Spectrum Synthesize! - Humour and Destruction (ユーモア アンド デストラクション)

S is for Spectrum Synthesize!

Roughly two and a half hours drive west of Osaka lies the cosmopolitan city of Okayama. Adjacent to Osaka`s Psychedelia and Prog inspired "Zero Generation" Okayama began to breed it's own young generation of musical experimenters and wave makers. While channeling similar No-Wave and Noise influences as their Osaka counterparts Okayama's vanguard came in a very distinctive Hardcore, Post-Punk flavour (How can you spot an Okayama band? It probably has cowbell in it.) that set them apart from their slightly more recognised big city contemporaries. 

Spectrum Synthesize! were one of those bands. Their origins began in 2001 and went through multiple lineup changes over the years until their eventual dissolution in 2008. Originally a dual bass and drums setup the band became a 4 piece (As they appear on this record) before expanding their Guit, Vocals/samples, Drums and Bass configuration to include Sax. 

Melt Banana and Deracine with a smattering of early Boredoms are the easiest comparisons to make along with fellow Okayama bands such as Accidents In Too Large Field and I want City with whom the band have shared members. In other words attention deficient, schizophrenic punk that sounds like an entire albums worth of ideas being thrown into a washing machine at the same time and then spat out as 60 second long delinquent disco-punk rampages. This, the bands only full release clocking in at 11 tracks in just over 11mins  will chew you up, ruffle up your hair, steal your pocket money and spit you out before you`ve even had time to lace up your dancing shoes. More cowbell!

Download 

Official 

Youtube

Myspace

Momoiro Jinja - Maido Osawagaseshite Orimasu! (桃色神社 - 毎度おさわがせしております!)

M is for Momoiro Jinja

Momoiro Jinja (Their name literally meaning "peach coloured shrine".) are a so called "Neo-Scum" band. A colourful little Osaka sub-genre that seems to have a cozy membership of 2. The other being Clitoric Ris. A half naked balding salary man who sings cheesy pop songs about sex, food, ex-girlfriends and being broke in nothing but a pair of light-up speedos with a crotch mounted theremin.

Inspired by the Osaka Scum scene that kicked off some time in the early 90's (See my previous post about Ultra Fuckers for more on Scum.) these guys have been knocking about for over 10 years now. No small feat for a genre that's transient and fleeting nature means few bands stick around long enough to establish a name or following.

The Osaka trio (Drums. bass, keyboard) play tongue in cheek No-Wavey, Hardcore Punk. The drums and bass combine to form a solid rhythm section for keyboard player Wandera's discordant mashed keys. The band break up their live sets with their signature comedy sketches which are usually either random and bizarre or vulgar and crude or often both in extreme doses. The bands lyrics follow in similarly silly fashion. Momoiro are a band who take not being serious very seriously.

This is the bands first self-released CDR from 2008. The band recently put out their second CDR entitled "Prius" which you can get hold of by contacting the band or picking it up at their live shows.

Official
Buy
Download
Youtube
Myspace

Sika Sika - Demo

Sika Sika are a DIY 4-piece punk band formed in 2006 over popular Japanese social network website Mixi. (Think Facebook for Japan.) The band made up of drums, bass, guitar and keyboard are scattered across Japan with their members hailing from Osaka, Kyoto, Nagasaki and Nagoya. No-nonsense high-tempo, low-fi, hardcore punk is the name of the game and it's executed fine fashion here.

Live the band encourage stage invasions and audience participation (Interference?) in their frantic sets and I doubt the keyboardist's keys have ever made it through a show in one piece. Their demo is made up of 6 short that all clock in around the 1 minute mark and the whole thing comes packedged in a photcopied booklet that includes random collages and self penned interviews. The recording quiality is excellent though suitably low-fi.

Download
Myspace
Youtube

Ydestroyde - s/t (イデストロイド - s/t)

Ydestroyde are a local Osaka band who first emerged in the early 00's alongside the likes of Afrirampo, Oshiri Penpenz and Kyojin Yuedekai as part of what was later labelled the "zero generation". The band began life as a solo project by vocalist and electronic noodler Synzo then quickly expanded into a 4 piece before the band disbanded around 2005 then continued as a solo project with various stand in and guest members. Earlier this year Synzo put out the bands second album "Synosizer" as a solo project before going on an American tour. 

