Wavetrain, 2nd wagon

Hello , the 2nd wagon on my wavetrain contains some great acts, non of which exist as such anymore, dont let it hold you back. Joy Divisions first never released album got a the bootleg release in 81 under their first name Warsaw, Fad Gadget what can i say if you havent heard of him you really got a thing coming. The Feelies did create some crazy rhythms under the guidance of Anton Fiers drumming. Talk about beats, The Beat had a fast and furious career playing ska pop. Random Hold created gloom rock..no future but different a bit prog in there.

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Warsaw - J.D. (78)
Fad Gadget - Coitus Compilation (CoCo) (79>84)
The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms (80)
The Beat - I Just Can't Stop It (80)
Random Hold - The View From Here (79)
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Warsaw - J.D. bootleg (78> 81>12rem *flac  237mb)

The band was founded in the fall of 1976, soon after the Sex Pistols had made their first appearance in Manchester. Guitarist Bernard Albrecht and bassist Peter Hook had met while at the show and later formed a band called the Stiff Kittens; after placing an ad through a Manchester record store, they added vocalist Ian Curtis and drummer Steve Brotherdale. Renamed Warsaw (from David Bowie's "Warszawa"), the band made its live debut the May 77, supporting the Buzzcocks at Manchester's Electric Circus. After the recording of several demos, Brotherdale quit the group in August 1977, he was replaced by Stephen Morris. The punk band Warsaw Pakt caused them to rename to Joy Division in late 1977 -- inspired by Karol Cetinsky's World War II novel The House of Dolls. (In the book, the term 'joy division' was used as slang for concentration-camp units wherein inmates were forced to prostitute themselves for the enjoyment of Nazi soldiers.)

Playing frequently in the north country during early 1978, the quartet gained the respect of several influential figures: Rob Gretton, a Manchester club DJ who became the group's manager; Tony Wilson, a TV/print journalist and owner of the Factory Records label; and Derek Branwood, a record executive with RCA Northwest, who recorded sessions in May 1978 for what was planned to be Joy Division's self-titled debut LP. Though several songs bounded with punk energy, the rest of the album showed at an early age the band's later trademarks: Curtis' themes of post-industrial restlessness and emotional despair, Hook's droning bass lines and the jagged guitar riffs of Albrecht.

The album should've been hailed as a punk classic, but when a studio engineer added synthesizers to several tracks -- believing that the punk movement had to move on and embrace new sounds -- Joy Division scrapped the entire LP. (Titled Warsaw for this 1981 bootleg The first actual Joy Division release came in June 1978, when the initial mid-1977 demos were released as the EP An Ideal for Living, on the band's own Enigma label. Early in 1979, the buzz surrounding Joy Division increased with a session recorded for John Peel's BBC radio show.

When you compare this with what they were doing less than two years later on 'Closer,' you kinda have to marvel. Such evolution is like time-lapse photography. It boggles the heart and soul...



01 - All Of This For You (1:42)
02 - Leaders Of Men (2:28)
03 - They Walked In Line (2:50)
04 - Failures (2:22)
05 - Novelty (3:36)
06 - No Love Lost (4:34)
07 - Transmission (4:26)
08 - Living In The Ice Age (2:19)
09 - Interzone (2:02)
10 - Warsaw (2:06)
11 - Shadow Play (3:53)
xs 7" still ogg
12 - Excite One (2:35)
13 - Insight (3:50)
14 - She's Lost Control (4:06)
15 - Transmission (3:54)

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Fad Gadget

Frank Tovey (September 8, 1956 - April 3, 2002), better known as Fad Gadget, was an influential British avant-garde electronic musician who was a pioneer of the budding genres of New Wave and electronica. He was the first signing to pioneering label Mute. Long a footnote in the annals of degenerate pop, Tovey’s early-’80s primitive electronica connected the dots among no wave’s compact fury, dub-soaked post-punk, industrial, his staccato drum machine, dictatorial beats, two-bit keyboards, and white (hot) funk presaged the currents of electronic dance.

Fad Gadget's music is characterized by a distinctive use of synthesizers in conjunction with sounds of machinery, including drills and electric razors. His bleak, sarcastic, and darkly humorous lyrics were often layered in meaning, and discussed subjects such as machinery, building construction, and physical violence. His singing style, a droning monotone, influenced later gothic and industrial rock movements.[citation needed] Fad Gadget was known for confrontational live performances which included Tovey covering himself in tar and feathers, leaping into the audience, and playing instruments with his head.

Tovey’s timeliness is apparent on this new collection of singles and rarities, most of which are difficult to distinguish from tracks by new artists like Adult. "Collapsing New People" is a meeting of the minds with guests Einstürzende Neubauten; both artists utilize industrial tools as musical utensils. On "Love Parasite," you can practically hear Marilyn Manson and Front 242 taking notes. I produced this cdr early 2002, when i read about his death from heartfailure i was shocked..i had lost sight after the Civilian album (91). After a hiatus of almost a decade he had just started touring again, opening for labelmates Depeche Mode.

About this compilation, having been a fan from Back To Nature onwards i was dissapointed about the Mute best of release, no Coitus Interruptus , how bourgeois, so i decided to create my own compilation, incorperating singles and work from his first 5 albums. Fad not only produces good intro's his outro's can be a bit drawn out, as such it was easy enough to mix this collection, the order needed more attention as i didnt want chronology but i wanted to capture connecting spirit, its length as you might guess is 79 min + . It will allow all those who missed Fad Gadget/Frank Tovey's , this new-wave troubadour first time round to play musical catch up.



No longer vinyl segued but re assembled from digital sources hence 7 min longer but at the bottom you can get the ogg segued version


Fad Gadget - CoCo (Coitus Compilation)  (79>84 * 560mb)

01 - Back To Nature (single)
02 - Ladyshave (single)
03 - The Box (fireside favorites)
04 - Shot in the Dark ( snakes & ladders)
05 - Make Room (single)
06 - Fireside Favorites (fireside favorites)
07 - For Whom the Bells Toll ( under the flag)
08 - Incontinent (incontinent)
09 - Collapsing New People (gag)
10 - Coitus Interruptus (fireside favorites)
11 - Swallow It (incontinent)
12 - Ricky's hand (single)
13 - State of the nation (fireside favorites)
14 - Love Parasite ( under the flag)
15 - Luxury (gag)
16 - Life on the Line ( under the flag)
17 - Small World ( snakes & ladders)
18 - Arch of the Aorta (fireside favorites)

Fad Gadget - CoCo (Coitus Compilation)  (79>84 ogg 133mb)

Fad Gad @ Base


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The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms (80 flac 249mb)

The Feelies are remembered as one of the most underappreciated indie-rock bands of the 1980s and to this day have many fans throughout the world. Although the band never sold many records, they are considered to be influential in the indie rock scene today.

The Feelies were a rock band from Haledon, New Jersey. They formed in 1976 and disbanded in 1992. The Feelies created shimmering soundscapes with multiple guitar layers that sounded unique compared to the punk/new wave atmosphere of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Their name is based on Aldous Huxley's novel "Brave New World" where in the novel there are theaters where all of your senses are incorporated along with sight, called "the feelies."

Original band members Bill Million, Keith Clayton and Anton Fier released their first single “Fa Ce La” on Rough Trade Records in 1980. The album that followed on Stiff Records, Crazy Rhythms, After Crazy Rhythms, Fier and Clayton left the band. With the Feelies in limbo, Mercer and Million collaborated with other local New Jersey musicians, forming a band called the Trypes.

Reformed as a quintet, the Feelies recorded The Good Earth in 1985 with Peter Buck of R.E.M. as producer. They toured in support of the album as an opening band for Lou Reed as well as R.E.M. that year. In 1988 the Feelies signed to a major label and released the album Only Life on A&M Records. The new lineup featuring two guitarists, two drummers, and the bass playing of Brenda Sauter made the album a critical favorite. Their final album, Time for a Witness, was released in 1991. The album broke little new ground from Only Life but still earned the band critical praise.



01 - The Boy With The Perpeptual Nervousness (5:05)
02 - La Ce La (1:59)
03 - Loveless Love (5:11)
04 - Forces At Work (6:40)
05 - Original Love (2:55)
06 - Everybody's Got Something To Hide (4:05)
07 - Moscow Nights (3:54)
08 - Raised Eyebrows (3:00)
09 - Crazy Rhythms (6:06)

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The Beat - I Just Can't Stop It  (81 flac 265mb)

The six member band consisted of Dave Wakeling on vocals and guitar, Andy Cox on guitar, David Steele on bass, Everett Morton on drums, Ranking Roger on vocals and toasting, and foundational first wave ska legend Saxa on saxophone. The band crossed over fluidly between soul, reggae, pop and punk, and from these disparate pieces they created an infectious dance rhythm. Along with their contemporaries The Specials, The Selecter, and Madness, The Beat became an overnight sensation and one of the most popular and influential bands of the British ska movement.

By Christmas of 1979, The Beat were riding high in the UK charts with their first single, a smoking remake of the classic Smokey Robinson tune "Tears of a Clown". Over the course of the next five years The Beat toured relentlessly and released three studio albums: "I Just Can't Stop It", "Wh'appen", and "Special Beat Service".
Despite their huge success, The Beat didn't stop singing and acting on the problems caused by the noise in this world. They donated all the profits from their highly successful single version of "Stand Down Margaret" to the Committee for Nuclear Disarmament. They donated their music to causes including the anti-nuclear benefit album "Life in The European Theatre", "The World of Music and Dance" album focusing on indigenous people's art, and lent their voice to The Special AKA's freedom cry "Free Nelson Mandela", to name but a few. Every great band only has three really good albums. And true to form, The Beat decided to call it quits after their third album, "Special Beat Service".



01 - Mirror In The Bathroom (3:02)
02 - Hands Off...She's Mine (2:59)
03 - Two Swords (2:17)
04 - Twist And Crawl (2:33)
05 - Tears Of a Clown (2:39)
06 - Rough Rider (4:50)
07 - Click Click (1:28)
08 - Rankin' Full Stop (2:47)
09 - Big Shot (2:33)
10 - Whine & Grine / Stand Down Margaret (3:48)
11 - Noise In This World (2:15)
12 - Can't Get Used To Losing You (2:36)
13 - Best Friend (3:00)
14 - Jackpot (4:18)

Beat @ Base

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Random Hold - The View From Here (79 * 95mb)

Variously described as 'gloom rock' and 'songs for swinging suicides', the band's music tended towards bleakness and darkness with an underlying air of threat and malevolence. And that was on a good night. Their music successfully eludes any convenient classification which is not to suggest that it is at all esoteric or even overtly experimental. They have been ranked alongside , ostensibly alternative bands like The Pop Group, This Heat, Cabaret Voltaire, the Art Bears, Metabolist and (gulp) Throbbing Gristle, a desperate bunch whose predecessors are supposed to include the likes of Can, Faust, Henry Cow and others who pioneered the links between rock and the electronic avant garde. Random Hold had a sound and a vision (which not all groups can boast of) and some songs of quality. Maybe their legacy of recorded work doesn't do them justice but there are ideas there and an atmosphere. .



