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Dec 25 (Sun) 2016 

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Japanese Innovators: Pioneers in Experimental Sounds

Tokyo-based journalist Ian F Martin looks back through the decades to see who was responsible for the genre-defining music emerging from the Japanese underground scenes over the past 40 years.

Browse season

Artwork: Aleesha Nandhra

Despite J-Pop’s almost subliminal infiltration into the international pop cultural consciousness over recent years, and despite the occasional novelty hit or surge of viral attention, the West’s exposure to Japanese music over the years has for the most part been with various incarnations of its underground.

The story of Japanese underground music, however, is not a linear narrative so much as an endlessly intersecting garden of forking paths.

The post-war music laboratory of the 1950s and ’60s

One of its beginnings lies in the fading days of the U.S. post-war occupation and the subsequent period of ambiguous, semi-colonised democracy, when experimental artists from a variety of disciplines began exploring their newfound cocktail of freedom and American cultural influence.

Formed in 1951, the Jikken Kobo artists’s workshop positioned themselves as a distinct break from the Japanese artistic tradition, with a self-taught, exploratory approach that drew influences from contemporary and pre-war European and American art.

Credit: Shinchosha  Publishing Co, Ltd.

Among Jikken Kobo’s fourteen members were a number of musicians, including composer Toru Takemitsu, who made early experiments in musique concréte . Takemitsu was also profoundly influenced by John Cage, upon being introduced to his work by fellow experimental composer Toshi Ichiyanagi, briefly jettisoning musical scores for circular diagrams designed to be interpreted by the performers. More profoundly, Takemitsu was fascinated by Cage’s incorporation of rhythms, timbres and silences influenced by his studies of Zen Buddhism, crediting Cage with reigniting his interest in traditional Japanese music.

Trailer for 'The Woman in the Dunes (Suna No Onna)', 1964 - Toru Takemitsu

Cage’s influence loomed large over the post-war Japanese underground, and his work, along with that of Minimalism and drone pioneer LaMonte Young, is audible in the work of sound art collective, Group Ongaku.

Formed in 1960 by composer Mieko Shiomi, Group Ongaku incorporated elements of musique concréte and the noises of furniture and domestic appliances into their performances, not to mention playing traditional musical instruments in any way they could think of but the conventional one. One factor linking this generation of musicians is that they functioned in many ways as the Japanese branch of an international scene. Composers like Ichiyanagi and Shiomi spent time studying and making music in America, while the influence of composers like Cage and Young was profound on those who remained in Japan. Thanks in part to the influence of Yoko Ono (who was married to Ichiyanagi for a time), connections between Group Ongaku and the international Fluxus collective flourished, with Shiomi herself becoming a member, along with fellow Group Ongaku members Takehisa Kosugi and Yasunao Tone. And in this way the Japanese 1960s avant-garde generation was able to return the influence, albeit in a less dramatic fashion.

Rock gets dangerous: the origins of the 1970s underground

At the same time John Cage was having such an extraordinary influence on Japanese avant-garde composers, there were big changes happening in Japanese jazz and theatre, alongside the gradual emergence of rock music. Jazz had been perhaps the key point of contact with American music for Japanese people in the immediate post-war period, and had formed the basis for the development of the pop music industry through the 1950s and early ‘60s. However, as the ‘60s wore on, artists like pianist Yosuke Yamashita embraced free jazz and in the process blew the horizons of Japanese jazz wide open.

Yosuke Yamashita, 'Burning Piano 2008,' March 8, 2008 at Noto Resort Area Masuhogaura, Shika-machi, Ishikawa, Japan

Despite Yamashita’s uncompromising avant-garde approach (he famously performed on a burning piano as part of a 1973 art piece), Yamashita combined international acclaim with a status as a household name in Japan. At the same time, musicians like bassist Motoharu Yoshizawa, guitarist Masayuki Takayanagi and saxophonist Kaoru Abe continued pushing jazz beyond the limits of genre, eventually forming links with the experimental fringes of the emerging Japanese rock scene.

'Musicians continued pushing jazz beyond the limits of genre, forming links with the experimental fringes of the emerging Japanese rock scene...'

