FAR SIDE MUSIC LTD. Far Side Music

Explore the music of Asia, browse our extensive catalogues, read articles and biographies on the most important artists.

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Far Side Label OKI's brilliant Dub Ainu, now available at a lower price and distributed worldwide. Buy it here.

RICE RECORDS UK Our record label and sister company. New releases are by the Queen of Dangdut (funky Indonesian street music) Elvy Sukaesih and classic, infectious samba performed by Velha Guarda da Portela from Rio de Janeiro .

Far 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 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.

JAPAN traditional Click here to select Classical, Contemporary, Masters of Japan series, Japanese Traditional Music series or Music of Japanese People series

JAPAN modern Click here to select Roots, Enka, Rock, Pop, Dub/Reggae/Ska, Club/Dance/Chill out, Ambient, Jazz/Avant Garde, or Improvised and Electronic.

JAPAN DVD Click here to select the amazing NHK kabuki series with English commentaries, music or film and documentaries

OKINAWA traditional Click here to select either solo male, female or groups.

OKINAWA modern Click here to select either solo male, female or groups.

OKINAWA compilations Click here to select a category among our extensive range of Okinawa compilations.

OKINAWA experimental Sanshin put through various electronic effects, bowed sanshin, feedback and other experiments in sound by Wataru Kousaka.

OKINAWA others Oddities and the unclassifiable.

OKINAWA 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 and excellent guide book in English

AMAMI traditional Southern Japanese island with a rich, vibrant tradition with elements of Okinawa and Japan performed by young and veteran artists.

AMAMI modern Amami island music mixed with various sounds by the island's most creative musicians including Rikki, Maricamizuki and Kohsuke Atari.

CHINA 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 KONG Folk and indigenous music from Taiwan, plus southeast Asian pop, Chinese style.

SOUTH KOREA Traditional, folk and contemporary music from the eastern edge of Asia. For more traditional titles look under King World Music Library and JVC World Sounds series.

THAILAND Click here to select the singers Jintara Poonlarp, Siriporn Ampaipong or Lukthung, Morlam, Morlam Sing, Kantrum, Classical and Instrumental Folk, Pop, Cassettes, Others or Compilations.

VIETNAM / BURMA 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.

MALAYSIA / 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.

INDONESIA 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 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 ASIA Compilations and collaborations.

HAWAII & 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... Click here to select Japan only releases from Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, Japanese Latin and the Pacific, South Asia, Central Asia and Global.

JVC WORLD SOUNDS Full catalogue listing of the acclaimed series of traditional music from around the world. 100 titles divided by region and country.

KING WORLD MUSIC LIBRARY Full catalogue listing and descriptions of a series noted for its recordings of especially Asian music. Click here to select regions and countries.

JVC / KING OTHER SERIES Other superb world music series from top Japanese record companies.

ALBATROS 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.

RESPECT 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.