February 22, 2007
Radicalfashion | Odori |Hefty | Japan
buy it
This is in part a solo piano record: "Suna" evokes Claude Debussy, while "Thousand" brings to mind Phlip Glass; yet it is also an electronic record: the former composition ends with a haunting string sample, while the latter clicks and stutters its expressive, glitchy pointilism.
Radicalfashion (aka Hirohito Ihara) excels at turning jarring sounds into something sweet. "Ballet" uses record surface noise to soothing effect, while crashing metalic waveforms only accentuate the beauty of a repeating marimba-like figure as it grows in harmonic complexity. Even the eerie "Shousetsu," which sounds like it takes its rhythmic ticking sample from a shortwave "numbers station," eventually reveals itself as a wrenchingly beautiful piano piece.
Fans of Japanese experimental, minimalist and electonic music won't find that this record breaks new ground. In terms of timbres and techniques, there is nothing particularly new about Odori, but in Ihara's hands these sounds and methods transcend the "experimental" and move into the emotional.
February 20, 2007
News | Happy Chinese New Year, Mon! |
As we root our way into the Year of the Pig, NPR drops this heavy piece on Reggae in China. Lauren Keane surveys the reggae scene in the PRC and finds that the closest thing the Chinese have to Bob Marley is the rocker Cui Jian. Funny, I thought he was supposed to be China's Bob Dylan... or was it Bruce Springsteen? Anyway, Keane's point is that Chinese reggae artists have the rhythms down, but not the politics or spirituality. Seems capitalist Chinese reggae is just plain decadent--nothin' but a party. Her basically tongue-in-cheek search for the Chinese Bob Marley ends with the conclusion that he probably won't be found anytime soon.
While your at it, check out Nippop's article "Rastaman Vibration - What's up with Japanese Reggae?"
February 15, 2007
News | Instrument Focus: Pipa |
Today I'm posting a mid-length article I wrote last year on the Chinese pipa. It addresses the classification, construction, origins, distribution, cultural meaning, scholarly treatment and pedagogy of the instrument. I conclude with an annotated bibliography that I hope will be helpful to others beginning a study of the pipa. As I state at the beginning of the article, the pipa doesn't get nearly as much scholarly attention as the qin and good books and articles can be hard to come by in English.
February 05, 2007
News | SXSW Japan Nite 2007 Line Up |
It's barely February, but already preparations are ramping up for South by Southwest. I've received promo discs and press releases from the bands in SXSW's 11th annual Japan Nite, the showcase for Japanese indie acts presented by SXSW Asia. Even if you don't make it to Austin, TX. you may still see the bands as they make their way around the country. I'll bring you a preview of the tour and some CD reviews in future entries. For now, here's the line up for Japan Nite 2007, held on March 16th at Elysium:
HY
The Emeralds
The 50 Kaitenz (see photo)
GO!GO!7188
Pistol Valve
ORESKABAND
More to come soon...