Co-compiled by Paul Fisher, together with Phil Meadley. 'From its humble beginnings as the small fishing village of Edo, to the megacity of Tokyo with a population of over 12 million, Japan’s capital city is one of the world’s most exciting cultural epicentres. Musically the Japanese are cultural magpies, but they also have their own rich traditions. This compilation celebrates a mix of the two, from the exciting ska rock of The Beaches, through to the meditative chants of ‘Kujousyakujo 3jo’.
CD1- CLASSIC
1. Hashiken - Kaisare Yoo 2. Eguchi Eisa - Shichi Gwachi 3. Kousuke Atari - Hounen Bushi 4. Chuei Yoshikawa with Yoriko Ganeko - Ikema Miyarabi 5. Takashi Hirayasu - Koza Renka 6. Toru Yonaha with Mika Uchizato - Hounen Ondo 7. Moriken - Shimajima Kaisha 8. Rikki - Amami no Komoriuta 9. Tomoko Kuwae with Chuei Yoshikawa- Mayonaka no Driver 10. Maricamiziki - Itokuri Bushi 11. Seijin Noborikawa - Midori no Okinawa 12. Sadao China - Umi nu Chimbora 13. Shisars - Tsuki Wa Fune 14. Sanshin Café Orchestra - Spiritual Recollection 15. Tendai Shomyo, Tatsuya Koumazaki & Pangea - Kujousyakujo 3jo
CD2- NEW
1 .The Beaches - Wikiwiki 2. Ryukyu Underground - Kuijin nu Hana (Da Lata Remix) 3. Chanchiki - Rasshoi!! 4. Morio Agata - Submarine 5. Wataru Kousaka - Jugo no Koi Chocolate Mix 6. Yasuba Jun & An Chang Project -Kumi nu Shu 7. Shabushabu - Shamisen Escalade 8. Takuji a.k.a Geetek - Tinsagu nu Hana 9. Sarabandge - Sagichijuya 10. Oki - Iutaphonic Dub 11. Nami Makoika - Chyukari Asabana 12. Sons of Ailana - Tinsagu nu Hana 13. Gender Sanshin Trio - Kagiade Fu Fu 14. Umeko Ando - Iuta Upopo 15. Oki - Tonkori in the Moonlight
17 indie club music artists from all over Japan including Nusty Guy, Zeal & Phase, Dios, 320 Yard, Rikiman, Joy, 8B-Playz, Chouji, Joe-I, Nori, Ko-Ki from J.S.T, Haruki, Jolly Junk Chips, Jam-9. Price: £15.99
Japanese lounge compilation released from Incense records. Based on the theme of Japanese cool; stylish compilation lounge music.
Japanese lounge compilation featuring artists including bass player Seigo Matsunaga, Mars and Hiroshi Takasaki. 1. Takeru / Hiroshi Takasaki 2.Tao Silence / Tetsugen Feat. Ali (Tao Rmx) 3.Fools Or Not / Fatty Bread 4.Vida La Revolucion / The Strike Boys 5. Remember Tomorrow / Mo'Horizons 6. Karate Master / Small Defence & Riley Lee 7.Tendai / Arhats Squad 8. I Shall Not Walk Alone / Amanaska 9.Money & Ego / Oh Hwa Pyoung & Seigo Matsunaga from Karis Project 10.Robert / Agent 5.1 11.Lost In Beijing / Oman Chali 12.Retour A L'etre Aime / Mars
Price: £21.99
Compilation album from the much respected techno label, Frogman released by the equally respected Third Ear Recordings. 2 CD set, normal CD and megamix, 40 tracks total. Includes CT Scan / Cold Sleep, Kagami / Tokyo Disco Music All Night Long, Ultra-Takkyu VS Mijk-O-Zilla / Liquid, The Black Dog / Yama (take 1) Quadra (aka Kaito) / Defusion of Light, Kagami / Y (Ken Ishii remix) Hulot feat. Tabito Nanao / Stair Way, Susumu Yokota / Left Arm, Hakan Lidbo / Field Work (cover of Ryuichi Sakamoto & Thomas Dolby) Ryo Arai (aka Riow Arai) / Everest, TA-1 & DJ Tasaka / Sounds of the City, Kaori + Kagami / Sunset People
Some of Japan's top jazz influenced contemporary artists cover Blue Note classics from the 50s to the present day with tracks originally recorded by Hank Mobley, Art Blakey, McCoy Tyner, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock and Norah Jones. The Japanese artists are Jazztronik, DJ Kaori, Muro, Soil & "Pimp" Sessions, DJ Kawasaki, Home Grown, Tatsuo Sunaga, Kyoto Jazz Massive, Toshio Matsura, Takeshi Nakatsuka plus guest Blue Note artist Robert Glasper. Price: £23.99
First rate compilation album of Japanese dub, rap, hip hop, ambient and club sounds from including shingo2, DJ Hide, and Boos the MC Meets Calm.Comes with lavish photo booklet.
Outstanding compilation album of ambient, global dance, hip and cool grooves, by Calm, Chari Chari, Baku Tsunoda, Bayaka and more. Possibly the best compilation of it's kind released in 2000. Price: £23.99
Superb compilation featuring some of the best of the current thriving Japanese club scene with influences from around the world. Highlights include Chari Chari, Calm, 1178 a.k.a. bayaka. African, Arabic and Indonesian are just some of the influences, while elsewhere Japanese artists confirm their status as dub masters.