Rock music, meanwhile, had finally begun to emerge as a distinct and powerful creative force after about a decade or more of successive faddish obsessions with first rockabilly, then Ventures-influenced instrumental surf guitar music, and finally the Beatlemania-driven ‘Group Sounds’ movement. The swirling, Doors-y psychedelic balladry of The Jacks foreshadowed the emergence of a new generation of loud, dirty, heavy and mysterious rock music influenced by Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and the emerging Western progressive rock movement. Perhaps the most influential figure in this ‘New Rock’ scene was high school dropout, Yuya Uchida, who had ridden each successive Western rock’n’roll wave in search of his sound before retreating into an impresario role behind the legendary Flower Travellin’ Band. Buoyed by Uchida’s overseas connections, most notably his friendship with John Lennon, Flower Travellin’ Band were able to tour internationally to some degree of acclaim, and recorded their 1971 masterpiece album, Satori in Canada.

Album cover for Flower Travellin' Band's 'Satori' (1971)

Parallel with the birth of free jazz and rock in Japan was the growing intersection of music and theatre. Playwright and film director Shuji Terayama worked closely with musicians in both his stage and filmed works, with composer and frequent Terayama collaborator J. A. Seazer (real name Takaaki Terahara) combining psychedelia with Japanese folk and traditional theatre music on many of Terayama’s soundtracks – most notably on Sho o Suteyo Machi e Deyō (‘Throw Away Your Books, Rally in the Streets’) and Den’en ni Shisu (‘Death in the Country’).

J. A. Seazer - Kodomo Bosatsu (from 'Den’en ni Shisu)

Consciously or not, what nearly all these artists were engaged in was an attempt to fuse foreign influences into a distinctively Japanese kind of new music, and in the process they helped lay foundations that would endure for decades to come. However, the distinctly anti-establishment or countercultural nature of many of the artists also helped ensure that, while internationally or academically respected artists like Yosuke Yamashita or Toshi Ichiyanagi could rake in awards and acclaim domestically for their experimentation with musical form, a lot of the most forward-looking music of the ’70s was locked out of polite discourse and ghettoised as ‘underground’ music.

While Yuya Uchida and Flower Travellin’ Band were courting overseas attention, back in Japan more sonically out-there bands like former Fluxus/Group Ongaku member Takehisa Kosugi’s drone rock collective Taj Mahal Travellers and noise-rock pioneers Hadaka no Rallizes (Les Rallizes Dénudés) emerged from out of the late ‘60s/early ’70s commune scene.

Despite rarely addressing politics directly, Rallizes in particular were dogged by associations with radical left organisations such as the Red Army Faction and its successor groups – a source of much public anxiety and police attention after a series of high profile terrorist incidents such as the Asama-Sanso hostage incident.

Les Rallizes Denudes - 'Night of the Assassin'

Partly as a consequence of this, and perhaps partly as a simple result of sole consistent member Takashi Mizutani’s reclusive personality, Les Rallizes Dénudés developed a reputation as a band shrouded in mystery and secrecy, their releases initially confined to ultra-lo-fi live bootlegs, soaked in banshee wails of feedback. More broadly, mainstream suspicion towards underground music in the 1970s may have contributed to an environment where progressive rock was never able to reach the pomp and sonic excess of its British contemporaries. Instead, a distinctive Japanese underground musical tradition was formed where artists who emerged from the psychedelic rock scene like Lost Aaraaf vocalist Keiji Haino could collaborate freely with artists from diverse backgrounds such as folk singer (and occasional Shuji Terayama associate) Kan Mikami and improvisational jazz bassist Motoharu Yoshizawa.

'All these artists were engaged in an attempt to fuse foreign influences into a distinctively Japanese kind of new music...'

Creative listening: the influence of punk and new-wave

The underground nature of much of the experimental music from 1970s Japan also perhaps explains why there is no clear cut-off dividing 1970s rock from punk in the way there was in the UK. Bassist Reck and sax player Chico Hige of ’70s underground band 3/3 were among the key players who helped kick off Japanese punk after a period living in New York, where they played with and absorbed the influence of no-wave pioneers Lydia Lunch and James Chance. Returning to Japan, they renamed themselves Friction and helped produce the Tokyo Rockers compilation, which was a critical album in defining the first generation of Japanese punk.