01 - What Happened (4:48)
02 - Dolphin Logic (6:11)
03 - Silver Spoons, Golden Tongues (3:37)
04 - Central Reservation (4:15)
05 - Fear Eats The Soul (3:00)
06 - Etceteraville (3:56)
07 - With People (Out Of Love) (6:05)
08 - The View From Here (8:08)
EP (1979)
09 - Meat (2:39)
10 - The Ballad (3:07)
11 - Avalanche (4:24)
12 - Filmmusic (4:37)
13 - Montgomery Clift (6:41)

Random Hold @ Once...

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All downloads are in * ogg-7 (224k) or ^ ogg-9(320k), artwork is included , if in need get the nifty ogg encoder/decoder here !

Wavetrain, 1st wagon

Hello, as announced the coming weeks i will post some dusty gems from the daysmaking music became a lifestyle, im a bit pressed for time this week so i will keep it short, The Reds still sound remarkbly freash these days and Interpolfans should not pass on them. A commenter last week talked about John foxx well as it happened i already ripped Metamatic, at the time btw i wasnt aware he's still at it. Polystyrene delivers a very folksy answer to her previous hi energy punk, well summerime coming up...

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The Reds - The Reds ( 79 )
John Foxx - Metamatic ( 80 )
Positive Noise - Heart Of Darkness (81 )
Positive Noise - Change Of Heart (82 )
Poly Styrene - Translucence (80 )

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The Reds - The Reds ( 79 * 80mb)

The Reds. – The name spells, emotion, intensity and a hint of danger (commie shit if you're a redneck). Philadelphia's The Reds debuted in 1979 on A&M records. They released a self-titled LP and a 10" vinyl EP (remember those?) both produced by David Kershenbaum. It is impossible to escape the influences of The Doors and Iggy Pop on The Reds (Cohen cites the former as the more influential of the two), if only because the band does a cover of the classic Break on Through or has taken the album title, Shake Appeal from Iggy's 1972 Raw Power album. However, the influence of groups such as The Cure and Joy Division is equally inescapable, as Cohen readily admits. The difference, he says, lies in the feeling behind the music. Where Joy Division had been characterized by an almost unmitigated sense of depression, Cohen chuckles at critics who say The Reds' music is depressing, negative and pessimistic.The response to their music, their first four albums (The Reds, Stronger Silence, Fatal Slide and an A&M EP) received much critical acclaim. On the concert tour, The Reds gathered an enthusiastic following, opening for such diverse acts as The Police, Joe Jackson, and The Psychedelic Furs.

1984 found them as a duo after the drummer and bassist left. Mike Thorne produced "Shake Appeal" , it led the band to work with film /TV director/producer, Michael Mann. Mann hired them to score the film "Manhunter" as well as using their music in "Band Of The Hand" and episodes of "Miami Vice". The 90's saw the release of "Cry Tomorrow (1992, Tarock Music) once again produced by Mike Thorne. The CD was remastered and rereleased in 1999.



01 - Victims (2:38)
02 - Luxury (4:55)
03 - Joey (4:09)
04 - Lookout (6:55)
05 - Whatcha' doin' to me (3:22)
06 - Not You (2:37)
07 - Talking (3:18)
08 - Over & Over (3:08)
09 - Self Reduction (5:26)
Xs - EP
11 - Break On Through (2:38)
12 - Self Reduction (5:26)
13 - Whatcha' Doin' To Me (3:22)
14 - Destination (4:32)

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John Foxx - Metamatic ( 80 flac   254mb)

John Foxx aka Dennis Leigh, first began experimenting with tape recorders and synthesizers whilst on a scholarship at the Royal College of Art. In 1973 he formed a glam rockband that would initually be called Tiger Lily, later (77)it transformed into Ultravox ! . After the record company dropped them (79) Foxx left and was replaced by Midge Ure, after which 'Ultravienna ' took off.

Foxx signing to Virgin Records, and released " Metamatic" on his 'Metal Beat' record label . He played most of the synthesizers and "rhythm machines", as they were listed on the jacket. "Metal Beat" was also the name of one of the songs from the album and was inspired by an odd metallic clunk sound on an early Roland drum machine, the CR-78. Metal Beat Records lasted from 1980 to 1985 with Foxx as its only artist. Foxx's next LP was The Garden, released 25 September 1981. This recording was a departure from the stark electronic sound of Metamatic, bearing a greater resemblance to Foxx’s swansong with Ultravox, Systems of Romance. In 1982 he set up his own recording studio, also called The Garden, housed in an artists' collective in Shoreditch East London. Fall 83, his third solo LP The Golden Section was release, Foxx described this album as a "roots check" of his earliest influences such as The Beatles, psychedelia, and other pre-punk sources.The album In Mysterious Ways was issued in October 1985. Musically it was not considered a significant progression beyond the sound of his two previous releases, nor was it a commercial success.

After In Mysterious Ways, Foxx gave up a public career in pop music. He sold his recording studio and returned to his earlier career as a graphic artist, working under his original name of Dennis Leigh

Spring, 1997, John Foxx made a return to the music scene with the simultaneous release of two albums, Shifting City and Cathedral Oceans. Shifting City was a collaboration with Manchester's Louis Gordon, categorised by many commentators as an updated stylistic return to Foxx's Metamatic synth pop sound. However it also displayed the influence of 1990s underground dance music and the 'triphop' style, along with the psychedelic Beatles-esque pop first apparent on Ultravox’s "When You Walk Through Me". Cathedral Oceans was a solo John Foxx record, an ambient return to his Catholic youth and his love of the cathedrals of England and Europe. Its roots included traditional evensong, Gregorian Chant, Brian Eno, Harold Budd, and German band Cluster. Cathedral Oceans began as a project during the sessions for "The Garden" and has been a work in progress for 20 years before this release, described by Foxx himself as one of the proudest moments of his career. The accompanying DVD was made commercially available for the first time during an installation in Hoxton Square, London in January 2003.



01 - Plaza (3:52)
02 - He's A Liquid (2:59)
03 - Underpass (3:54)
04 - Metal Beat (3:00)
05 - No-One Driving (3:45)
06 - A New Kind Of Man (3:39)
07 - Blurred Girl (4:17)
08 - 030 (3:15)
09 - Tidal Wave (4:14)
10 - Touch And Go (5:33)


Foxx @ Base
Foxx @ Ama zone

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Positive Noise - Heart of Darkness (82 * 79mb)

From Glasgow, Scotland. Led by Ross Middleton (vocals/guitar) with brothers Fraser Middleton (bass) and Graham Middleton (keyboards) with Les Galf (drums). After one album the band of brothers broke up Ross quit in mid-1981 to form Leisure Process with saxophonist Gary Barnacle. He was replaced by Russell Blackstock. Their sound was a soaring guitar based dance rock on Heart of Darkness, was unfortunately not to well produced mishmash of art-funk, think Magazine some Skids-like cheering and noise. Just what you might expect from an enthousastic pennyless act throwing all their live energy into their first recording..as a consequence it suffers from indecisive direction.

The title of Positive Noise's second album signifies the drastic change that took place after the group's debut LP as a result of the departure of Ross Middleton, the band's singer/leader/lyricist who left his two other Middleton brothers who stuck it out to the end) and in late 1980 recorded " Change of Heart", guitarist Russell Blackstock also assumed the vocal chores, and Positive Noise transmuted into a slick electronic dance machine(early eighties style think Human League), churning out precise rhythms with anxious, semi-melodic vocals. Left behind the uncertain footing of the first LP. Positive Noise's niche in club music. it didnt last long one more album produced by Dave Allen, "Distant Fires".

I hadnt planned to offer you 2 Positive Noise albums, they are however as noted above rather different and a testament of what was going on at the 2nd tier of the new wave movement of the early eighties, finding a



01 - Feel The Fear (3:45)
02 - Get Up And Go! (4:04)
03 - Inhibitions (4:06)
04 - Obsession (3:13)
05 - Hanging On (3:26)
06 - Positive Negative (2:43)
07 - Waiting For The 7th Man (3:05)
08 - Out Of Reach (3:34)
09 - Tension (2:46)
10 - Change Of Heart (4:20)



Positive Noise - Change of Heart (81 * 57mb)

01 - Darkness Visible (6:16)
02 - Hypnosis (4:00)
03 - No More Blood And Soil (5:18)
04 - ... And Yet Again (5:09)
05 - Down There (4:53)
06 - Treachery! (5:31)
07 - Warlords (4:45)
08 - Love Is A Many-Splintered Thing (3:23)
09 - Refugees (5:21)
10 - Ghosts (4:44)

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Polystyrene - Translucence (80 flac 228mb)

The band featured singer Poly Styrene (born Marian Joan Elliott) two solo cult classics Translucence (1980) and Gods and Goddesses (1986).

Poly Styrene and the X-ray Spex have only made two albums to date. In the mid-nineties X-ray Spex would briefly reform for their second and, so far, final album, ‘Conscious Consumer’.Their first, Germfree Adolescents, released in 1978, would be the only album ,they would produce for almost two decades. This album saw X-ray Spex emerge as a commercially viable punk band. They had cute catchy songs and enough wild edge to earn them respect from the scene.

Poly Styrene especially found herself at the centre of much media attention and speculation. In a short time span Poly Styrene went from tearaway teen to pop-sensation, the journey may have been exciting yet overwhelming. Perhaps this may help explain why in a space of just three years Poly Styrene dropped out and created a new alter ego for herself, one of eastern spirituality and seclusion. It didn't take her away from music completely, she recorded a solo album during this period the nu jazz ‘Translucence’, and the eastern inspired EP ‘Gods and Goddesses’.



01 - Dreaming (3:48)
02 - Toytown (3:21)
03 - Sky Diver (4:08)
04 - Day That Time Forgot (3:30)
05 - Shades (3:19)
06 - Essence (3:27)
07 - Hip City (3:01)
08 - Bicycle Song (2:32)
09 - Sub Tropical (3:03)
10 - Translucent (3:10)
11 - Age (3:09)
12 - Good Bye (3:40)

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All downloads are in * ogg-7 (224k) or ^ ogg-9(320k), artwork is included , if in need get the nifty ogg encoder/decoder here !

Singles, third strike

Hello, the third and last singles strike coming up here, afterwards ( mid eighties) the 12 " format prevailed, even when in those days the remixing wasn't that good, current day digital techniques enable so much more, still the sound quality was superior and the deejays were eager to show off scratching and mixing skills, even if the interval between tracks almost doubled, i didnt like that part, i remember having many an argument about that.

Been thinking about where to go next, there's so much out there, i've decided to delve into my vinyl collection and digitize music 77- 84 , not the big names , those have been digitised already, but the stuff that doesnt flow out of Amazon..

