公式再発。ニール・ヤングやはっぴいえんどにも通じるサイケロック感満載の超隠れ名盤！\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e70年代中期にフォーク・グループ「猫」や「風」の一員として活躍し、その後はソロとして3枚のアルバムを残すが、後に音楽業界から静かに引退し、2021年に他界した大久保一久。デビュー前に自身のバンド「ににんがし」と録音した秘蔵の自主制作盤「Heavy Way」が50年の歳月を経て再び蘇る。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e70年代初頭、日本のフォーク・ロック界は変革の時代を迎えていた。その以前から続いて来た欧米からの色濃い影響、モノマネや商業主義が蔓延する中、革新的な音楽家達は新しい波を求めていた。その後の日本の音楽史を書き換える事になる、錚々たるメンバーが揃った細野晴臣率いるはっぴいえんどは、メッセージ性が強かった関西フォークシーンにも触発され、日本語歌詞の音節とロック・メロディを融合する事に成功。そしてその影響は全国に波及する事になった。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eその頃、薬剤師の資格を取るために広島から上京したばかりの大久保は、大学在学中から日本のフォーク音楽の源流の一つとして有名な「広島フォーク村」に参加。同団体を主宰し、日本におけるシンガー・ソングライターの草分け的存在だった同郷の吉田拓郎からもその才能を認められ、70年に制作されたににんがしによる初の7インチ・シングルでは、拓郎が初めて他人に提供したという楽曲を録音。拓郎本人もギターで参加していた。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eアルバム「Heavy Way」 は大久保が大学を卒業した記念に自主制作盤として74年に録音。人生の転換期を迎えていた20代前半の大久保の心境と同時に、昔ながらの郷愁に満ちた日本の原風景と大都会での窮屈な暮らしぶりが交差する時代を描いている。自主制作とは言えど楽曲内容、演奏、録音、音響処理、全てのプロセスにプロフェッショナリズムを感じられる質の高い作品である。正直で生々しく、ディープかつ奇妙にファンキーな要素が全９曲に散りばめられたこのアルバムは、大久保とその仲間達によって慎重に紡がれた新しい日本のフォーク・ロック・サウンドとウィットに富んだ日本語歌詞が混じり、未だに時代を超えた魅力を放っている。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eメランコリーかつ深遠な冒頭曲のA1:「雨上がり」は、 ハーヴェスト時代のニール・ヤングをはっぴいえんどがカバーしたようなサウンドが特に印象的。アルバム随所に聞こえる歪んだギター・ソロの乾いたトーンはこの冒頭曲後半から既に全開。大久保の繊細なヴォーカルとは対照的な音色だが、ソウルフル感溢れるプレイの中に崇高な重みを感じさせ、同曲を完全に別の次元に押し上げている。西海岸サイケ・ブルース・ロック調のA3: 「おそすぎて」では見事な日本語歌詞で昭和の香りを漂わせ、ムーディなB1:「れすとらん」での絞ったトーンはそのススだらけの古い店の雰囲気を醸し出している。このアルバムには異色なB3:「ちかんの詩」では歪んだボーカルとギターが絡み合いファンキーなリズム・セクションが楽曲を最後までドライブ。個々のミュージシャンの才能が特出している。最後を飾るのはTime Capsuleから2月に発売されたコンピレーション、Nippon Acid Folk 1970-1980にも収録されたアシッド・フォーク名曲B4:「ひとりぼっち」。子供時代の記憶の雨の日を歌う非常にセンチメンタルで湿ったこの曲は、現代のWooやMac Demarcoにも通じる趣がある。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e大久保はその後、猫や風といったフォーク・グループで成功を収め、ソロとしても人気を得ていたが、このミステリアスなににんがしのデビューアルバムの事はあまり知られていない。自主制作盤としてごく少数だけ生産されたこのアルバムは50年の時を経て熟成を重ね、2022年にはオンラインで30万円近くの高値で取引されていた。\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Time Capsule","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black vinyl","offer_id":53809508942166,"sku":"MRM-05357","price":25.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/Niningashi.png?v=1779118926"},{"product_id":"various-artists-tv-anime-manga-new-age-soundtracks-1984-1993","title":"Various Artists - TV, Anime \u0026 Manga New Age Soundtracks 1984-1993","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e⚠️ Vinyl Only Release ⚠️\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe percussive new age soundtracks of '80s and early '90s Japanese TV, anime and manga built alternative worlds and pushed boundaries in the process.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e（🇯🇵👇）\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen Japanese composer Yas-Kaz left Tokyo for Bali in the mid 1970s he had little idea of how influential his trip would become. In studying the storied art of gamelan, the jazz and avant-garde percussionist opened a door to a world of sound and rhythm left behind by the West. The music he and his contemporaries made would become known as new age. It also happened to soundtrack the golden era of anime.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAwash with money and with the prerogative to entertain the burgeoning middle classes, anime in the 1980s experienced a creative and commercial boom. Not constricted by generic expectations, production houses such as the now renowned Studio Ghibli were able to experiment liberally with both form and content. And with it came the space for composers to be similarly adventurous.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTV, Anime \u0026amp; Manga New Age Soundtracks 1984-1993 charts this moment across eight tracks spanning classics of the\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e genre and previously unknown rarities. The collection brings together music that found kinship in electronic and acoustic instrumentation, often combining spiritual or environmental themes with percussive, varied and highly refined syncopations of non-Western musical traditions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAmong them is ‘Kaneda’ by Geinoh Yamashirogumi, the shape-shifting group of self-styled musicians, anthropologists and computer scientists that masterminded the soundtrack to game-changing dystopian anime Akira - and with whom the sound, tuning and breakneck speed of Balinese gamelan has become indelibly entwined.