"Ydestroyde" is the bands first self released CDR mini-album recorded in 2004 when the band were a 4 piece consisting of Synzo on vocals and electronics complimented by drums, bass and guitar. True to many of their "zero generation" peers humourous, chaotic loud as fuck rock'n'roll is the order of the day. Ydestroyde's sound may not be quite as left field as the likes of Afrirampo and Kyojin Yuedekai but it's anarchic fusion of anthemic-punk, prog rock and noisy ,brutal hardcore,  all sprinkled with bits of synthersizers and electronics give Ydestroyde a sound that's difficult to pigeon hole. 

Download
Myspace
Youtube 

Nohshintoh - Cannibal Circus (のうしんとう - Cannibal Circus）

"Nohshintoh is like a baby, both cute and grotesque at the same time..." is how the band describe themselves on their website and it's pretty accurate. Nohshintoh (Literally meaning concussion in Japanese.) are a Nagoya 5 piece who have actually been around for over 20 years and have finally got round round to releasing their first studio album. It's a new release so I won't be uploading it just yet (It is superb though and worth checking out.) but luckily the band have an open policy of letting people record at their shows and even have a free archive of live recordings. So I picked through a few of them and plucked out the one that had the best sound and performance and uploaded it for your listening pleasure. If you'd like to hear more just check out their archive here. All files can be streamed or downloaded for free.

This recording was made at KD Japon in Nagoya in 2008. As for the music, well it's a wonderfully schizophrenic mix between no-wave punk, dub, ska and funk. One minute it's steel drums and thick reggae bass lines and the next it's frantic hardcore drumming and rabid guitar savagery all mashed together a refreshingly un-self concious manner that Japanese bands seem to do so well. Equal parts catchy and sweet and equal parts challenging and "grotesque". Imagine James Chance & The Contortions jamming with Manu Chao and you're halfway there. Many of the tracks in this recording also make an appearence on the album albeit in a slightly more refined forms.

Buy
Official
Myspace
Youtube
Download

Bonkura Touge - Asobou ze (ぼんくら峠 - 遊ぼうぜ)

Don't let that rather serene looking cover fool you. Bonkura are a fukuoka drums and vocals duo. That's right no guitars just some harsh, fast drums and the sort of gargled rants you expect to see the local town drunk screaming at unassuming passers by. Most of the tracks on this self released CD clock in under the 1 minute mark with the notable exception of the albums "epic" 11 minute closer. It's fast, it's silly and it's loud. If this band ever head round your neck of the woods be sure to check them out. An extremely entertaining live band.

Buy

Official/Blog

Youtube

Download

Inuhiko - Obachan Kara Moratta Coat O Sutemashita (犬彦- おばちゃんからもらったコートを捨てました)

What do you get when you combine twisted Japanese nursery rhymes with brutal hardcore drumming? One of the most ingeniously discordant sonic mismatches to grace my battered eardrums in recent months. Inuhiko is Tokyo singer/songwriter Inu Jon (Dog Jon) and Hiko, drummer from renowned Japanese hardcore band Gauze. Inu plays baltic tinged folk songs on the organ while wearing a giant dog costume that resembles the creepy reanimated corpse of Fantastic Mr Fox which makes the band as bizarre and otherworldy looking as they sound. It's an aquired tastes but this is an absolute must listen.

Myspace

Youtube

Official

Download

Groundcover - Psycho Bass

Don't really know much about these guys other than that they're from Tokyo and seem to have been together for around 3 or 4 years. Caught them when they came over to Kyoto with Bossston Cruizing Mania a few weeks back. They're definatley one of the more memorable bands I've seen recently. Brutal hardcore noise mixed with the schizophrenic experimentalism the Boredoms, a touch of Boris' more groove orientated slab rock and some kazoo. "Psycho Bass" is the band's 2nd full length album released back in June and even came with a free Groundcover branded Kazoo. Awesome.

Myspace
Download

BLONDnewHALF - Stop Play Punk

If this fails to get your feet moving then nothing will. One of my favourite new dicoveries after I saw them play in Kyoto Urban Guild a few weeks ago. While some may be a little dissapointed that there are no "new halfs" involved ("New half" being the Japanese term used for transexuals.) you will find some of the most danceble, post/hardcore punk around. So get your dancing shoes on! ah-so so so so!

Myspace

Download