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8-ties pop
Funky into the 8 ties
Waves
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8-ties Pop ( * 114mb)


ABC 's Look of Love , for me is the perfect pop song, strong lyric, great production , Martin Fry really hit the spot and the Lexicon of love album that followed is an 82 classic, unfortunately Martin got into trouble with the bizz and ABC got sidetracked and dumped. Someone who did manage to keep a presence for decades is x welsh miner Tom Jones, Art of Noise booked him to mutual benefit to sing the Prince cover, Kiss..a few years later Tom released a whole album with him covering "contemporaries" . Gary Numan surprises with a synth Satie on the B side, very cool and slick, i think he's been underestimated ( and an example that changing your name Tubeway Army, doesnt work). How different Heaven 17, the glitsy spin off from the Human League, this aint one of their hits but hey its a great picture disc. Kid Creole another early eighties pop artist with a string of hits and great live performances with his Coconuts. Marrs is the most recent offer here..just 2 decades old..a side project from the normally more esoterically minded 4AD label brothers, probably made them more money then the rest of the releases that year combined. OMD stuck their necks out after 2 albums with uptempo synth pop releasing the dramatic Maid of Orleans, (great cover btw). Same can be said for Torch, awesome track, and a 12 "version that was strong aswell, the b-side Insecure Me would have made an excellent A side aswell, but at the time Soft Cell were on a roll..Yellowman called in the support from Materials Bill Laswell and Michael Beinhorn to write and record this reggae classic.



ABC - Look Of Love - (3:25)
ABC - Look Of Love instrumental (3:40)
Art Of Noise ft. Tom Jones - Kiss (3:27)
Gary Numan - Trois Gymnopedies (2:41)
Gary Numan - We Are Glass (4:40)
Heaven 17 - Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry - (3:39)
Heaven 17 - Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry part 2 (3:07)
Kid Creole - In The Jungle (4:15)
Kid Creole - Stool Pigeon (3:18)
MARRS - Anitina
MARRS - Pump Up The Volume (4:02)
OMD - Maid of Orleans (4:06)
OMD - Navigation (3:12)
Soft Cell - Insecure Me (4:35)
Soft Cell - Torch (4:04)
Yellowman - Dub Me Strong (3:24)
Yellowman - Strong Me Strong (3:42)

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Funky Into The 8-ties ( * 98mb)

When i was compiling this bunch, i was thinking yeez most of these artists play on Jazz festivals these days..Al Jarreau's slick voice has scored him many a grammy, The Brooklyn, Bronx, and Queens Band, likely would have been up there aswell if their main man Petrus hadnt been murdered in 86..Breakmachine, electric boogie..one hit wonder ..well some are into whistling..all the way to the bank. That cant be said off Chaka Kahn, one of the great voices that vibrate the airwaves..and here she shares her passionate voice with every woman. Herbie Hancock rose to fame beyond the jazzworld with his Rock it , the video really did it then, still this one "Tell everybody" is his first great dance funk hit. Now you maybe surprised but after 19 Paul Hardcastle scored a vocal hit "Don't Waste My Time" (with vocals by Carol Kenyon), afterwards going into production work and these days under the moniker Jazzmasters releasing smooth jazzz... Sly Fox , unfortunately turned out to be a one hit wonder, the african american funk master matched to a latino singer didnt inspire minority togetherness, or if it did..it shouldnt as we are ruled by division... the Whispers have existed since 64 and have had hits in the past 3 decades, this one is from 80 and isnt a Sonny & Cher cover. Will Smith used it in his 98 Miami hitsong.. in case you think where did i hear that before..



Al Jarreau - Roof Garden (3:56)
B,B & Q Band - Don't Say Goodbye (4:55)
B,B & Q Band - On The Beat (3:45)
Breakmachine - Streetdance - (3:38)
Chaka Kahn - Baby Me (4:16)
Chaka Kahn - I'm Every Woman (3:29)
George Benson - On Broadway (3:49)
Herbie Hancock - Honey In The Jar (4:40)
Herbie Hancock - Tell Everybody (3:53)
Paul Hardcastle - Don't Waste My Time (3:44)
Paul Hardcastle - Moonhopper (4:11)
Sly Fox - Como Tu Te Llama (4:12)
Sly Fox - Let's go All The Way (3:49)
Whispers, the - Can You Do The Boogie (3:47)
Whispers, the - The Beat Goes On (3:22)

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Wavies ( * 99mb)

Wavies, a cosy name for a diverse collection. Elvis Costello still does his thing these days, Radio Radio wasnt on the European version of This Years Model , thats why i got the single , anyway its angry young man Costello complaining about aenesthetising music being broadcast, how much worse these days..computer muzak controlled by a handful of vampires. Joe Jackson, another solo artist from those days that still hits the road and though not as prolific as Costello, still releases acclaimed work, The Harder They Come was a early seventies hit for Jimmy Cliff, Joe gives a real angry voice to the serious lyrics. It's a non album track (EP) , still it fitted his style in 1980. Jona Lewie 's " You'll always find me in the kitchen at parties" gets the nod everytime, oh well the kitchen is the heart of any 'house'party..btw his previous big hit was as Terry Dactyl with Seaside Shuffle..not really a wavy then but what the heck this track belonged in those days. The Passions etheric I'm in love with a german filmstar has been the highlight of their 3 album career. The Specials, great band, just tonight i heard Ghosttown in a commercial, well that was the latter more suffisticated Specials , this live ep stems from their stompin' ska days, "Too much, too young" btw is about preventing pregnancy and all that comes with it... That Petrol Emotion an Undertones spin off got several hit singles in the mid eighties, this "good thing" being their 3rd. Wire , the postpunk band from the punk era, "Our Swimmer" is the 1 st release after 79's succesful album 154 , it turned out it took 8 years before they released a follow up album, being busy with all kinds of side projects. XTC, yet another act that survived to this date , id say its testament to their ethics and creativity (30 + albums). Yazoo, Vince 'depeche mode' Clarke and Alison Moyet teamed up for 2 very succesful albums in the early eighties. Their first single was a 'mistake' as it quickly turned out the b side was much, much more popular than the A side "Only You", as a consequence it was quickly repackaged and thats why i have a cover that says "Situation" whilst on the vinyl it still is the B side,..move on..



Elvis Costello - Radio Radio ( 3:01)
Elvis Costello - Tiny Steps (2:39)
Joe Jackson - 01 The Harder They Come ( 3:48)
Joe Jackson - 02 Out Of Style (2:54)
Joe Jackson - 03 Tilt (2:43)
Jona Lewie - Burocrates (2:40)
Jona Lewie - You'll always find me in the kitchen at parties (2:58)
Passions - Don't Talk to me, i'm shy (2:13)
Passions - I'm in love with a german filmstar ( 3:56)
Specials - 01 Too Much, Too Young (2:04)
Specials - 02 Guns of Navarone (2:15)
Specials - 03 Longshot Kick The Bucket (2:52)
Specials - 04 Liquidator (1:28)
Specials - 05 Skinhead Moonstomp (2:06)
That Petrol Emotion - It's A Good Thing (2:30)
That Petrol Emotion - The Deadbeat (2:46)
Wire - Midnight Bahnhof Cafe (4:25)
Wire - Our Swimmer ( 3:26)
XTC - 01 Respectable Street ( 3:03)
XTC - 02 Strange Tales, Strange Tails (1:54)
XTC - 03 Officer Blue (2:35)
Yazoo - Only You (3:03)
Yazoo - Situation (2:20)

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All downloads are in * ogg-7 (224k) or ^ ogg-9(320k), artwork is included , if in need get the nifty ogg encoder/decoder here !

Singles, too time

Hello, time for my second of 3 batches of singles, still from the good old days, when most tracks rarely crossed the 3 min mark. To be honest i wasnt sure if there would be interested at all, im glad there obviously was, considering ripping and cleaning up these old vinyls is time consuming.

Well ive adapted my blog with the re-uploads , if you come across a dead link post it in the latest comments section.

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Seventies TV Toony's
Seventies Disco Fffunk
Some more seventies stuff
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Seventies TV Toony's

Got some good stuff here, mr Wayne of course has his 100th birthdate this week, assume plenty reruns coming up, well he tells us why he loves America, i dont know who got him to do this, its cheesy, so is his spanish btw and considering he married 3 times with a spanish woman he sure should have done better. Now the Scottish Chaps do make for an excellent bunch of cowboys rrrollin rrollin rrrollin' rrrawhide. Cheech and Chong awesome fun,burps, right on no then mr MacCenroe a novelty hit that got us laughing at his outbursts if the ball didnt land where it was supposed to. The french loved Dallas so much they even wrote a song in french about it, well the theme is there aswell, these days texas oilmen are scr ewing up the planet in a real life soap. Mash was another series that ran for ages, oddly enough the 50 ties subject got a very late sixties tune. Wish i could tell you why they sing suicide is painless, but for sure it brings on many changes..John Barry, the Bond themes man, wrote the dramatic Persuaders theme and the world was to believe that an american selfmade man was contained by a british prime stock man..well he was casted Bond soon after. Sammy Davis Jr got to sing two great detective series tunes, still love that Hawaii 5-O tune. From the mixed bag came another classic this time film tune, Zorba the Greek, well them greeks keep on dancing the sirtaki , so here's your chance for some practise . I added Trini lopez as a bonus , i 'm sure i played this the very first time i DJ 'd at my first highschool party, well i thought another america, from the sixties perspective of the latino immigrants, everythings free in america, right well those make believe dreams have finally come to an end it should be everyone has a price in america...( and most are on sale these days).



Chaps, The - Scots Rawhide-Ghostriders (3:14)
Chaps, The - Rawhide b (3:11)
Cheech & Chong - Bloat On (4:44)
Cheech & Chong - Right On (6:05)
Da Brat - Chalk Dust - The Umpire Strikes Back (3;06)
Da Brat - Moody Mole (3:41)
Dallas theme (2:21)
Dallas francofilia (3:19)
Mash - Suicide is painless (2:53)
John Barry - The Persuaders (Theme) (2:07)
John Wayne - America, why i love her (2:55)
John Wayne - Mis raices estan aqui (2:41)
Sammy Davis Jr. - Baretta's Theme (2:23)
Sammy Davis Jr. - I Heard A Song (2:54)
Sammy Davis Jr. - You can count on me (Hawaii 5-O theme) (2:08)
Sammy Davis Jr. - Snap your fingers (2:50)
Theodorakis, Mikis - Sirtaki (ost Zorba le Grec) (3:48)
Theodorakis, Mikis - Un peche impardonnable (ost Zorba le Grec) (1:50)
xs
Trini Lopz - If i had a hammerv (2:53)
Trini Lopez - A-me-ri-ca (3:52)

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Seventies Disco Fffunk ( * 98mb)

Well i DJ'd for 25 years, these tracks certainly got me thru the first decade at times, Brickhouse was a 16 min track on the album, which left the single rather unused, still after 9 min or so it started to bore me so this three and half min is just what it takes .. Now Oops upside your head was a one hit wonder but a great singalong. Ike and Tina oh boy the b-side help him says it all, and with hindsight one wonders how long she kept helping him, too long.. Nutbush city limits is such a classic, even after 35 years it will move the crowd. Same can be said for Labelle, at least in some regions, the lyrics/title "do you want to sleep with me", were a bit too much in some quarters, but i tell you whenever i played that track, the dancefloor would immediately fill up with girls, well boys dont speak french, men do.. Another underbelly funk tune by the Ohio Players, Fire, wont set you ablaze but will show you're spirited. The Sisters Sledge hammered us all with their lost in music, well these days its easy enough to lose tracks... Supermax Love machine is 30 years old but cool and understated just like a macho, more how sex is promised by Wild Cherry ( strange one would assume a girls band with such a name) , but these guys shined , 2 fat tracks by them.