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReflecting the desires of the era to reach beyond Japan’s borders, many of the soundtracks featured were commissioned for narratives set in distant lands or alternative worlds. There’s violinist and composer Norihiro Tsuru’s ‘Farsighted Person’, written for The Heroic Legend of Arslān, set in ancient Persia; Yas-Kaz’s own ‘Hei (Theme of Shikioni)’, for period sci-fi manga \u0026amp; anime series Peacock King - Spirit Warrior; and two tracks - Tassili N’Ajjer and Fiesta Del Fuego - from Yoichiro Yoshikawa’s soundtrack to NHK’s proto-Planet Earth series The Miracle Planet.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSuch was the variety and quality of the music produced, if there is a guiding principle to the tracks collected here it is a sense of escapism and adventure that came with the confluence of modern electronic instruments and a fascination with percussive traditions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eElsewhere, pioneering children’s TV composer Chumei Watanabe’s ‘Fushigi Song’ (performed by a vocal group Korogi ‘72) offers a trippy and infectious groove with sonic similarities to Don Cherry’s ‘Brown Rice’; little-known jazz-funk library group Columbia Orchestra showcase the best of Tokyo’s session musicians on ‘Hearts Beats - Theme for Andrew Glasgow’; before lawyer-turned-composer Kan Ogasawara closes out the compilation with a dramatic flourish on ‘Gishin Anki’.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFollowing on from Time Capsule’s acclaimed deep-dive into the world of manga \u0026amp; anime synth-pop in 2022, this vinyl only collection is set to broaden and diversify an understanding of how soundtracks shaped the sound of new age music in Japan for a generation.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e🚨 Please note that due to the license we got, this title is only available on vinyl. The audio here is just a short sample. 🚨\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e80年代から90年代前半の日本のTV番組、アニメ、漫画のサントラの中からオブスキュアなエスノ・ニュー・エイジ作品に特化したコンピレーション\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e前作、 Anime \u0026amp; Manga Synth Pop Soundtracks 1984-1990 に引き続き、第2弾の今作 TV, Anime \u0026amp; Manga New Age Soundtracks 1984-1993 では、TV、アニメ、漫画のサントラの中からエスニックな香りのするニュー・エイジ音楽を８曲収録した完全アナログ盤フォーマットのみでの発売。芸能山城組が手がけたAKIRAのサントラから、宇宙刑事シャイダー、NHK地球大紀行、まで様々な音源を収録。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA1: 不思議ソングはマジンガーZを始めとしたアニメ・特撮系音楽の巨匠で昨年96歳で永眠した渡辺宙明の作品で、1984年にテレビ朝日系で放送されていた宇宙刑事シャイダーの挿入歌。不思議界フーマが心理的侵略に用いる魔力を持った歌で、何故かバリの神様をモチーフにした見た目の不思議な怪獣達がこの不思議ソングを用いた作戦に従事。ドン・チェリーのブラウン・ライスを彷彿させつつも更に宙明節とも言える擬音語のコーラスがサイケデリック感を一層引き立てる。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA2: 兵（式鬼のテーマ）は密教世界をモチーフにしたSFアクションアニメ、孔雀王のサントラを務めた日本が誇るニュー・エイジ 打楽器奏者のYas-Kazこと佐藤康和の1988年作品。東京芸大の打楽器科を卒業後、70年代半ばに単身インドネシアへ行きバリ島ガムラン音楽を習得。坂本龍一、高田みどり、そして以下に登場する芸能山城組のリーダー山城祥二にバリの文化、ガムランを紹介。その後の日本でのバリ・ブームのきっかけを作った。今作では地を這うような民族系打楽器の上にヘビ使いのような笛が舞う物の怪のテーマらしい楽曲を披露。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e日本が誇る世界的アニメ映画『AKIRA』のサントラから、B1:金田のテーマを作ったのは情報環境学、感性科学、生命科学などの分野を越えて活躍する科学者の山城祥二が率いる芸能山城組。’60年代後半より世界各地の民族音楽と現代テクノロジーを主題にした楽曲を発表している日本の非職業音楽家集団として、1974年に日本初となるインドネシアはバリ島のケチャの全編上演を成功させた。1986年にはガムランや日本のお経など、さまざまな民族音楽や唱法を取り入れた「輪廻交響楽」発表。これを聴いた大友克洋から楽曲の借用を要請されたのをきっかけに、『AKIRA』のすべての音楽を担当する事になり本作を1988年に発表。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA3: Tassili N’Ajjer \/ B2: Fiesta Del Fuego は1987年に放送されたNHKの連続科学特集番組「地球大紀行」のサントラから。製作はYas-Kaz同様、80年以降に世界的成功を収めた舞踏カンパニー「山海塾」の初期に音楽を担当した吉川洋一郎。また登場するバリのケチャを含め、両曲ともに様々な地域の要素が混ざり合った無国籍なエスノ音楽は完全にオリジナル。未知のパラレルワールドにある地球を表現しているかのようなサウンドを展開した。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA4: 深慮遠謀 は古代ペルシャを舞台にした大河ファンタジー小説\/漫画、アルスラーン戦記OVAのサントラから喜多郎のバンドメンバーとしても活躍したバイオリニスト都留教博によるシンセと弦楽器が絡み合う情緒的な作品。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eB3: Heart Beats - Theme for Andrew Glesgow - は80年代後半から数多くのアニメサントラを手掛ける山中紀昌のアレンジによるコロムビア・オーケストラ名義での作品。FM音源マリンバと歪んだドラムマシンにコンガが加わる土着的なリズムからピアノとサックスが加わるフュージョン寄りなニュー・エイジ 。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eレーベル前作にも登場した小笠原寛作による漫画、夢の碑のためのイメージ・アルバムからのB4:疑心暗鬼は同時代のプリンスのバラードを彷彿させるシンセから始まり、スピリチュアルなPeckerの打楽器、鳥山雄司による泣きのシンセ・ギター、そして深町純による刹那なピアノで幕を閉める。\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e🚨 こちらのタイトルはライセンスの都合上、アナログ盤のみのリリースになりますのでご注意下さい🚨\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Time Capsule","offers":[{"title":"LP - black","offer_id":53810861375830,"sku":"MRM-05362","price":28.