Brilliant 2 CD (ying and yang) set that is a tribute to Bruce Lee. Comes with elaborate packaging, with each track having it's own artwork card with credits, all bound together by a black belt and then put inside a black box. The music is pretty good too. Artists include Neanderthals, Dimitri from Paris, Hang on the Box, Macao Dog Race featuring Sandii, Hirofumi Asamoto featuring Sayako, Kan Takagi, Double Famous and Organic Grooves. Price: £35.99
CD and DVD set of 'Music for Your Favorite Soba Shop'. A compilation by some very cool electronica artists from the Speedstar family such as Kenji Jammer, Toshio Nakanishi, Yasuharu Konishi (Pizzicato 5), Takuji Aoyanagi, Soichiro Suzuki (World Standard) Kan Takagi, Hirofumi Asamoto (Ram Jam World) and Yan Tomita. All pieces were inspired by their favorite soba shop, and included is a small guide with photos and information of those restaurants. The music has as it's theme soba, with sound effects or lyrics about soba, mostly of sparse electronica. Entertaining DVD has 2 stories by different directors. One filmed in classic Japanese cinema style, the other in a modern Japanese drama style, including Ken Yokoyama (Crazy Ken Band).
2CD compilation album of Tokyo lounge music. Some of the hippest sounds from the east by the most creative artists. 1178 aka Bayaka, Norio Maeda meets Tin Pan Alley, Fantastic Plastic Machine, Haruomi Hosono, Yukihiro Takahashi, Chari Chari, Miharu Koshi, Haruomi Hosono & Bill Laswell, De La Fanke, Little Big Bee, Jazztronik, Soul Bossa Trio, Miharu Koshi. 23 blissful tracks. Price: £26.99
Volume 2 is up to the standard of Vol. 1, and features some of the same artists. Jazztronik, Soul Bossa Trio, Haruomi Hosono, Yukihiro Fukutomi, Nobukazu Takemura, Monday Michiru, Noreo Maeda meets Tin Pan Alley,Silent Poets, Audio Active and Laraaji, Green Kipper featuring UA. Cool beats from the east.
Volume 3. Disc.1
1. Double Famous - Welcome To The Party 2. Silent Poets featuring Ursula Rucker - Get Ready 3. Izuru Utsumi - Dscrg 02 4. Monday Michiru - Moods 5. Calm - Authentic Love Song 6. DJ Mitsu The Beats - Jazz Orgy 7. Shigeru Suzuki - Telescope 8. Chari Chari - Across The Universe 9. Ann Sally - Misty Roses 10. Speedometer - A Tourist Of A Nervous Breakdown 11. Haruomi Hosono - Mercuric Dance
Disc.2
1. J's Bee - Desert Skyline (ver. 2) 2. Combo Piano - Cheap Imitation 3. Acoustic Dub Messengers - Ham & Egg 4. Sunaga T Experience - And It All Goes Round & Round 5. Norio Maeda meets Tin Pan Alley - The Girl From Ipanema 6. Audio Active - Penalty Taker 7. Free Electro - Eternal Voice 8. Dry & Heavy - Reverse Again 9. Akakage - Tomboy 10. Free Tempo - Saudade 11. Sugiurumn - Star Baby (Yoda's Sunset Of E's Vedra mix) 12. B.E.D - City Star
Price: £26.99
Volume 4. Disc.1.
1. Lava-Shooting Star In Madrid 2. Soul Bossa Trio- Solitary feat.noon 3. Soil & Pimp Sessions- Fuller Love 4. DJ Mitsu The Beats- Intro(instrumental version) 5. Butter Finger- Waitting For. 6. Picasso man a.k.a Bayaka- What Set Me Free. 7. Sketch Show-Wonderful To Me. 8. Calm-Light years. 9. Reggae Disco Rockers-I Saw. The Light feat.Minako Okuyama. 10. Shigeru Suzuki & Hucklebuck-Great American Funky Girl. 11. Natural Calamity-Walkin'Home. 12.Haruomi Hosono- Sanji no Komoriuta.
1. Studio Apartment-Straightaway 2. Monday Michiru - Let It Go 3. Soil & Pimp Sessions- Fuller Love 4. Saigenji- Choro 5. Okada Taxi- Season 2 Season 6. Force of Nature- Unstoppable 7. Moonriders- Daisan no Otoko 8. Ann Sally- Sanji no Komoriuta. 9. Yukihiro Fukutomi- Love is to Blame 10. Kama Aina- Ana Torrent 11. Aurora (Chari Chari)- Ground Art Rocks.
Compiled by Jon and Keith of Ryukyu Underground of producers, remixers and musicians they have worked with or admired. Some Asian and world flavours from Bob Holroyd, Ansar Featuring Dum Dum Project, Cosmic Rocker, Ex-centric Sound System, Latrama, Frederic Galliano and the African Divas Soloman, plus Ryukyu Underground mixes of Yuri Chika and Karsh Kale. Price: £23.99
Mostly Japanese hip hop sampler including Shingo2, Tenjiku, Kensho, Boo, and DJ Dolbee.