Commodores - Brickhouse (3:23)
Commodores - Captain Quick Draw (4:16)
Gap band - Oops upside your head (3:22)
Ike & Tina Turner - Help Him (3:39)
Ike & Tina Turner - Nutbush City Limits (2:55)
Labelle - Space Children (2:58)
Labelle - Voulez vous couchez avec moi, ce soir (3:15)
Ohio Players - Fire (3:21)
Ohio Players - Together (3:01)
Sister Sledge - Lost in music (3:16)
Sister Sledge - Thinking of you (4:16)
Sly & The Family Stone - Family Affair (3:01)
Sly & The Family Stone - Luv 'n haight (3:57)
Supermax - Love Machine I (4:26)
Supermax - Love Machine II (4:11)
Wild Cherry - Hot to trot (3:04)
Wild Cherry - Play that funky music (3:06)

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Some more seventies stuff ( * 99mb)

This is a bit of a stew, ELP scored just 2 real hits, Lucky man and their Peter Gun version, still its not unlikely you'd recognise Fanfare of the common man. Yes i was a prog fan in the mid seventies thats why i bought that Genesis EP, the tracks werent on any of their albums, Frank Zappa didnt do singles, Dancing fool is the exception to the rule, a lot of him compressed in a few minutes, as it happens i came across a quote from him today i will share here " The biggest threat to America today is not communism; it's moving America towards a fascist theocracy and everything that has happened during the Reagan administration, is steering us right down that pipe." (Frank Zappa 1986), well Frank succumbed to prostrate cancer 7 years later , we sure miss his voice these days.. Hotlegs produced a wonderful minamalist droning track , im a neaderthal man, you're a neanderthal girl , lets make neanderthal love in the neanderthal world"" yes thats the lyrics, neanderthals had just very little to say in those days. Considering they died out, the neanderthal love wasnt too succesfull .
Plastic Bertrand had one international hit though back home in Belgium he had more success , well his Iggy Punk Pop does carry a punch. The Plastic Romantics however never got beyond their tailored hit, maybe thats what i like about them. Another one hit wonder the Shirts, promised much more with this great track Laugh and walk away , well maybe they did i dont know. The Specials, were thr core of the whole Two Tone label, their ska got everyone moving, on the b side another ska band from their hometown, the Selecter.



Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Brain salad surgery (3:07)
Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Fanfare for the common man ( 2:53)
Errol Dunkley - OK Fred ( 2:58)
Errol Dunkley - Rush me no badness ( 2:52)
Frank Zappa - Baby Snakes ( 1:49)
Frank Zappa - Dancing Fool ( 3:43)
Genesis - Inside out ( 6:36)
Genesis - Match of the day (3:20)
Genesis - Pigeon (3:05)
Hotlegs - Neanderthal Man (4:17)
Hotlegs - You didn't like it ( 4:28)
Plastic Bertrand - Pogo pogo ( 2:38)
Plastic Bertrand - Ça plane pour moi ( 2:56)
Romantics - First in line ( 2:36)
Romantics - What i like about you ( 2:53)
Shirts - Laugh and walk away (3:00)
Shirts - Maybe, maybe not (3:26)
Specials - Gangsters ( 2:44)
Specials - The Selecter ( 2:58)

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All downloads are in * ogg-7 (224k) or ^ ogg-9(320k), artwork is included , if in need get the nifty ogg encoder/decoder here !

Singles time

Well, last time i said goodbye to Japan, and to the trip around eurasia, evading the anglo/american music empire that is shortchanging the music world with their fabricated star(let) power , their moneyhunger and general lack of respect. So what's next ? Well i had planned digitizing some of my remaining singles, not that i ever was a big buyer, they were too expensive back in the days, and as soon as i discovered albums, i just picked them up here and there, lost them too well the coming posts i will bunch 9 together catagorised in time and or kind. Why not as single download , too much work and this way you may get some unexpected, afterall deleting is easy enough...

* the Sharebee re-uploads are done..i will adapt my Rho-Xs blog the coming time, my RhoXsss mirror has already been upgraded .

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VA - 6-ties singles
VA - early 7 ties singles
VA - glam singles

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6-ties ( * 83mb)

Well this is a mixed bunch from the time the music hadnt become an industry yet, i note that the quality of the B-sides is much higher than later when the industry was shaping and b-sides come much more to be a filler. Jeff Beck's Bolero beats the Hi-Ho A side for me. Sinatra, great songs and sings , Dutronc well it helps to understand french to enjoy the clever and earthy lyrics, Procul Harum a yes.. shuffle..kiss ..The Shangri Lasses wont let you touch there ever again, bit schizo on the other side their flirting with a bikerboy. Easy riders, those born to be wild, that is when their not tripping on their magic carpet. The Zombies such an odd name for such a sensetive band well they werent a one hit wonder but time of the season is a classic.

Beck, Jeff - Bolero (3:05)
Beck, Jeff - Hi Ho Silverlining (2:46)
Frank Sinatra - My Kind Of Town (Chicago Is) (3:05)
Frank Sinatra - Strangers in the Night (2:34)
Iron butterfly - In a gadda da vida (4:09)
Iron butterfly - Soul Experience (2:47)
Jacques Dutronc - Augmentation (2:29)
Jacques Dutronc - Il est cing heures, Paris s'eveille (2:51)
Jefferson Airplane - Somebody to love (2:55)
Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit (2:30)
Procul Harum - A whither shade of pale (3:59)
Procul Harum - Limestreet Blues (2:55)
Shangri Las - Leader of the Pack (2:46)
Shangri Las - Past, Present And Future (2:38)
Steppenwolf - Born to be wild (3:25)
Steppenwolf - Magic carpet ride (2:42)
Zombies - I'll call you mine (2:40)
Zombies - Time of the Season (3:32)


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early 7 ties (* 90mb)

Chicory Tip and Popcorn Makers, the latter a big hit in diverse artist versions but this one is the est and most electronic, synths not quiet there yet but these tracks do foreshadow whats to come (much) later. Deep Purple loves those Asian women (so do i though i didnt know at the time), anyway i was more impressed with the black night back then. Bread ahh it aint easy with all them hormons, Double barrel it wasnt my first love in with reggae dub..that was prince Buster..dancew Cleopatra but the Collins brothers scored a big summerhit with this one-great track. Same can be said for Peret a year earlier, it seemed to dominate all 71 summer , A year later it was the turn for Terry Dactyl and his Dinosaurs to mungo jerry a Seaside Shuffle, love that track, love to hear a cumbia version one day. Wings , Paul McCartney Linda and friends , Jet went no 1 in the UK but i always preferred the b side Let me roll it a Paul does John imperonation as it where.. Sugarloaf 's 74 one hit wonder was foretelling the way the music industry went.."Don't call us, we call you"

Bread - Guitar Man
Bread - Just like yesterday
Chicory Tip - Pride comes before a fall
Chicory Tip - Son of my father
Collins, Dave & Ansil - Double Barrel version
Collins, Dave & Ansil - Double Barrel
Deep Purple - Black Knight (live)
Deep Purple - My Woman From Tokyo
Peret - Borriquito
Peret - Que cosas tiene el amor
Popcorn Makers - Popcorn
Popcorn Makers - Toad in the hole
Sugarloaf - Don't call us, we call you
Sugarloaf - Texas two lane
Terry Dactyl - Ball n Cain
Terry Dactyl - Seaside Shuffle
Wings - Jet
Wings - Let me roll it

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Glam 99 mb

Glam rock ( glitter rock), initially surfaced in the post-hippie early 1970s. Largely an English phenomenon, glam rock had its peak between the years of 1971 and 1973, and was made famous by acts such as David Bowie, T. Rex, Gary Glitter, Queen, Slade, Sweet, Alvin Stardust, Sparks, Mud, Roxy Music. Glam fans and performers distinguished themselves from the denim-clad hippie-hordes with sci-fi/Hollywood glamour/ambisexual-inspired costumes, dressing and making up, its no wonder this style has resurfaced again..and again. Well Bowie, Queen, Roxy Music out grew this packaging , others well were not so lucky. Alice Cooper was one of the few american artists that, dressed up though in his case it was more dressing down, ayway this track here Halo of Flies is magnificent..paranoid Genesis..at the time it was the longest track ever released on a 7 " , Cockney Rebel scored some great hits, Sebastian, Make me smile, Judy Teen bubbles. Bowie poses in a suit on the cover of rebel rebel, he takes the battle to the enemygrounds... The Sweet well of all their hits Blockbuster remains the one with the strongest presence, even the b side is ok.

Gary Glitter, i was a fan back then i lost his first hitsingle, Rock & Rollpart...whatever sweaty jamming, When you listen to his lyrics you understand that this guy was totally oversexed, and with all that's on offer for a horny r& r star its easy to loose sight of normal relations, im not here to defend the guy but i think that the UK showed his hypocritical side again when it made such a big deal about him paying for sex with underage vietnamese hookers, it forced the vietnam government to arrest and sentence him for 3 years. Meanwhile flights from Heathrow to Manilla and 'Bangcock' take off everyday with men out for the same...Do you wanna touch me, there yeah oh yeah.. Finally Slade for a time every single they released was an event, these 3 rank with the best, coz i love you is such a great track, lyricwise too. I would have liked to include T Rex but their singles are no longer with me, later bands like Mud, well i was passed that back then, albums were my thing.

Alice Cooper - Halo of Flies (8:16)
Alice Cooper - Under my wheels (2:46)
Cockney Rebel - Judy Teen (3:32)
Cockney Rebel - Spaced Out (2:54)
David Bowie - Queen Bitch (3:12)
David Bowie - Rebel Rebel (4:20)
Gary Glitter - Do you wanna touch me (3:20)
Gary Glitter - I'm the leader of the gang (i am).(3:25)
Gary Glitter - If I would I could (2:48)
Slade - Look wot you dun (2:55)
Slade - Candidate (2:49)
Slade - Coz i love you (3:22)
Slade - My life is natural (3:14)
Slade - Take me bak 'ome (3:12)
Slade - Wonderin' Y (2:46)
Sweet, The - Balloom Blitz (3:54)
Sweet, The - Rock & Roll Disgrace (3:37)

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*All downloads are in * ogg-7 (224k) or ^ ogg-9(320k), artwork is included , if in need get the nifty ogg encoder/decoder here !