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/tvanime.png?v=1779119891"},{"product_id":"ikiteru-dake-no-koto-nanda-hardly-living","title":"Ikiteru Dake No Koto Nanda (Hardly Living)","description":"\u003cp\u003eAgi Jo, an alias of Yuzuru Agi, kayou pop singer, actor, model and Japanese electronic music pioneer. It’s unlikely the fan-base for his earlier pop outings would appreciate a spiky existential protest song, so Agi pressed 100 copies of the record himself. It was 1970, after he had briefly joined folk harmony pop-rock group The Happenings Four. The single was arranged by band member (now Japanese rock legend) Kuni Kawachi.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIkiteru…, a nihilistic number, in the vein of underground singer-songwriter Mikami Kan: a pained cry of confused existence, in the darkness of a rapidly modernising world. Weekend Hippy, with a barely in tune harmonica blasted intro, à la Dylan, we have here a comment from the sidelines, on the hippy movement that had spread even to a reasonably conservative country like Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo songs that express anger, a rejection of accepted norms, both the everyday, and the so-called alternative. A small testament to the character of a near unsung great of new music in Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Japan Blues","offers":[{"title":"7\" vinyl","offer_id":53812492927318,"sku":"MRM-05368","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/a3282004887_10.png?v=1779121060"},{"product_id":"tokyo-pulse","title":"Tokyo Pulse","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHot on the heels of the Tokyo bliss and Funk Tide sets, Tokyo-based DJ Notoya delivers Tokyo Pulse a new juicy selection of Funk and Modern soul recorded in Tokyo in the 70s and 80s. Most tracks here are making their debut outside of Japan and the album, like its predecessors, has been designed by Manuel Sepulveda (Optigram) and is annotated by DJ Notoya. The audio has been newly mastered in Tokyo by Nippon Columbia Records and remastered for vinyl by\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Colorsound in Paris.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Monorail Music","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":53951402115414,"sku":"MRM-05447","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP","offer_id":53953000603990,"sku":"MRM-05452","price":39.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/a1951827331_10.jpg?v=1779361233"},{"product_id":"far-east-new-rock-invention-1969-1975","title":"Far East New Rock Invention 1969 - 1975","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e● Fully licensed Nippon Columbia masters.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e● Includes track by track liner notes by Sally Kubota.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e● Mastering and lacquer cut by Jukka Sarapää at Timmion Cutting Lab, Helsinki, Finland.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e● 180g heavy vinyl pressing, reverse board jacket.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e----\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Jimi Hendrix track ‘If 6 Was 9’, famously used in the 1969 film Easy Rider, declares:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Now if six turned out to be nine\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI don't mind, I don't mind,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIf all the hippies cut off all their hair\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOh, I don't care, oh, I don't care\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e'Cause I got my own world to live through\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnd I ain't gonna copy you”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSetting his guitar on fire and smashing it to pieces as if to speak for the distrust, confusion, and pain felt by young people at the time, Jimi Hendrix embodied a form of music utterly unlike the existing music industry — music that asserted freedom on its\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e own terms.