Saturday, November 12, 2011

Sympathy Nervous - Automaticism LP (Minimal Wave, 2011)


Sympathy Nervous is the project of Japanese artist Yosihumi Niinuma. Influenced by both classical and Krautrock, he began recording in 1979, and released several records on the highly coveted Vanity label. He continued to record and self-release much of his work throughout the 80s and 90s. His sound is intelligent and probably the most unique minimal synth to come out of Japan. Exploring dystopian themes, his music is well balanced and beautifully recorded.

Automaticism features songs Yosihumi Niinuma recorded between 1979-1981. Most were originally slated for a cassette release but never saw the light of day until now. When the Tsunami washed away the coast of Japan last March 2011, Niinuma lost everything: an entire lifetime of recordings, instruments, hand built sequencers, and even his home. Fortunately, he had sent us his audio masters prior to the disaster. This release is fully dedicated to him, in memory of all his lost recordings. The record is pressed on 180 gram ultra clear vinyl and comes in a printed heavy clear sleeve, with Niinuma's account of what happened on that day of March 11, 2011 and the months that followed. This is a benefit album, all the proceeds go to the artist. Special thanks to Narumi Omori for translation assistance and Gustavo Eandi for cover art.


This release is absolutely crucial to readers of Stalking Duppi, and is available now from Minimal Wave.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Zombie Project - Hispaniola 7" flexi (self-released, 1983)

I was just about to rip this for you guys when I noticed it was up on the massive Voodoo Vault blog, so thank them for the actual rip. Super-baffling stuff here from this ultra-mysterious and for some reason Hispaniola-themed project. Haiti is an ultra-minimal piece -- sounds like an oscillator and an electric guitar played like a percussion instrument. The only thing I might be able to compare it to would be that ultra-primitive track by Tolcaderro on the Green Cassette I shared, or Tolerance's Today's Thrill. Dominica is markedly different. Fantastic lo-fi electro-wave with discordant pianos and synthesizer wheeze... even a hint of acid-house squelch. This is one of my favorite flexis!

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Thought Broadcast - Up-Maker 7"


"Thought Broadcast 
Up-Maker
ppr21 /
7" 
Four song 7" by Thought Broadcast. A schizo blend of atonal post-punk primitivism and partially submerged rhythm-box dub. A perfect mainline through TB's singular vein of primitive calculation. This 7" being the first vinyl release in the already rarefied tb discography.
 

Letterpressed and die-cut sleeve with insert."

Highly recommended to readers of this blog. Murky mystery-electronics and muted shuffle that would've sounded right at home as a 7th cassette in Vanity Records' Working On a Plan box. The most astute of you will notice a few arcane references to cult Japanese groups...

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

EGO 02 / Critical Species - Individual Music Ozaka 1985 cassette + zine


EGO was a short-lived magazine edited by Rock Magazine editor and Vanity Records owner Yuzuru Agi. He is to this day an uncompromising champion of cutting-edge underground music.
The 2nd issue of EGO is a magazine-sized box containing a tape and b/w zine. This is the only issue of EGO to include music. Lucky for us, the tape features over an hour(!) of top-notch weird-wave, all from Osaka. Stylistically, the material here is quite varied and the songs rather long. It's almost as if you took everything I've posted on this blog and condensed it down to one cassette...