Japan, Sayonara

Japan, the last leg of my little tour, if anything it can be said that the 110 million Japanese have a great musical culture, a strongly developped drive to create music, as such they manifest in a lot of niches. It is however unfortunate that as islanders go they are looking inward, that and the fact that language and their writing have made it difficult for foreigners to pick up on whats going on there. The Japanese could have been more outspoken to the world concerning their music, certainly in electronic and avant gardistic circles they are right up there. However there's a certain frivolous element that the generally over-serious-self important west artists lack and which causes a divide of misunderstanding specially with the followers (fans and press), obviously it's collective vs individual culture at work here. With the internet distribution is no longer the issue, but language/script is and so the ball is in the Japanese corner if they want to follow up their dominance in car production with a bigger slice of the global music scene, a marketing tip from me throw in some local cd's and dvd's with every car exported to the west (wink).

This last post is the most recent of all and the most electronic minimal abstract, Nobukazu Takemura and Aoki Takamasa glitch pop from Sketch Show, psychedelic Ghost and 2 DJ's with very different outlooks techno By Ken Ishi and DJ Krush with a fvery cool usion of Japanese traditional and hiphop jazz.

As i have been rather busy today i have forgotten to add Oggfiles to some of the Sharebee re-uploads, if in need you can get them here, Oggfiles 1mb. Furthermore , i extended the rtf with information on re uploads from eurosonics stage 9 till 13, this will be further extended the coming weeks, if you come across a dead link please tell me at my comments section.

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Ken Ishii - Future in light (02)
DJ Krush - Jaku (04)
Nobukazu Takemura - Tenth (02)
Ghost - Hypnotic Underworld (04)
Aoki Takamasa - Indigo Rose (03)
Sketch Show - LoopHole (04)

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Ken Ishii - Future in light  (02 * 502mb)

Ken debuted on a legendary Belgian techno label, R & S Records, in 1993. Then he won No.1 on the UK’s NME magazine’s techno chart which led him to worldwide recognition. In 1995, the highly praised album "Jelly Tones" (R & S / Sony) was released. In the following year, the video clip for the single "Extra" from the "Jelly Tones" album (directed by Koji Morimoto) won MTV Europe's "Dance Video of the Year" award.

In 1998, Ken composed and produced the official theme song for the winter Olympics which took place in Nagano, Japan. In 2000, Ken was on the cover of "Newsweek" magazine, featured as a symbol of the Japanese new culture. Also in the same year, he composed the theme song and soundtracks for the mega hit Japanese film, "Whiteout", which led him to a nomination for Japanese Academy Awards. Ken finally set up his own label, 70 Drums, and released this album “Future In Light.” in 2002

These days, Ken spends 2/3 of his time in Europe, Asia, North and South America and Oceania DJing and working as a true international artist. In 2004, he was awarded the best techno DJ at "Dance Music Awards" in Ibiza, Spain, proving himself to be one of the world’s most talented DJs in the scene. Last year, he was in charge of the music for Japanese Government's Seto-Nippon Pavilion at World Expo, held in Aichi, Japan. In November, 2006, he released "SUNRISER", he's also been continuously releasing on his side project, FLR, focusing on the dance floor.



01- Awakening (6:15)
02 - Visionary World (6:16)
03 - Auburnia (5:23)
04 - Future Is What We Are (4:05)
05 - Fadeless (7:31)
06 - Liquid Metal (6:17)
07 - Melting Point (6:31)
08 - Presto (6:45)
09 - Beep Twist (6:46)
10 - Strobe Enhanced (5:59)
11 - To The Sky Beyond (6:08)

Ken Isshi @ Base
Ken Isshi @ Amazon

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DJ Krush - Jaku ( "tranquility")  (04 flac 377mb)

Hideaki Ishii was born in 1962 in Tokyo. It was the movie "Wild Style" that got him into hiphop in the early 80's, and in 1987, he formed Krush Possee which made numerous appearances in various media as the best hiphop act in Japan. KRUSH began pursueing his solo career after the break-up of the group in late 1992, and soon grabbed people's attention as the first DJ to use turntables as live instruments, doing free sessions with live musicians on stage.
His first album "Krush" was released in 1994, and since then he released countless records in Japan, Europe, US and around the globe. All his solo releases have ranked high in various charts in & out of Japan, his 6th album "Zen" has been highly acclaimed and awarded the Best Electronica Album in 2002 at the AIFM Awards (US). Aside from his outernational activities as producer, remixer and DJ, he constantly expands his field from soundtracks for films, TV dramas & commercials to live sessions with various musicians that transcends music jenre. In 2004, he produced soundtrack for a documentary film featuring Japanese photographer Araki titled "Arakimentari" which made huge buzz amongst US film festivals & won Audience Award at Brooklyn International Film Festival.

This, his 8th album "Jaku (tranquility) " was released in 2004 aswell. There is something very explicitly Japanese in the notion of tranquility as Krush applies it to hip-hop, and it is this notion that Krush explores on Jaku. For instance a prominent shakuhachi part by Shuuzan Morita (the shakuhachi is a traditional Japanese flute with a hoarse and melancholic sound) or Shinishi Kinoshita on the tsugaru-jamisen Krush manages to mix the hiphop culture with the easts tradional music, an assimilation brought about thru electronic music. In 2006 Krush released his latest a double album "Stepping Stones The Self-Remixed Best ".



01 - Still Island (5:06)
02 - Road to Nowhere (3:21)
03 - Nosferatu (3:45)
04 - The Beginning (3:55)
05 - Transition (1:57)
06 - Stormy Cloud (5:54)
07 - Univearth (5:20)
08 - Decks-athron (6:17)
09 - Kill Switch (4:20)
10 - Pretense (3:02)
11 - Slit of Cloud (6:25)
12 - Passage (1:35)
13 - Beyond Raging Waves (4:23)
14 - Distant Voices (3:22)
15 - Song 2 (4:59)

DJ Krush @ Base
DJ Krush @ MySpace
DJ Krush @ Amazon


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Nobukazu Takemura - Tenth (02 flac 741mb)

Nobukazu Takemura was born in Osaka in August of 1968. His interest in music began with punk and new wave at the ripe old age of ten. By the time he reached junior high, Takemura was recording music with keyboards and two tapedecks. He started his DJ career during high school, spinning in the clubs of Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe. Working in a record store, Takemura became exposed to Free Jazz, Contemporary Music and Hip-Hop - the foundation for his music composition and theory for re-mixing. In 1987, he formed the DJ Team "Cool Jazz Productions", & in 1988, joins "Audio Sports" the now legendary hip-hop unit headed by Eye Yamatsuka of the Boredoms. Around 1993 Takemura first branched out as a solo artist under the moniker "Child's View". The name highlighted one of the key themes in his music that is still prevalent today. He tries to create melodies that musically capture a sense of wonder, a childlike innocence and curiosity. He has a huge catalog of collaborations with critically acclaimed artists from every corner of the world. From Issey Miyake, who had him create music for 2 seasons of designs, to Sony who had him create all the sounds for their futuristic toy Aibo. From Steve Reich to DJ Spooky from Yo La Tengo to Tortoise. His wide range of collaborative partners reflect the wide range of his musical talents. Nobukazu Takemura is often joined by Aki Tsuyuko on vocals and video manipulation for live shows. She is a truly amazing animator, crucial collaborator and solo artist in her own right.

Over the years Takemura’s music has been considered many things (Minimal Electronic, DJ/Hip-Hop, IDM, Electronica) yet he’s still has managed to defy categorization. His approach to composition is best viewed as a DJ using the computer as a tool much like a turntable, midi, or sampler. "Cogwheel" illustrates his technique well with its blend of a distant heartfelt melody, pleasingly bouncing, lightly dancing over bubbling rhythms and catchy beats, peppered with stutters, slips, trips, and glitches.



01 - Perch (8:00)
02 - FallsLake (4:07)
03 - Wandering (7:44)
04 - Cons (Album Version) (2:01)
05 - Machine's Dream (1:49)
06 - A Puff Of Word (1:40)
07 - Lost Treasure (4th Version) (9:06)
08 - Mumble (5:16)
09 - Croon (5:23)
10 - The Ring Of Spell (1:22)
11 - Tadasu No Mori (4:28)
12 - Funny Illustrated Book (4:40)
13 - Astral Beads (3:28)
14 - Murmur Of The Day (5:38)
15 - Polymorphism (3:36)
16 - At Lake Yogo (10:47)

Nobukazu Takemura @ Label
Nobukazu Takemura @ Amazon

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Ghost - Hypnotic Underworld  (04 flac 410mb)

Ghost are a collective of psychedelic-minded Japanese musicians headed by guitarist Masaki Batoh who have been haunting the psychedelic underground since 1986 . with free-range psychedelia think Can/Amon Düül (krautrock), as well as west coast psych units like Blue Cheer and Jefferson Airplane. Later, Masaki formed Ghost with a large and varying lineup, centered around contributors such as Michio Kurihara, Kazuo Ogino, and Taishi Takizawa. According to reports, the group lived a nomadic existence, drifting from ruins of ancient temples to disused subway stations around the Tokyo area.

The band began releasing their work with the albums Ghost and Second Time Around, each appearing during 1991-1992. Two more Ghost titles, Tune in, Turn on, Free Tibet and Snuffbox Immanence, were released simultaneously in 1999.

Over the course of six albums (including the live set, Temple Stone), Ghost’s music has moved from pastoral British folk to the mantric-satori drone rituals of ‘70s Japanese collective Taj-Mahal Travellers to acid-spiked Buddhist temple services to the tribal percussion/ecstatic chant jams. Led by guitarist/vocalist Masaki Batoh Ghost find strength in fragility, a typically Zen achievement for this very Zen-like outfit. Five years after 99's one-two punch of Snuffbox Immanence and Tune In, Turn On, Free Tibet—the group returned with their strongest effort since 1996’s Lamarabirabi, "Hypnotic Underworld".

Ghost finish this peculiar opus with a rendition of Syd Barrett’s “Dominoes—Celebration For The Gray Days,” . The group transforms the original into a hazy ballad with flute, slide-guitar sighs, and twinkling keyboards. Batoh’s voice gets filtered through a Leslie speaker, an acoustic guitar chugs, bells toll, and Barrett’s original is but a distant memory.

* they are touring Europe this month check their Base for dates



01 - God Took A Picture Of His Illness On This Ground
02 - Escaped And Lost Down In Medina
03 - Aramaic Barbarous Dawn
04 - Leave The World!
05 - Hazy Paradise
06 - Kiseichukan Nite
07 - Piper
08 - Ganagmanag
09 - Feed
10 - Holy High
11 - Dominoes - Celebration For The Gray Days

Ghost @ Base
Ghost @ Amazon

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Aoki Takamasa - Indigo Rose  (03 flac 449mb)

Aoki Takamasa was born in 1976 in Osaka, and seems to be one of the most productive artists from the new music scene in Japan. He performed live in 2002 with Vladislav Delay, Snd, Akufen, and Jan Jelinek. Indigo Rose is his third album and also fifth full-length release from the interesting Progressive Form label based in Tokyo.

More open and accessible than his previous work( Silicom 1 & 2), Indigo Rose sees Takamasa accentuating his use of drones and glitches as basic elements for his sonic structures. The approach adopted on Indigo Rose is different as the eight tracks on offer were created with sole purpose to be listened to as a single piece of work, giving him the opportunity to develop his compositions in radically different ways. Still relying on minimal soundscapes, Takamasa’s mutant electronica becomes here futuristic pop.