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhat strikes me again, even now, is that rock from the late ’60s through the early ’70s remains the most compelling — whether Western or Japanese. In the mid-1960s, British groups like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones swept across the globe, while in the United States Bob Dylan famously swapped his folk guitar for an electric one, igniting the folk-rock movement. From the surge of new energy among young people in Britain and America — entwined with hippie culture, drugs, and the radical momentum of the anti-Vietnam War movement — an extraordinary body of rock music emerged, ushering in what would become the golden age of rock in the 1970s. In Japan, from around 1968, record companies began grouping these sounds under the label “New Rock,” introducing domestic releases of Western rock to Japanese audiences.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt the time, Japan was in the midst of the peak GS (Group Sounds) boom – a sound that fused Japanese kayōkyoku music and Western rock music. But possessing a rare sense of foresight, singer and record producer Yuya Uchida encountered this revolutionary new wave of rock firsthand during his travels through Europe beginning in the spring of 1967. After returning to Japan, he formed Yuya Uchida \u0026amp; The Flowers. Their freaked-out sound — steel guitar driven through wah pedals and fuzz — marked them as something entirely different, standing apart from conventional GS acts. Other groups also added British and American rock numbers to their repertoires, but because their shows and releases were fundamentally bound to the structures of the Japanese entertainment industry, most had few options once the GS boom faded: they either shifted toward a strictly kayōkyoku-style path or disbanded altogether.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEven so, in 1970, The Flowers, now joined by Joe Yamanaka, formerly of 4.9.1, and Hideki Ishima, formerly of The Beavers, renamed themselves Flower Travellin’ Band and went on to make their mark overseas. At the same time, other key musicians from the GS generation — including Shigeru Narumo of The Fingers and Hiro Yanagida of The Floral — fought to establish a distinctly Japanese form of rock music. Meanwhile, folk music driven by young anti-establishment artists began to rise out of the underground scene, gradually influencing the mainstream. As a result, record companies one after another launched dedicated rock and folk labels, signaling a major shift in the industry.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 1972, Nippon Columbia launched its first dedicated rock and folk label, Propeller, releasing a steady stream of forward-looking titles by artists such as Hiroshi Segawa (formerly of The Dynamites) and Tetsu Yamauchi, who, up until then, was a prolific session musician in the scene. Influenced by late-’60s acts like Blood, Sweat \u0026amp; Tears and Chicago, Japanese jazz musicians also began boldly incorporating rock elements into their work. As a result, many records from this period have since become prized classics in the rare groove scene.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAbove all, this compilation was selected to let you experience the free, innovative, and deeply experimental sounds created by Japanese musicians whose passion rivaled that of their British and American counterparts. Even more than fifty years later, the music on this album still feels remarkably fresh, hitting with the same sense of surprise and impact it did when it was first released!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e(Words by Sally Kubota)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Monorail Music","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":53952714080598,"sku":"MRM-05449","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/a0895449573_10.jpg?v=1779365552"},{"product_id":"music-in-dna","title":"Music in DNA","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDigitally remastered from the original reel-to-reel tapes. 2P insert, DL code, liner notes by Yasuhito Ohno in both Japanese and English. Rare photos.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen you notice the cheerful mystery playing with the synths, the edges of this small world start to look slightly distorted. In any era, someone is always creating mysterious music on their own.