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© 1991-2006 Far Side Music. All Rights Reserved.



NEW RELEASES February 2010NEW RELEASES February 2010
A selection of sale CDs, the top 'Music Magazine' rock and reggae albums of 2009, loads of quality Japanese new releases from Sakamoto's Commmons label to traditional music and everything in between. New noh DVDs and the 'Super Kyogen' trilogy.
Far Side LabelFar Side Label
Our own productions and special imports. Four titles from China's Liu Fang, plus Japan's Micabox, featuring Haruomi Hosono, OKI's brilliant Dub Ainu, Miyazawa, Abdul Tee-Jay and Detty Kurnia.
RICE RECORDS UKRICE RECORDS UK
Our record label and sister company. Latest releases are by the Queen of Dangdut Elvy Sukaesih and classic, samba performed by Velha Guarda da Portela from Rio de Janeiro . Plus Rikki, SambaSunda, Arsenio Rodriguez, Carmen Miranda and more.
Far Side ArtistsFar Side Artists
CDs plus full biographies and articles on the superb artists represented internationally by Far Side Music. For live booking of these and other artists, go to the Other Services section on this page.
Best Selling ArtistsBest Selling Artists
All the available CDs plus detailed articles or biographies on our best selling artists. Click here to select either Japan, Okinawa or Others. Please note, most of these CDs only appear in this section, not in the main catalogue.
GREATEST EVER JAPANESE ROCK ALBUMSGREATEST EVER JAPANESE ROCK ALBUMS
For 37 years, Japan's most respected music publication has been Music Magazine. MM recently published their writer's choices of the greatest ever albums. From 1960s folk, through to YMO and the best of the latest, here then, are the 27 greatest Japanese rock albums of all time from the people who should know.
GREATEST EVER JAPANESE POP ALBUMSGREATEST EVER JAPANESE POP ALBUMS
Music Magazine's 13 greatest pop albums of all time from original 30s popular songs, the greatest enka, 60s kayokyoku and Group Sounds, 70s folk, 80s new music, 90s rap through to J-pop.
JAPROCKSAMPLERJAPROCKSAMPLER
Japrocksampler - How the Post-War Japanese Blew their Minds on Rock 'n' Roll - is an excellent book written by Julian Cope. 'An exploration of the clash between traditional, conservative Japanese values and the wild rock 'n' roll renegades of the 1960s and 70s.' Julian included his personal Top 50, most of which are currently unavailable, but here we post the CDs that you can buy. As others get re-released, we'll add them to the list.
GREATEST EVER OKINAWA ALBUMSGREATEST EVER OKINAWA ALBUMS
The Big Three (Shokichi Kina, Rinken Band, Nenes) plus a couple of younger musicians as chosen by Music Magazine.
GREATEST EVER SOUTH EAST & EAST ASIAGREATEST EVER SOUTH EAST & EAST ASIA
Music from south east and east Asia has always been a poplar 'world music' in Japan. The greatest albums from Indonesia (both Far Side projects), Malaysia, Vietnam and China.
JAPAN traditionalJAPAN traditional
Click here to select Classical, Contemporary, Masters of Japan series, Japanese Traditional Dance Series, Kyoto Records, Traditional Entertainment series, Colezo!, Living National Treasures series, Japanese Traditional Music series or Music of Japanese People series
JAPAN modernJAPAN modern
Click here to select Roots, Enka, Folk, Rock, Pop, Electro-pop, Dub/Reggae/Ska, Club/Dance/Chill out, Ambient, Jazz/Avant Garde, Improvised / Electronic and Japanese Latin.
JAPAN vintage popular and roots musicJAPAN vintage popular and roots music
Fantastic series of 10 Japanese popular music CDs from 1928-59, plus other vintage classics by Ryoichi Hattori, Shizuko Kasagi and others. The King Archive series of Asakusa Opera, songs of Azenbo Soeda and more and series of classic comic bands.
JAPAN dvdJAPAN dvd
Click here to select the amazing NHK kabuki series with English commentaries and other kabuki DVDs, noh and kyogen, music- both traditional and pop, festivals, film and documentaries, anime and sumo.
HIGH QUALITY CD FORMATS - Japanese & Asian ArtistsHIGH QUALITY CD FORMATS - Japanese & Asian Artists
Click here to select Japanese and Asian artist releases on SHM-CD, HQ, BLUE-SPEC or SACD.
OKINAWA traditionalOKINAWA traditional
Click here to select either solo male, female or groups.
OKINAWA modernOKINAWA modern
Click here to select either solo male, female or groups.
OKINAWA compilationsOKINAWA compilations
Click here to select a category among our extensive range of Okinawa compilations.
OKINAWA rock / pop / reggaeOKINAWA rock / pop / reggae
Hardcore punk, hip hop and ska.
OKINAWA club / dance / chilloutOKINAWA club / dance / chillout
Where Okinawan roots meet the latest club beats, plus remixes and laid back grooves.
OKINAWA experimentalOKINAWA experimental
Sanshin put through various electronic effects, bowed sanshin, feedback and other experiments in sound by Wataru Kousaka.
OKINAWA others / soundtracksOKINAWA others / soundtracks
Soundtracks to Okinawan films, oddities and the unclassifiable.
OKINAWA dvd / bookOKINAWA dvd / book
Documentaries on the greats Rinsho Kadekaru and Seijin Noborikawa, modern masters Shokichi Kina and Rinken Band, Okinawan films Nabbie's Love and Hotel Hibiscus, scenes of Okinawa, music score and sanshin tutor, and excellent guide book in English
AMAMI traditionalAMAMI traditional
Southern Japanese island with a rich, vibrant tradition with elements of Okinawa and Japan performed by young and veteran artists.