' Listening sessions of overseas free jazz, experimental music and progressive rock crossed the line into performance'

It was west of Tokyo in the Kansai area, around Kyoto and Osaka, that punk really found its experimental footing though. The ‘free space’ Drugstore in Kyoto provided a creative environment where listening sessions of overseas free jazz, experimental music and progressive rock often crossed the line into performance. Starting out with madcap ideas like creating sounds by adding items to a Japanese-style nabe hotpot, the freeform performances at Drugstore eventually began to coalesce into structured ‘noise’ performances.

Frequenting Drugstore from the ‘70s to the ‘80s were people like Hide ‘Bidé’ Fujiwara and Yoshiyuki ’Jojo’ Hiroshige of early Kyoto punk band Ultra Bidé. Hiroshige went on to form the noise act Hijokaidan and start the Alchemy Records label, which helped document legendary noise acts from the Kansai area and beyond like Masonna, Incapacitants and Merzbow, bringing them to international attention via a small but dedicated mail order tape audience around the globe, and in North America in particular.

Merzbow - 'Woodpecker No.1'

This shift from the ’70s underground into the experimental ’80s wasn’t just confined to the nascent punk generation though: punk’s more cheerfully ironic, synth-bothering cousin new wave also made a similar transition.

Susumu Hirasawa from progressive rock band Mandrake absorbed the influence of The Sex Pistols and proto-electro French punks Métal Urbain and refashioned his band as the Devo-esque P-Model. Meanwhile one-time Tokyo Kid Brothers member Koichi Makigami gradually found his way from theatre into new wave and avant-pop, partly under the oblique influence of overseas encounters with The Ramones and British avant-rock band, Henry Cow.

Merzbow. Photo: James Hadfield

Koichi Makigami

Parallel to these roots in the ’70s underground, however, was a thread of influence from more mainstream sources.

One of the most important bands in helping to define Japanese mainstream rock music was folk-rock band Happy End, led by Haruomi Hosono. In 1978, Hosono teamed up with Yukihiro Takahashi of somewhat respectable glam/prog rockers Sadistic Mika Band and producer/composer Ryuichi Sakamoto to embrace electronic and synthesiser-based pop with Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO).

Ryuichi Sakamoto - 'Disintegration'

Despite coming from a thoroughly mainstream background, the members of YMO – in particular Hosono and Sakamoto – would go on to play a key role in the emerging punk and new qave movement, with Sakamoto producing Friction’s first album Atsureki as well as some early material by Osaka experimental musician Phew (real name Hiromi Moritani), formerly of atonal art-punk band, Aunt Sally.

Phew. Photo: James Hadfield

Hosono’s career as a producer, meanwhile, helped forge a new kind of synth-based Japanese avant-pop out of the new wave era. Through her work with Hosono, pop singer Miharu Koshi made a swift transition from inoffensive 1970s-style pop into sparse, icy, synth-led deadpan experimental pop. Hosono also produced Pizzicato Five’s 1985 debut Audrey Hepburn Complex and In Action EPs, which helped bridge the transition from new wave to the next generation of experimental pop, influenced by French pop, British indie-pop and 1960s movie soundtracks, which in the 1990s became known as Shibuya-kei.

Haruomi Hosono. Courtesy of Mike Nogami

' Suddenly pop was a legitimate arena for artists to play with experimental ideas in...'

While Sakamoto in particular gained huge acclaim as an experimental and ambient composer, YMO were never really considered either underground or truly avant-garde. What they did do, however, was open up a space in mainstream Japanese culture for leftfield musical ideas to filter through for the first time since the late ’60s.

Suddenly pop was a legitimate arena for artists to play with experimental ideas in, and the experimentation incubated in the 1970s underground began to manifest in a flood of playful, oddball releases skirting the fringes of pop, by artists such as The Plastics, Chakra, Mariah, Wha Ha Ha, Jun Togawa and more.

Some met with success at the time and others less so, but years later it provided a fertile ground for revival by crate-digging vinyl fanatics.

Musical collisions at high speed: the 1990s onwards

The Japanese experimental music that emerged from the 1970s and ’80s, provides most of the core building blocks for the underground scene of the 1990s and beyond.

It was really those ’90s children of the underground and avant-garde who formed the image of Japanese music that came to dominate the West’s imagination.Some artists who emerged from the ’70s underground like Keiji Haino are still active, prolific and evolving, while the ever-shifting line ups of Acid Mothers Temple continue the lineage of heavy Psychedelia pioneered by the likes of Flower Travellin’ Band and Les Rallizes Dénudés.