\" (750)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMusic in DNA is an album recorded in the early 1980s in New York City and self-released in 1984 in Japan by Yasuhito Ohno, a young Japanese man breaking free from the constraints of his homeland. The album is a naive burst of outsider DIY enthusiasm, inspired by the multiple avant-garde movements of the era, in music, painting and performance, as well as the native energy of 80s NYC. Ohno channeled his youthful “edge” and zeal into open-minded lo-fi musical explorations using a mere two machines: the then-new technological glories of a four-track cassette recorder and that polyphonic synthesizer masterpiece, the Roland Juno-60; on several pieces he vocalizes. These seven tracks have a zestful, innocent, anything-goes charm, free from preciousness and self-consciousness: a raw and youthful human spirit at play in a new world. Ohno was also inspired by the humanistic promise of the general technological developments of the day, including DNA research, personal computing, and early computer graphics, an example of which can be found on the cover. Ohno later\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e returned to Japan, becoming a renowned composer\/producer. In an era of jaded cynicism, Music in DNA is a welcome taste of big-hearted innocence, a revival of a raw self. Available on CD\/LP\/Digital, with E\/J liner notes by the artist.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Monorail Music","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":53953950253398,"sku":"MRM-05463","price":26.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/a3862808591_10.jpg?v=1779370111"},{"product_id":"ost-my-neighbor-totoro-catbus-sleeve","title":"OST - My Neighbor Totoro  (Catbus sleeve)","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis analog vinyl release is the remastered soundtrack of \"My Neighbor Totoro,\" part of the Studio Ghibli analog record series. Featuring the original audio from its initial release, the music has been carefully remastered to enhance the depth and warmth unique to vinyl. The album includes beloved tracks such as \"Sanpo\" and \"My Neighbor Totoro,\" capturing the enchanting and nostalgic atmosphere of the film. The jacket is a faithful reproduction of the original, allowing fans to appreciate both the rich sound and the beautiful cover art. Additionally, a 4-page color booklet with commentary provides further insight into the music and its creation, making this a must-have for collectors and fans alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Studio Ghibli Records","offers":[{"title":"LP - black vinyl","offer_id":54056384004438,"sku":"MRM-05673","price":44.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/totoro-soundtrack-vinyl-record-lp-tjja-10015-analog-edition-881524.png?v=1780245912"},{"product_id":"ost-my-neighbor-totoro-forest-sleeve-orchestra-stories-lp","title":"OST - My Neighbor Totoro (Forest Sleeve - 'Orchestra Stories' LP)","description":"\u003cp\u003eExperience the first LP release of My Neighbor Totoro, edited by Vivaldi and Joe Hisaishi. This edition features fresh arrangements distinct from earlier image albums and original soundtrack releases, newly remastered audio, new jackets, premium specifications, and extensive commentary with liner notes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll three titles are making their analog (vinyl) debut. Enjoy the beautiful jacket art and the rich, warm sound that only analog can provide.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Studio Ghibli","offers":[{"title":"LP - black vinyl","offer_id":54056419426646,"sku":"MRM-05674","price":43.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/studio-ghibli-orchestra-stories-my-neighbor-totoro-record-day-2021-lp-analog-vinyl-4018072_1080x_4ef507fe-a57b-4755-a696-8c3d869e7c8f.png?v=1780246663"},{"product_id":"ost-my-neighbor-totoro-rainy-night-sleeve-image-album","title":"OST - My Neighbor Totoro (Rainy Night sleeve - 'Image Album')","description":"\u003cp\u003eJoe Hisaishi’s My Neighbor Totoro Image Album returns as an analog vinyl reissue. Conceived to create songs children truly want to sing at the top of their lungs, this joyful collection captures the whimsical spirit of Totoro.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIncludes 10 vocal tracks plus 1 instrumental. Performers: Azumi Inoue, Joe Hisaishi, Kumiko Mori, Taku Kitahara, and Suginami Junior Chorus. Comes with a 16-page full melody score booklet.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Studio Ghibli","offers":[{"title":"LP - black vinyl","offer_id":54056603517270,"sku":"MRM-05675","price":45.