Yet, the emphasis is more than ever on evolving melodies. Introducing for the first time vocal elements to his music, courtesy of Japanese female artist Noriko Tsujiko, her singing, processed and looped, becomes the most obvious indicator of the human input on this machine-driven context. The juxtaposition of Takamasa’s progressive drones and glitches and Tsujiko’s soft voice gives Indigo Rose a truly unique character. The album concludes with what is perhaps Takamasa’s most delicate composition to date. Build around a water sample, There’s Not Much Left is beautifully atmospheric and expressive, conveying a wide range of emotions through very little sonic elements.



01 - Cover Your Ears (2:11)
02 - Dear People (6:22)
03 - Hope (6:38)
04 - Capital E (14:53)
05 - Photons From My Window (8:29)
06 - Wooden Piece (11:45)
07 - Pipe Tale - Indigo Rose (7:55)
08 - There's Not Much Left. (9:02)

Aoki Takamasa @ Base

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Sketch Show - LoopHole  (04 flac 300mb)

My last Japanese album in this series and in a way I've come full circle as i end with YMO, but no it aint , these artists have left 25 years behind , they've taken it all in, and at the same time managed to leave all out . In 2002, Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi formed Sketch Show initially planned as Hosono producing Takahashi, they ended up writing songs together, fusing cutting edge technology to Harry Hosonos idiosyncratic musical directions and Takahashis beats.

They recorded a cutting-edge electronic album : Audio Sponge, which was released on Daisyworld Discs in Autumn 2002. Ryuichi Sakamoto, the other member of YMO also collaborated on Audio Sponge. In Feb 2003, Sketch Show released a mini album called Tronika, also on Daisyworld Discs, featuring remixes by Cornelius, and with Sakamoto writing with them again. Sketch Show did a sell-out tour of auditoria in Japan in the Autumn of 2002, with both Sakamoto and Cornelius making appearances with the seven-piece band. They apppeared 2003 at Sonar for their first european apperances in 2 decades, still the western music press largely missed* ( sketch show defintely a name that got lost in western translation, Sakamoto suggested they'd rename to Human Audio Sponge..much better but then he's the most westernised of the three ) this album Loophole is pure glitch pop it starts off with a strong icelandic feel only to get better, one of the best albums of 2004 and the inbreds of the western press all but missed it, don't you make the same mistake !.



01 - Mars (4:15)
02 - Wiper (4:32)
03 - Chronograph (5:06)
04 - Plankton (4:07)
05 - Flakes (5:16)
06 - Attention Tokyo (3:22)
07 - Night Talker (Safety Scissors Mix) (4:32)
08 - Traum 6.6 (5:25)
09 - Scotoma (3:10)
10 - Fly Me To The River (4:35)
11 - Ekot (Cornelius Mix) (6:06)
12 - Stella (4:09)

Sketch Show - Ekot video

Sketch Show @ Base
Sketch Show @ Amazon

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All downloads are in * ogg-7 (224k) or ^ ogg-9(320k), artwork is included , if in need get the nifty ogg encoder/decoder here !

Japan Zen

Zen is a form of Mahāyāna Buddhism notable for its emphasis on praxis and experiential wisdom, particularly as realized in the form of meditation known as zazen, in the attainment of enlightenment as experienced by the Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama. As such, it de-emphasizes both theoretical knowledge and the study of religious texts in favor of what it terms a "special transmission outside the scriptures" that points to each individual practitioner's inherent Buddha-nature. Satori (awakening) has always been the goal of every school of Buddhism, but that which distinguished the Zen tradition as it developed in China, Korea, and Japan was a way of life radically different from that of Indian Buddhists.In China social circumstances led to the development of a temple and training-center system in which the abbot and the monks all performed mundane tasks. These included food gardening or farming, carpentry, architecture, housekeeping, administration, and the practice of folk medicine. Consequently, the enlightenment sought in Zen had to stand up well to the demands and potential frustrations of everyday life.

The fundamental Zen practice of zazen, or seated meditation, recalls both the posture in which the Buddha is said to have achieved enlightenment under the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya, and the elements of mindfulness and concentration which are part of the Eightfold Path as taught by the Buddha. All of the Buddha's fundamental teachings—among them the Eightfold Path, the Four Noble Truths, the idea of dependent origination, the five precepts, the five aggregates, and the three marks of existence—also make up important elements of Zen

Zen training emphasizes daily life practice, along with intensive periods of meditation. Practicing with others is an integral part of Zen practice. Zen teachers have made the point that Zen is a "way of life" a life of humility; a life of labor; a life of service; a life of prayer and gratitude; and a life of meditation.

Koans are often meditated upon, these Koans often appear paradoxical or linguistically meaningless dialogues or questions. Answering a koan requires a student to let go of conceptual thinking and of the logical way we order the world. I dotted some between the lines to contemplate.

<<   >>

We're nearing the end of my trip thru Japan, this being the 9th stage, just one more to go. In light of this posts Zen theme, the emphasis lies on contemplative side . To start of an e book of sorts a 100 poems collected 750 years ago in ancentury old translation, Ogura Hyakunin Isshu is a household word for most Japanese, here's your chance to fathom some of the Japanese spirit. Masters of Zen are two renowned musicians creating a great atmoshere with their Koto & Shakuhachi instruments playing neo-classical / traditional Japanese music. Hikashu's History is a compilation of a different kind, what else do you expect from these avant garde artists. Takahashi Yujiro brings the japanes folkmusic to life and as this has a rich and long tradition 26 tracks hardly covers it. Tujiko Noriko 's avant-pop consists of repetitive layers of samples and electronic beats and melodies being gradually added on top of each other. Yoshinori Sunahara displays his stylish dance minimalism with a depth. In my previous post i touched upon Cornelius, well considering how impressed i was with Point i couldnt let it pass here without offering it to you, in fact i've topped it up with PM an album that was compiled from the winners of the Point remix competition he wrote out.

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Fujiwara no Teika - Ogura Hyakunin Isshu (1300)
Masters of Zen - Koto & Shakuhachi (93)
Hikashu - History (01)
Yujiro, Takahashi - Min'Yo (99)
Tujiko Noriko - Hard Ni Sasete (Make Me Hard)(03)
Yoshinori Sunahara - Lovebeat (02)
Cornelius - Point / PM (01)

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Fujiwara no Teika - Ogura Hyakunin Isshu ( A hundred people, one poem each) ( 128k mp3 43mb) transl. William Porter

In 12th-13th century Japan there lived a man named Fujiwara no Teika (sometimes called Sadaie), a well-regarded poet in a society that prized poetry. At one point in his life he compiled the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu (often known simply as the Hyakunin Isshu), which means “A Hundred Poems by A Hundred Poets” (literally “A hundred people, one poem [each]”).

This collection of a hundred poems is known to almost all Japanese, and over the years it has been translated by many different people. One of the early translators of the collection was William Porter. His translation, first published in 1909, was titled “A Hundred Verses from Old Japan”.

Total running time: 0:49:02, read by Kevin Steinbach

Librevox
Hyakunin Isshu @ Wiki

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It is too clear and so it is hard to see.
A dunce once searched for fire with a lighted lantern.
Had he known what fire was,
He could have cooked his rice much sooner.
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Masters of Zen - Koto and Shakuhachi  (93 flac 275mb)

Most of the music is neo-traditional composed by contemporary artists. Not completely devoid of western influence, neo-traditional Japanese continues in the classical Japanese tradition though the melodies are more complex. The pieces on this CD are played on koto (stringed instrument) and shakuhachi (flute). The shamisen (3 stringed instrument) is used along with the other two in the rendition of Star Dust. Only a duo such as Kuribayashi and Sugawara, who have been playing together for many years, could breathe together in this way and produce such intricate phrasing. The interplay between the two musicians creates an soothing and restful album, called "Masters of Zen", full of tension and release.



01 - Emu
02 - Aïka
03 - Hoshun
04 - Ame
05 - Tanshi - 1er
06 - Tanshi - 5ème
07 - Star Dust
08 - Kaze no Uta

Sugawara @ Basez
Masters-Of-Zen @ Amazon

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The light of the eyes is as a comet,
And Zen's activity is as lightning.
The sword that kills the man
Is the sword that saves the man.
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Hikashu - History (01 flac 486mb)

Makigami Koichi is one of Japan's most popular underground performers and Hikashu History follows the journeys of his remarkable rock/pop band Hikashu through over twenty-five years of musical mayhem. From techno (before the Yellow Magic Orchestra) to noise/sampler improvisation (before Ground Zero) to jazz, folk and beyond -- all with a Japanese twist. Hikashu has been anticipating trends and charting new paths in Japanese music for decades. Hikashu History documents their musical explorations through private tapes, rare demos and exciting live recordings. A fascinating view of one band's visionary directions. Featuring Makigami Koichi, Otomo Yoshihide, Lauren Newton, Inoue Makoto, Torsten Rasch and many others.



01 - Tokyo Rain
02 - Nannimonai Otoko
03 - Hi-Ai Island
04 - Pool
05 - Muscles and Fruits
06 - Puyo Puyo
07 - Zo Azarashi
08 - Mask
09 - Suika no Koshin
10 - Ryuinji
11 - Rhetoric-S & Logic-S
12 - Kujira to Kamome
13 - Shuffer
14 - Pike
15 - Yochu no Kiki
16 - Great Conductor
17 - Biro Biro
18 - Rakuten
19 - Nervous Eyes
20 - Live With Viruses
21 - Fushigi o Mitsumete
22 - Chimera


Hikashu @ Japanese Base
Hikashu @ MySpace
Hikashu @ Amazon

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In spring, hundreds of flowers; in autumn, a harvest moon;
In the summer, a refreshing breeze; in winter snow will accompany your.
If useless things do not hang in your mind,
Any season is a good season for you.
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Takahashi Yujiro - Min'Yo  ( 99 flac 350mb)

Takahashi, the leader (not to be confused with the late Takahashi Chikuzan), was born in 1933 and raised in Akita in northern Japan, a hotbed of folk song and festival music. He has been one of Japan's leading folk song teachers, performers and recording artists since the early 1960s, and while living in Tokyo still retains his rural roots. This album provides a range of styles and genres, some using traditional "smelling of the earth" (tsuchikusai) voices, others more polished: unaccompanied work songs; traditional village dance songs; geisha songs; songs in free rhythm accompanied by shakuhachi bamboo flute; powerful, flashy Tsugaru shamisen "banjo", both in its improvised solo style and accompanying the equally flashy Tsugaru-region vocals; and so forth. Although there are tons of recordings of this sort of music issued in Japan (including some older field recordings), I believe that this is the only one with full translations. Well, of course I think you'll enjoy this.