Keiji Haino. Photo: Kazuyuki Funaki

However, if there is one factor that unifies much of the post-’80s Japanese underground, it is an omnivorous approach to musical styles that in many ways reflects and expands upon the Drugstore mode of creative listening, taking delight in hurling together eclectic sounds or rhythms, whether to dissonant or complementary effect.

Makoto Kawabata (Acid Mothers Temple). Photo: James Hadfield

Melt-Banana

Beginning his career with the improv band Ground Zero in the early ’90s, Yoshihide Otomo’s career has seen him take on almost every genre imaginable to awe-inspiring and influential effect.

Less well-known in their home country than overseas, Tokyo’s Melt-Banana have roots in punk but augment that with blast beats derived from grindcore acts like Napalm Death and a cosmic array of guitar textures, all within an increasingly electronic compositional framework. Meanwhile, Ruins combine almost Queen-like prog rock operatics with complex, tightly-controlled rhythmical structures. The Kansai scene in particular became notorious for energetic, wild and musically skittish new acts.

Boredoms emerged out of the blood, sweat and chaos of 1980s Osaka, creating a paranoid, impatient, hyperkinetic mashup of The Ramones, Jimi Hendrix, Captain Beefheart, no wave noise-rock and short stabs of bubblegum that ran from their 1988 debut Osorezan no Stooges Kyo to 1994’s Chocolate Synthesizer, before taking a cosmic turn into blissful, drawn-out cosmic jams, and eventually the ecstatic, tribal multi-drummer excess they later became notorious for.

Boredoms - '111 Boadrum'

Meanwhile, Boredoms drummer Yoshimi’s own project OOIOO refuses to be pinned down to a consistent sound, veering from expansive to minimal, from complex rhythms to ambient soundscapes. Post-millennial acts from the region like Afrirampo have continued this free-roaming, noisy-yet-eclectic approach.Less confrontationally, the distinctly poppy Shibuya-kei scene that Pizzicato Five helped foster combined French pop, British ’80s indie guitar music, sampling influenced by De La Soul, Bossa Nova, and much more. Just as the Drugstore crowd in ’80s Kyoto built noise out of a kind of creative listening in a shared ‘free space’, Shibuya-kei artists like Keigo ‘Cornelius’ Oyamada built a new kind of pop out of a kind of creative listening drawn from crate-digging.

And like the music that grew under the influence of YMO, the Shibuya-kei boom allowed a rare and brief flirtation between avant-garde ideas and the pop culture mainstream.

' They’re there, more than ever, and making a noise...'

Nowadays, experimental music is firmly back in the underground, but nearly all these kinds of music co-exist, overlapping in time and space in tiny live venues, cafés and rehearsal rooms in all major Japanese cities from Sapporo in the northeast to Fukuoka in the southwest.

Artists small in audience, with careers which are more often than not short in lifespan, but they’re there, more than ever, and making a noise.

In a three part mini-series, we take a look into the record collections of three Japanese music enthusiasts, taking a journey of sonic discovery from 1970-2000, exploring the diverse tapestry sounds that have emerged from the country. Featuring interviews with Japan Blues' Howard Williams, Light in the Attic Records’s Yosuke Kitazawa and Ian F Martin.

Subscribe to our Contemporary Music podcast on iTunes , Acast and Spotify .

20 Jun-30 Sep A series of gigs featuring artists from Japanese underground scenes responsible for genre-defining music over the past 40 years. Book tickets

Listen to our Japanese Innovators playlist on Spotify

About Ian F Martin

Author of Quit Your Band! Musical Notes from the Japanese Underground , Ian F Martin is a Tokyo-based journalist, having relocated there from the UK several years ago. His blog, Clear and Refreshing and his Japan Times column document the local music scene. He also runs the indie/post-punk label, Call and Response Records and promotes gigs and parties throughout Japan.

Illustrations by Aleesha Nandhra

improvised/experimental music store and live music venue

Address ( map ) Okano Bldg. B1 Floor, 1-4-11 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 Nearest stations: JR Suidobashi Sta. (5 min.), Toei Mita Line Suidobashi Sta. (3 min.), Tokyo Metro Marunouchi/Namboku Lines Korakuen Sta./Hongo 3-chome Sta. (8 min.) Business hours: 5:00-7:00 p.m. (for store only) Open for concerts at 7:30 p.m. Concerts start at 8:00 p.m.