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/studio-ghibli-my-neighbor-totoro-image-song-collection-tjja-10014-lp-analog-vinyl-1562331.png?v=1780247393"},{"product_id":"spirited-away-single-lp-image-album-ost","title":"Spirited Away (Single LP - 'Image Album') - OST","description":"\u003cp\u003eA 10-track album composed by Joe Hisaishi with collaborative performances from various artists, inspired by poetic notes penned by director Hayao Miyazaki during the film production process. The music blends cinematic orchestration with intimate songcraft for a reflective listening experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFeatures vocal performances by U-MI, Sizzle Ohtaka, Tsunehiko Kamijo, Monsieur Kamayatsu, and RIKKI.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Studio Ghibli","offers":[{"title":"LP - black vinyl","offer_id":54056927789398,"sku":"MRM-05676","price":44.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/studio-ghibli-spirited-away-lp-analog-vinyl-3973937_1080x_ea8a21a4-f1c7-48b8-9c3b-8ce4946d10db.png?v=1780248002"},{"product_id":"princess-mononoke-double-lp-midnight-wolf-sleeve","title":"Princess Mononoke (Double LP - Midnight Wolf sleeve )","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFollowing the success of previous LP releases, 'Princess Mononoke' is now available on vinyl for the first time. This edition includes the Image Album, Soundtrack, and Symphonic Suite, all remastered with new deluxe artwork and liner notes. Enjoy the rich sound quality and stunning visuals of this vinyl record, featuring performances by the Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra. The main theme, 'Princess Mononoke,' with vocals by Yoshikazu Mera, is also included. The album is presented in a 2xLP gatefold jacket.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Studio Ghibli","offers":[{"title":"2xLP - black vinyl","offer_id":54057144746326,"sku":"MRM-04667","price":53.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/s-l1600.png?v=1780248879"},{"product_id":"on-divination-in-sleep-feat-dove-takao-remix-c-w-remix-instrumental-by-takao","title":"On Divination in Sleep feat. Dove (Takao Remix) c\/w Remix Instrumental (by Takao)","description":"\u003cp\u003eA single cut from the debut album \"Orca\" by NTsKi, a Kyoto-based electronic music producer\/performer. \u003cspan\u003ePackaged in a semi-transparent paper inner sleeve which slides into the center of a semi-transparent triple-fold paper outer sleeve. Silver vinyl. Mastered and lacquer cut by D\u0026amp;M Berlin.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Monorail Music","offers":[{"title":"7\" vinyl","offer_id":54153995354454,"sku":"MRM-05976","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/a1939716205_10.png?v=1781095483"},{"product_id":"mono-snowdrop","title":"Mono - Snowdrop","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWith signed print\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMONO\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003erecorded their previous album, OATH, with longtime production partner and friend Steve Albini in 2023, they never imagined it would be the final studio album they made together. Albini tragically died the following year, leaving an incalculable void in the lives of not only everyone who knew him, but also everyone with an attachment to any of the thousands of records he helped bring into the world over the past four decades. He brought clarity to chaos and a selfless dedication to art and artists that was unrivaled.\u003cbr\u003eOn both a personal and practical level, the loss left\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMONO\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003efacing profound grief and uncertainty. Albini had become a fundamental part of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMONO\u003c\/span\u003e’s unmistakable sound, and the idea of replacing him was daunting to say the least. Enter Brad Wood (Touché Amoré, The Smashing Pumpkins).