AMAMI modernAMAMI modern
Amami island music mixed with various sounds by the island's most creative musicians including Rikki, Maricamizuki and Kohsuke Atari.
ASIAN new age / healingASIAN new age / healing
Ancient meditative sounds from the Orient and Pacific combined with various contemporary styles and sounds.
CHINACHINA
Click here to select either Traditional or Rock and Pop. Extensive lists of traditional titles can be found under the King World Music Library and JVC World Sounds series sections below.
TAIWAN / HONG KONGTAIWAN / HONG KONG
Folk and indigenous music from Taiwan, plus southeast Asian pop, Chinese style.
KOREAKOREA
Newly updated. Many new titles from the eastern edge of Asia. Click here to choose either, traditional and folk, roots crossovers, pop and rock or ponchak. For more traditional titles look under King World Music Library and JVC World Sounds series.
VIETNAMVIETNAM
Chinese influenced Traditional sounds from the western edge of southeast Asia. Includes the wonderful singer Huong Thanh from Vietnam and a brilliant Burmese CD. Further traditional titles under King World Music Library and JVC World Sounds sections below.
THAILANDTHAILAND
Click here to select the singers Pompuang Duangjian, Jintara Poonlarp, Siriporn Ampaipong or Lukthung, Morlam, Morlam Sing, Kantrum, Classical and Instrumental Folk, Pop, Cassettes, Others or Compilations.
CAMBODIACAMBODIA
Click here to select either Traditional Vocal, Traditional Instrumental, 60s-70s Roots and Rock, Modern Khmer Roots or Khmer Pop.
MALAYSIA / SINGAPOREMALAYSIA / SINGAPORE
An exciting mix of strong Arabic flavours with, Indian, Chinese and Western music make Malaysia one of south east Asia's most exciting music destinations. Click here to select either Traditional, Modern Roots and Pop, P.Ramlee & Saloma, Siti Nurhaliza or Nornaniza Idris.
INDONESIAINDONESIA
Sublime ancient traditions, wild pop mixtures. Click here to select genres of music. For more Balinese, Javanese and Sundanese gamelan titles look under King World Music Library and JVC World Sounds series below.
MONGOLIA / CENTRAL ASIAMONGOLIA / CENTRAL ASIA
From Mongolia and Tuva, Japanese and Asian only releases. Many more traditional titles from the region available from King World Music Library and JVC World Sounds series sections below.
PAN ASIAPAN ASIA
Compilations and collaborations.
HAWAII & THE PACIFICHAWAII & THE PACIFIC
Large selection of Japan only releases of music with a large following in Japan. Click here to select Japanese artists, Hawaiian and Pacific artists or compilations
ETC...ETC...
Click here to select Japan only releases from Arabic, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, South Asia and Global.
JVC WORLD SOUNDS PREMIUM (SHM-CDs)JVC WORLD SOUNDS PREMIUM (SHM-CDs)
SHM-CD versions of 15 titles from the JVC World Sounds series.
JVC WORLD SOUNDSJVC WORLD SOUNDS
Full catalogue listing nearly complete with sound samples of the acclaimed series of traditional music from around the world. 100 titles divided by region and country.
JVC WORLD SOUNDS compilationsJVC WORLD SOUNDS compilations
Good value six CD set of 100 tracks plus five geographical compilations.
JVC / KING OTHER SERIESJVC / KING OTHER SERIES
Other superb world music series from top Japanese record companies.
COLOMBIA ARCHIVE WORLD MUSIC COLLECTIONCOLOMBIA ARCHIVE WORLD MUSIC COLLECTION
Back in the 1970s Colombia released on LP several classic recordings of traditional music from around the world. Long deleted, these are now released onto CD.
THE WORLD ROOTS MUSIC LIBRARYTHE WORLD ROOTS MUSIC LIBRARY
150 albums of traditional music from around the world. The 100 titles of the King World Music Library series repackaged, plus long deleted albums now reissued, new recordings, and some 2CD and 3 CD collections. A remarkable body of work, all with English liner notes.
NONESUCH EXPLORERNONESUCH EXPLORER
Starting in 1967, the Nonesuch Explorer Series set the benchmark for ethnic recordings of music from around the world. 50 CDs are released in Japan, with the original LP jackets, many not yet re-released elsewhere.
ASIAN COMPILATIONS compiled by PAUL FISHERASIAN COMPILATIONS compiled by PAUL FISHER
Rough Guides to Vietnam, Malaysia, China, Thailand, Okinawa, Japan, Indonesia, Hawaii, East Asia Travelogue, Very Best of the Far East and more.
ALBATROS SERIESALBATROS SERIES
Italian label mainly active in the 1970s and 80s that ranks alongside Folkways, Nonesuch or Ocora. Recorded from the late 1960s, originally released on LP, 30 titles are now released on CD at a low price and available exclusively in Japan.

NATURAL SOUNDSNATURAL SOUNDS
Natural sounds from areas of natural beauty in Japan, Amami, Yakushima and the Shimanto river.
RESPECT RECORDSRESPECT RECORDS
Respect Records is one of Japan's best world music labels, exclusively represented worldwide by Far Side Music. Click here to select the full catalogue or new releases.
HIGH QUALITY CD FORMATS - Western ArtistsHIGH QUALITY CD FORMATS - Western Artists
Click here to select releases by Western artists on SHM-CD or HQ CD