Concert Schedule

Audiences will be limited to 20 persons and admission will be by reservation only.

June 1 (Sat.) - open 7:30 p.m., concert start 8:00 p.m. Dror Feiler [from Sweden] (sax) solo, and Dror Feiler (sax) and Masamichi Kinoshita (electronics) duo Admission: 2,500 yen (reservations required) Organizer: Shoji Hano

June 2 (Sun.) - open 7:30 p.m., concert start 8:00 p.m. Junji Hirose (tenor sax) solo Admission: 2,000 yen (reservations required) Organizer: Junji Hirose

June 3 (Mon.) - open 7:30 p.m., concert start 8:00 p.m. Tetuzi Akiyama (guitar), Pak Yan Lau [from Brussels, Belgium] (piano), and Darin Gray [from the U.S.] (contrabass) Admission: 2,000 yen (reservations required) Organizer: Tetuzi Akiyama

June 8 (Sat.) - open 7:30 p.m., concert start 8:00 p.m. Billie Jean (alto sax), Chiho Oka (audio mixer, etc.), and Ryotaro Miyasaka (percussion, etc.) Reservations closed. No same-day tickets available. Organizer: Ryotaro Miyasaka

June 9 (Sun.) - open 7:30 p.m., concert start 8:00 p.m. Yuichi Shiota (guitar) and Ryotaro Miyasaka (percussion, etc.) Reservations closed. No same-day tickets available. Organizer: Ryotaro Miyasaka

June 10 (Mon.) - open 7:30 p.m., concert start 8:00 p.m. Takako Minekawa (synthesizer, glass tube, voice, etc.) and Ryotaro Miyasaka (percussion, etc.) Reservations closed. No same-day tickets available. Organizer: Ryotaro Miyasaka

June 15 (Sat.) - open 7:30 p.m., concert start 8:00 p.m. Yuki Nomoto (clarinet), Hiromune Ishii (trombone), and Shuhei Ajitani (electric bass) Admission: 2,000 yen (reservations required) Organizer: Ensemble Free Labo

June 17 (Mon.) - open 7:30 p.m., concert start 8:00 p.m. ju sei: Junichiro Tanaka (guitar, etc.) and sei (vocals) Admission: 2,000 yen (reservations required) Organizer: Ftarri

June 22 (Sat.) - open 7:30 p.m., concert start 8:00 p.m. Kazuo Imai (guitar) and Tomoki Tai (cello) Admission: 2,000 yen (reservations required) Organizer: Kazuo Imai

June 23 (Sun.) - open 7:30 p.m., concert start 8:00 p.m. Minyen Hsieh [from Taiwan] (tenor sax, soprano sax) and Keiko Higuchi (voice, piano) Admission: 2,000 yen (reservations required) Organizer: Akira Saito

June 24 (Mon.) - open 7:30 p.m., concert start 8:00 p.m. First set: Fumi Endo (piano) and Yukiko Shiina Sakurazawa (contrabass) each play (solo) a composition by Kanon Aonami Second set: Kanon Aonami (alto sax), Fumi Endo (piano) and Yukiko Shiina Sakurazawa (contrabass) improvisation trio Admission: 2,000 yen (reservations required) Organizer: Ftarri

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Modern Experimental Music : 電子音楽の最前線を行く　Eli Keszler

• By Music Tribune
• On 8月 06, 2021

今日、現代の実験音楽、いわゆるエクスペリメンタル・ミュージックと称されるジャンルは、きわめて多彩なアプローチを取るアーティストが多く見受けられる。

それは現代音楽としての系譜にあたる純性音楽としてのバックグラウンドを持つアーティストから、それとは一見対極にあるような電子音楽のバックグランドを持つアーティストまで、作曲者によって各々表現方法もさまざま。

もちろん、シュトックハウゼンの時代から、無調音楽としての電子音楽家は数多く存在した。それがいつしか、古典音楽家としての音楽の一派と、電子音楽家としての音楽の一派と、枝分かれしていくようになった。

しかし、かつて、武満徹が実験工房で、湯浅譲二らとテープ音楽を作成していたが、これこそつまり、その意図はないかもしれないが、クラブミュージック的な音楽を時代に先駆けて体現しようと試みていたように思える。