\u003cbr\u003eChosen for his familiarity with\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMONO\u003c\/span\u003e’s creative and technical process—as well as his decades-long friendship with Steve Albini—Brad Wood entered Albini’s storied Electrical Audio studios in September 2025 to record what would become\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSnowdrop\u003c\/span\u003e. Working once again with Chicago-based conductor and orchestral director Chad McCullough,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMONO\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eenlisted a 10-piece orchestra and an 8-piece choir for the eight massive compositions that make up\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSnowdrop\u003c\/span\u003e. With the band performing and Wood recording in the same hallowed space where most of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMONO\u003c\/span\u003e’s records had been created over their 25-year history, the songs on\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSnowdrop\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ecarry an extra weight. Mixed by Wood at his Seagrass home studio in Los Angeles, the album feels both intimate and enveloping.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhere a pall could easily hang over\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSnowdrop\u003c\/span\u003e, there is instead an extraordinary sense of gratitude. Rather than steeping in heartache, the album holds a poignant appreciation for a life well spent with a dear friend—and a yearning for what may come.\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSnowdrop\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis the sound of a band transforming shock and sadness into hope and wonder, finding renewed focus in the freedom of the unknown.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Temporary Residence","offers":[{"title":"Boysenberry Coloured VInyl LP","offer_id":54154067280214,"sku":"MRM-05977","price":36.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Compact Disc","offer_id":54156837519702,"sku":"MRM-06005","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/215248-mono-snowdrop.jpg?v=1781095728"},{"product_id":"meiko-kaji-otoko-onna-kokoro-no-aika","title":"Meiko Kaji - Otoko Onna Kokoro No Aika","description":"\u003cp\u003eJapanese actress Meiko Kaji has become a worldwide cult icon, partly thanks to Quentin Tarantino, who heavily based his Kill Bill films on the 1973 revenge classic Lady Snowblood. Renowned for her roles in the Stray Cat Rock and Female Prisoner Scorpion series, Kaji was the definitive face of Japanese exploitation cinema while simultaneously developing a revered musical career. Between 1972 and 1974, she recorded five sought-after albums for Teichiku Records—starting with Ginchou Wataridori (1972), followed by Hajiki Uta and Yadokari (both 1973). Wewantsounds is now delighted to continue its reissue program with her 1974 release, Otoko Onna Kokoro No Aika (“Lament of Man, Woman, and Heart”).\u003cbr\u003eWhile her previous albums often featured a few key theme songs from her films, Otoko Onna Kokoro No Aika is a classy offering of Showa kayōkyoku (pop) and enka, the \"Japanese blues.\" Kaji approached the record with an actress’s sensibility, treating each cover as a dramatic role. \"I see enka not just as music, but as drama,\" Kaji explains to Hashim Kotaro Bharoocha in an interview for this release. \"When I sing enka music, I approach it as if I’m acting. It’s the type of music that I can perform using my sensibilities as an actor.\"\u003cbr\u003eThe tracklist is anchored by two highlights: the funk-infused arrangement of “Ginza No Cho” (Ginza Butterfly) and Kaji’s iconic rendition of “Tokyo Nagare Mono” (Tokyo Drifter). While the latter was famously the theme for Seijun Suzuki’s 1966 cult yakuza film of the same name, Kaji’s version brings a modern, 1970s feel to the melody. Throughout the record, traditional themes are infused with contemporary grooves, blending lush orchestrations with funky basslines to create a hypnotic, cinematic atmosphere that is uniquely her own. \u003cbr\u003eReissued in its full glory for the first time and remastered by Teichiku in Tokyo, Otoko Onna Kokoro No Aika is a welcome new addition to the Wewantsounds Meiko Kaji reissue campaign, which is sure to please all of her fans worldwide.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wewantsounds","offers":[{"title":"CD Album","offer_id":54156764545366,"sku":"MRM-06002","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":54156764578134,"sku":"MRM-06003","price":37.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/KUD_20260508_1617_165721_566_p_Otoko_Onna_Kokoro_No_Aika_cover_004.jpg?v=1781104269"}],"url":"https:\/\/monorailmusic.com\/collections\/japanese-and-south-east-asian-music.oembed","provider":"Monorail Music","version":"1.0","type":"link"}