01 - Tsugaru Yamauta
02 - Tsugaru Jongara Bushi
03 - Yamanaka Bushi
04 - Yagi Bushi
05 - Kuroda Bushi
06 - Soran Bushi (work song version)
07 - Soran Bushi (stage version)
08 - Tsugaru Sansagari Kyokubiki
09 - Akita Ondo
10 - Esashi Oiwake
11 - Kagoshima Han'ya Bushi
12 - Tsugaru Aiya Bushi
13 - Nambu Ushioi Uta
14 - Shinjo Bushi
15 - Akita Nikata Bushi
16 - Hakata Komoriuta
17 - Takeda no Komoriuta
18 - Edo Komoruita
19 - Tsugaru no Komoriuta
20 - Itsuki no Komoriuta
21 - Miyagi Nagamochi Uta
22 - Yasaburo Bushi
23 - Kokiriko
24 - Tsugara Jongara Kyokubiki
25 - Akita Magouta
26 - Donpan Bushi

full translations
Takahashi Yujiro @ Amazon

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To tread the sharp edge of a sword
To run on smooth-frozen ice,
One needs no footsteps to follow.
Walk over the cliffs with hands free.
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Tujiko Noriko - Hard Ni Sasete (Make Me Hard) (03 now in Flac 331mb)

Tujiko Noriko is a Japanese avant-pop, experimental musician, sometimes compared to múm or Björk. Much of her music consists of repetitive layers of samples and electronic beats and melodies being gradually added on top of each other, with her singing on top of that, her lyriccs are in Japanese and English.Tujiko had bought her first synthesizer and sampler in 1999. Her first album Keshou To Heitai (Makeup and Soldiers) she recorded in January 2000, with her first live performance of that material at around the same time in Kyoto. In the summer of 2000, she started vigorously making music again for Shojo Toshi. In December 2000, at Buro 30 in Tokyo, she met Pita and handed over her tape. During the same month she joined SlideLab (Yoshihito, Marumaru, Noriko) This, " Hard Ni Sasete" was released in Autumn 2002

In 2004 she teamed up with Peter 'Pita' Rehberg to form DACM making the album Stéréotypie. She is currently living in Paris and is also working on experimental short movies.



01 - Sunahama Angel (5:58)
02 - Give Face (7:12)
03 - Hae (Fly) (7:39)
04 - Sen (Call My Name) (6:30)
05 - Karappo (5:25)
06 - Penguin (8:02)
07 - Mugen Ressha (6:12)
08 - Bikini (3:03)
09 - Umi (Sea) (10:55)

Tujiko Noriko @ MySpace
Tujiko Noriko @ Base
Tujiko Noriko @ Amazon

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When the question is common
The answer is also common.
When the question is sand in a bowl of boiled rice
The answer is a stick in the soft mud.
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Yoshinori Sunahara - Lovebeat   (02 flac 309mb)

Born on in Hokkaido, Japan, Yoshinori Sunahara started his music career heavily influenced by electronic music pioneers such as the Yellow Magic Orchestra, Kraftwerk and Art Of Noise. After playing in several different amateur bands, he joined Japan's biggest selling techno act, Denki Groove in 1992. While earning nationwide fame and international recognition with Denki Groove, Yoshinori also became known for his much inspiring solo works.

Yoshinori's music is conceptual as well as divers in musical elements. The music can sometimes be so visual that you can almost see the reflections of Yoshinori's imagination, artwork design too is another important element in Yoshinori's work. The Lovebeat video clip recieved an award at the 2001 (5th) Media Arts Festival in Japan.

After the release of LOVEBEAT , Yoshinori has been expanding his workfield to production and remixing of other artists. Such artists include ACO, Supercar and Miu Sakamoto. With the successful results of such collaborations, not only as a musician, Yoshinori is being highly rated as a producer and remixer. Recently a double cd Works ' 95 - ' 05 has been released.



01 - Earth Beat (4:56)
02 - Balance (6:24)
03 - In And Out (5:00)
04 - Lovebeat (7:25)
05 - Spiral Never Before (5:37)
06 - Echo Endless Echo (3:13)
07 - Hold'on Tight (4:48)
08 - Sun Beats Down (5:48)
09 - Bright Beat (7:30)
10 - The Center Of Gravity (7:43)

Yoshinori Sunahara @ Base
Yoshinori Sunahara @ Amazon

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Some Zen students do not realize the true man in a mask
Because they recognize ego-soul.
Ego-soul is the seed of birth and death,
And foolish people call it the true man.
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Cornelius - Point  (01 flac 290mb)

Cornelius (born Keigo Oyamada January 27, 1969 in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese recording artist and producer. Oyamada's first claim to fame was as a member of the pop duo, Flipper's Guitar, one of the key groups of the Tokyo Shibuya-kei scene. Following the disbandment of Flipper's Guitar in 1991, Oyamada donned the "Cornelius" moniker and embarked on a successful solo career. Release first solo album, “First Question Award” (94) followed by a remix album “96/69 “Cornelius Wakusei Kengaku”. In 98 he got his first international release with Fantasma, after the succesful release in Japan the previous year.

Fall 98, the remix album FM/CM came about, released in 99 in which year he would be seen at Glastonbury and Roskilde to name some. Being a true multimedia artist he released a movie "Eus" and another book “Cornelius Wakusei Kengaku”., more remix work and all that not withstanding in 2001 he released "Point" in Japan , a year later the rest of the world got to hear this masterpiece. Point is the best-sequenced and smoothest album I heard that year. It is very clearly set up to be an album as opposed to a collection of singles. It may well have turned out too perfect, too cool, when after 45 min the silence lingers it can only be to wonder how full it was..

In 2003 his second remix album “CM2”, “PM” a contest Pointmix added as bonus cd to the DVD “Five Point One” , well ive added it as a bonus to the original here. In 2004 he got to join, tour with several former YMO member projects ( Human Audio Sponge (Sakamoto) and Sketch Show) In 2005 he worked on a second videoworks project this time for the opening of 21st Century Art Museum in Kanazawa.

The music of Cornelius could be described as experimental and exploratory, and often incorporates dissonant elements alongside more familiar harmonically "pleasing" sounds. This tension, plus his practice of bringing in sounds and samples from mass culture, pure electronic tones, and sounds from nature ( Point) lead him to being sometimes categorized as an "acquired taste" hmmmm



01 - Bug (Electric Last Minute) (0:38)
02 - Point of View Point (3:53)
03 - Smoke (5:48)
04 - Drop (5:53)
05 - Another View Point (5:35)
06 - Tone Twilight Zone (3:38)
07 - Bird Watching at Inner Forest (4:22)
08 - I Hate Hate (1:42)
09 - Brazil (3:27)
10 - Fly (5:40)
11 - Nowhere (4:47)



PM Point Humans remixes ( flac 301mb)

01 - Another Psychedelic Point (Dritt Drittel Remix)
02 - Kawatolius (Kawatory Remix)
03 - Noise Of The Apache (Teruhito Tomioka Remix)
04 - MC Cat Genius' BomBassTic Re-bomb (Animal Family Remix)
05 - A Point RE:view ( Masaki Sakamoto Mix)
06 - Free From The Point ( DJ Kodomo Mix)
07 - The Walk Of The Basset Hound ( Syuhei Toyoda Remix)
08 - Rinikanau Shirimetsuretsuna Kotoba Tekkai?? (Samurai Distortion Mix)
09 - Multi-ebbing View Points (Fashion Flesh Re-Product)
10 - Flugsnappare ( Viktor Sjöberg Mix)
11 - Pointer ( Masakatu Inoue Remix)

Cornelius @ MySpace
Cornelius @ Base
Cornelius @ Amazon

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All downloads are in * ogg-7 (224k) or ^ ogg-9(320k), artwork is included , if in need get the nifty ogg encoder/decoder here !

Japan Tea Lounge Dub

On we go thru time and the 'happy' Japanese music landscape, there's no YMO involvement here, but there's weeds driving Shoukichi Kina's anger of japanese hypocrasy which he has managed to bring to fruitition in his acclaimed 'rootsy' music . The guys from Audio Active sure make no bones about what rocks their world, Adrian Sherwood guides them thru the clouds of smoke. Meanwhile the Boom Boom Satelittes really burst on the scene with their first mini album topped up with a remix disk, no longer available and never released in Japan , 7 ignitions is a confident start of their succesfull music career. Pizzicato 5 ended as Pizzicato 2 but in the meantime they released a lot of music mostly unavailable in the rest of the world, this one however, with the nicely twisted title Happy End of the World did get a worldwide release and rightly so. I think Cornelius who in his Flipper days shared credit for starting up the Shibuya-kei scene together with the Pizzicato's clearly found his own way into musical hearts of the west.

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Shoukichi Kina - Peppermint Tea House (94)
Audio Active - Happy Happer (95 )
Pizzicato 5 - Happy End Of The World (97)
Cornelius - Fantasma / FM (97)
Boom Boom Satellites - 7 Ignitions (98)

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Shoukichi Kina - Peppermint Tea House  (94 flac 283mb)

The Pacific archipelago properly known as the Ryukyu Islands, of which Okinawa is one, have been subjected to waves of cultural influence but the people's culture is neither Japanese nor Chinese. Occupied by the Japanese until some of the bloodiest fighting of WWII in April--June '45, the islands then weathered American occupation until '69, and Okinawa is still a major military base for US forces.

For pure charisma, no other Okinawan musician, past or present can match Shokichi Kina. Over a thirty year career Kina has proven he's capable of writing not just some of Okinawa and Japan's most memorable music, but songs that can stand up to anything produced anywhere, in any genre, in the world.

Kina formed Champloose or Champluse '66 (meaning 'mixture') which melded traditional and foreign influences, he was in jail '72--4 for servicing a popular recreational activity among US servicemen on the local bases, marijuana. Champloose reunited ' 76, making a live debut album '77 for Philips. Blood Line ' 80 was a breakthrough, albeit in a limited by distribution way. The album was recorded in Hawaii, it brought Ry Cooder as a guest musician as well as Makoto Kubota, Haruomi Hosono and an uncredited Sandii to boost the group's sound. Matsuri and celebration live followed, Kina's 5th album Nirai Kanai and Earth Spirit 91 are all part of this best of Peppermint Tea House album. Kina's style ranges from 'okinawan blues , reggae to jazz and Ainu melodies, i ve included a nice piece on him by Ry Cooder.

His career however is also littered with long periods of musical inactivity, during which time his albums have consisted of mostly re-recordings and re-mixes of older material. Indeed he seems to have been in such a slump the latter half of the 90s, his recent albums not even coming close to the ones he released at the start of it. Kina has survived despite himself, his music suffering at the expense of his energies, being channeled elsewhere into various causes.



01 - Jing Jing (Firefly)
02 - Hana No Kajimaya (Flower Windmill)
03 - Celebration
04 - Mimichiri Bozu - Danju Kariyushi (Ear Cutting Samurai Monks - What a Wonderful Day)
05 - Don-Don Bushi (Don-Don Song)
06 - Zorba De Buddah
07 - Basha-gua Suncha (The Cart Puller)
08 - Crazy Kacharsee
09 - Subete No Hito No Kokoro Ni Hanna O (Flowers for Your Heart)
10 - Haisai Ojisan (Hey Man!)
11 - Eternally Ecstasy
12 - Iyunu-Pri
13 - I-Yah Hoy!
14 - Extra track!

Shoukichi Kina @ Base
Shoukichi Kina @ Amazon

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Audio Active - Happy Happer  (95 * 377mb )

Tokyo-based Audio Active, led by shinehead Masa, got together through a mutual appreciation of reggae. These guys, however, got further than playing Bob Marley covers, they were drawn towards dub and roots reggae, and later sometimes fusing it with hard techno beats and screaming guitars .Vocalist Masa and keyboardist / programmer 2DD, formed Audio Active with drummer Shigemoto Nanao and bassist Takeshi Akimoto in 1991, naming themselves after an album by Jamaican reggae star Dennis Bovell. Guitarist Kasai joined later after the departure of Akimoto from the collective.

Their big break came when Adrian Sherwood took the band under his wing in the 1992-3, producing some of their earliest recordings and releasing them in Britain via On-U Sound their first album "Tokyo Space Cowboys", with Bim Sherman guesting on the single "Free The Marijuana" .
Using a mix of programming and live instrumentation Audio Active create a dense, dub-inspired world of sound. References to outer space and time travel-interests fostered by sci-fi films and animated TV shows like Taimu Bokan abound in their English lyrics. But it's their love of the 'erb that is impossible to ignore and sets them apart on the Japanese music scene, where controversy is anathema.
In 95 Audio Active released Happy Happer (on u 77) again produced by Adrian Sherwood, in 96 with Laraaji they released "The Way Out Is The Way In" , "Apollo Choco" , "Return of the Red I" (99) , "Bong" (00) , "Spaced Dolls" (01) remixalbums and as far as i know their thusfar latest "Stoned Age" was released fall 04.



01 - Audio Active's Adventure In Time & Space (2:41)
02 - Happy Shopper (voc. Little Axe) (5:31)
03 - Mammoth Galactica (6:40)
04 - 24 Hours Explorations (5:47)
05 - Electric Bombardment (5:17)
06 - Hot Water (4:17)
07 - Jerked + Shocked (3:52)
08 - Frog In The Well (5:06)
09 - Dub Out Of The Well (3:26)
10 - Wah Wah Zoo Mars (5:19)
11 - Dub In An Abyss (4:33)
12 - The Adventure Is Still Going On (Adventure In Time & Space Pt.2) (3:51)

Audio Active @ Base
Audio Active @ Amazon

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Cornelius - Fantasma  (97 flac 560mb)

Cornelius (born Keigo Oyamada January 27, 1969 in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese recording artist and producer. Oyamada's first claim to fame was as a member of the pop duo, Flipper's Guitar, one of the key groups of the Tokyo Shibuya-kei scene. Following the disbandment of Flipper's Guitar in 1991, Oyamada donned the "Cornelius" moniker and embarked on a successful solo career. Release first solo album, “First Question Award” (94) followed by a remix album “96/69 “Cornelius Wakusei Kengaku”. In 98 he got his first international release with Fantasma, after the succesful release in Japan the previous year.

Fall 98, the remix album FM/CM came about, released in 99 in which year he would be seen at Glastonbury and Roskilde to name some. Being a true multimedia artist he released a movie "Eus" and another book “Cornelius Wakusei Kengaku”., more remix work and all that not withstanding in 2001 he released "Point" in Japan , a year later the rest of the world got to hear this masterpiece. In 2003 his second remix album “CM2”, “PM” a contest Pointmix added as bonus cd to the DVD “Five Point One” . In 2004 he got to join, tour with several former YMO member projects ( Human Audio Sponge (Sakamoto) and Sketch Show) In 2005 he worked on a second videoworks project this time for the opening of 21st Century Art Museum in Kanazawa. Last Fall Cornelius released "Sensous" his latest album, listen in at Cornelius @ MySpace

The music of Cornelius could be described as experimental and exploratory, and often incorporates dissonant elements alongside more familiar harmonically "pleasing" sounds. This tension, plus his practice of bringing in sounds and samples from mass culture, pure electronic tones, and sounds from nature ( Point) lead him to being sometimes categorized as an "acquired taste" hmmmm



01 - Mic Check (3:01)
02 - The Micro Disneycal World Tour (3:37)
03 - New Music Machine (3:52)
04 - Clash (5:37)
05 - Count Five Or Six (3:01)
06 - Magoo Opening (2:08)
07 - Star Fruits Surf Rider (5:47)
08 - Chapter 8 - Seashore And Horizon (3:25)
09 - Free Fall (4:06)
10 - 2010 (2:03)
11 - God Only Knows (7:39)
12 - Thank You For The Music (4:53)
13 - Fantasma (0:55)
+ FM Remixes
14 - Mic Check - (Money Mark) (3:58)
15 - The Microdisney world tour - (High LLamas) (5:56)
16 - New Music Machine - (Buffalo Daughter) (5:07)
17 - Clash - (Pastels) (5:43)
18 - Star Fruits Surf Rider - (Damon Albarn) (4:57)
19 - Free Fall - (Unkle ) (5:30)
20 - Typewrite Lesson - (Coldcut ) (6:59)

Cornelius @ MySpace
Cornelius @ Base
Cornelius @ Amazon

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Pizzicato 5 - Happy End Of The World  (97 flac 418mb)

Pizzicato 5 was formed in 1984 by Konishi and fellow founding bandmates Keitarō Takanami, Akira Kamonomiya, Mamiko Sasaki, and Shigeo Miyata. Miyata left the group almost immediately but the four remaining members kept the name Pizzicato Five. in 1985 their first single, a 12-inch called "Audrey Hepburn Complex" landed them a record deal with Sony, 2 years later their first album, Couples, was released it flopped. Sony presured to find a new lead singer. Kamonomiya and Sasaki quit, Takao Tajima came and sang on their second album , Belissima! (1988.) Their next 2 albums,1989's On Her Majesty's Request and 1990's Soft Landing On The Moon, didnt reach the expectations, exit Sony

In 1991, Pizzicato Five signed with Triad Records. Takao Tajima left and Maki Nomiya joined as the third lead vocalist.
Following 3 EPs showcasing Nomiya's vocals, Pizzicato Five released This Year's Girl. Inspired by the advent of sampling , the group put together a sound which would help start the burgeoning Shibuya-kei scene. 1992 saw a change in direction as the clubby Sweet Pizzicato Five was released. The single Sweey Soul revue became a big hit on the back of an cosmetics advertising campaign. Pizzicato Five released the album Bossa Nova 2001, produced by fellow Shibuya-scenester Cornelius

Their first international release was a compilation from their previous work, "Made in the USA" (not) released in 94.Shortly before the release of the next album Overdose in the same year, Keitarō Takanami quit the band, leaving Konishi and Nomiya as the only remaining members. Another compilation, The Sound of Music was released in October 1995, this time featuring various tracks from the Maki-era albums.

In 1997 the band signed with a new label, Readymade Records, Tokyo, and released the commercially successful album Happy End of the World - the only album to appear unchanged in both Japan and the rest of the world. Released at the peak of Tokyo’s so-called Shibuya-kei scene the album is filled to the brim with the ultra cute, ultra stylish and ultra smooth vibe with a little tongue-in-cheek mixed in that makes the world created by this music so inviting for American hipsters and hipster wannabes. It also doesn’t hurt that the album is expertly crafted, with wide-ranging musical influences layered on top of some very infectious beats.

Pizzicato released The International Playboy & Playgirl Record in Japan in 98, a year later released as "Playboy & Playgirl".in the rest of the world with a slightly different track-listing 2001 saw the Japanese release of the album Çà et là du Japon and the announcement that the band was to break up, followed by a series of live events featuring guest performances by old members and two further "Big Hits and Jet Lags" albums - Pizzicato Five R.I.P. (1998-2001) and Singles (1993-2001).



01 - World Is Spinning At 45 RPM (4:40)
02 - The Earth Goes Around (2:55)
03 - Trailer Music (1:49)
04 - It’s A Beautiful Day (4:25)
05 - Love’s Prelude (2:17)
06 - Love’s Theme (4:16)
07 - My Baby Portable Player Sound (5:04)
08 - Mon Amour Tokyo (4:55)
09 - Collision And Improvisation (4:35)
10 - Porno 3003 (9:51)
.........I. Music For Sofa
.........II. Galaxy One
.........III. It’s All Too Beautiful...
11 - Arigatô, We Love You (5:14)
12 - Ma Vie, L’été De Vie (5:03)
13 - Happy Ending (4:52)

Pizzicato 5 @ Amazon

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Boom Boom Satellites - 7 Ignitions  (98 flac  503mb)

Integrating electronica, rock, and jazz elements, Boom Boom Satellites are one of Japan's most experimental and acclaimed bands. Michiyuki Kawashima (vocals, guitar, lyricist) and Masayuki Nakano (bass, drums, DJ) formed Boom Boom Satellites while attending college in Tokyo, taking their name from a Sigue Sigue Sputnik song. With exciting and challenging albums, and live shows. While their music can be mostly coined as big beat or nu skool breaks, and they are heavily influenced by jazz, they are famous for using a lot of electric guitars and the final product often has a strong rock or punk flavor. Their first single release in Europe triggered rave reviews from magazines such as Melody Maker who compared their debut impact to the Chemical Brothers and Prodigy. In 1998 they released 7 ignitions on the belgian dance label RS, they travelled across Europe performing at 6 major rock festivals and following a European tour with Underworld they triumphantly returned to Japan to release their first official full album ‘OUTLOUD’ in October of the same year.

They then moved their base of live performance to the US and joined Moby in a 3 month tour around the states and subsequently receive remix requests from many artists such as Garbage and Josh Wink.This success was followed with the energetic releases of albums ‘UMBRA’ and ‘PHOTON’.

Boom Boom Satellites who worked on the soundtrack for the main scene from the film ‘Yamakashi’ directed by Luc Besson. Their unique live performances are renowned for the overwhelming energy and spiritual space they create and taking part on the soundtrack of the much talked about anime film ‘Appleseed’ written by Masamune Shiro has taken them to new heights in 2004.
In 2005 ‘FULL OF ELEVATING PLEASURES’ was released with a gospel rock ‘n roll , unveiling a new chapter in the history of Boom Boom Satellites. Their latest "On" was released last year .



01 - 4 A Moment Of Silence
02 - Joyride
03 - The Countless Past To Be Hidden (Original)
04 - Bike Ride To The Moon
05 - Low Blow
06 - The Wonderful Wizard Of Dub
07 - Dub Me Crazy

08 - 4 A Moment Of Silence (Trapezoid mix - Meat Beat Manifesto)
09 - Dub Me Crazy Ver. 02 (Optical Remix)
10 - Dub Me Crazy Ver. 02 (Depth Charge Remix)
11 - The Wonderful Wizard Of Dub (Dons Of Quixote Remix)

Boom Boom Satellites @ Base
Boom Boom Satellites @ Amazon

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* All downloads are in * ogg-7 (224k) or ^ ogg-9(320k), artwork is included , if in need get the nifty ogg encoder/decoder here !