もちろん、オリヴィエ・メシアンのフランス和声を研究し、その音楽性に影響を受けつつも、現代のクラブミュージック、中でもIDMに通じるようなアプローチが世界のタケミツの音のアプローチには感じられる。

このあたりのエピソードから引き出される結論があるなら、現代音楽とクラブミュージックは、一見して相容れない水と油の関係のようでいて、源流を辿ってみると、実は、同じ場所にたどり着くような気がする、つまり、同じ祖先を持っているといえなくもないかもしれません。

現在のミュージックシーン

現在において、全く分離した古典音楽、そして、電子音楽あるいは、クラブ音楽を繋げるような役割を持つアーティストが2000年代あたりから出て来た。ドイツの気鋭アーティスト、ニルス・フラームを筆頭にして、アイスランドのオラブル・アーノルズらがその流れを形作っている。

他方、イギリスの音楽シーンでは、Clarkが、このヨーロッパを中心とする流れを汲み取ってのことか、それまでのテクノ界のカリスマというキャリアを手放し、イギリスからドイツに移住し、ドイツグラムフォンと契約、ポスト・クラシカル、現代音楽の系譜にある新しい音楽に方向性を転じ始めている。これは、この周辺のクラブシーンを知る人にとっては衝撃的な出来事だったはず。

いよいよ、2021年、ヨーロッパを中心として今、最もトレンドといえるポスト・クラシカル、現代音楽シーンは、ほとんど、各国の音楽家の群雄割拠ともいえる状況になっている様子が伺われる。

そして、このポスト・クラシカル勢の台頭にあたり、クラシック音楽界隈の人々は、彼等のことをどう考えていたのかまで明確に言及できないものの、少なくとも、最近では、彼等は、クラシック音楽に馴染みのない音楽リスナー層も取り込んで、古典音楽への橋渡しをしようとしている。

実際、アイスランド交響楽団、BBC交響楽団をはじめとする古典音楽を中心として活動する集団も、これらのポスト・クラシカル勢の活躍に対しては、協力的な姿勢を示しているように思われる。

もちろん、ポスト・クラシカルという音楽は、それほど、クラシック音楽に馴染みのない人にも、クラシックへの重要な入り口をもうけ、”古典音楽の雰囲気を持った聞きやすいポピュラー”音楽を提示し、その先にある古典音楽へのバトンを繋げるという文化的な役割を担っているようだ。

現在の実験、現代音楽としてのトレンドの傾向を伺うなら、やはり、アメリカ、イギリスのアンビエント寄りのアプローチを取るクラブミュージック勢、あるいは、古典音楽家、ロベルト・シューマンやフランツ・シューベルト、フレドリック・ショパンのピアノの小品集の雰囲気を受け継いだドイツロマン派の系譜にある、ヨーロッパの現代ポスト・クラシカル勢の二派に絞られるかと思う。そして、その中にも、多種多様なアプローチを図る気鋭の音楽家達が今日のミュージックシーンを活気づけており、俄然、この辺りのシーンからは目を離すことができない。

今回の新しい特集「Modern Experimenral Music」では、上記のようなポスト・クラシカルとはまた異なる雰囲気を持った生粋の世界の最新鋭の実験音楽を紹介していこうと思っています。

Eli Keszler

ニューヨーク在住、イーライ・ケスラーは、現在のエクスペリメンタル音楽シーンの中で今、最も注目すべきアーティストの一人。パーカッショニストとして、そして、ヴィジュアルアーティストとしても活躍中の芸術家。 

元々は、ハードロックやハードコアに親しみ、十代の頃からすでに作曲に取り組んでいたという。ニューイングランド音楽院を卒業を機に、マンハッタンに移住、ニューヨークを拠点にして活動中のアーティストです。

イーライ・ケスラーは、楽器のマルチプレイヤーであり、パーカッションだけにとどまらず、ヴィブラフォンやギターも演奏している。

最初の作品「Cold Pan」をイギリスのエレクトロやダンスミュージックを取り扱うレーベル、Panからリリースしている。

最初期は、アバンギャルド性の強い、ピアノの弦を打楽器的なサウンド処理を施し、それにくわえ、彼自身の音楽の最も重要な特長、パーカッションの小刻みなサウンドプログラミング的な音色加工をほどこしている。元来、イーライの音楽の本質がどこにあるのかと言うと、一例を挙げると、ジョン・ケージのプリペイドピアノの技法をより打楽器としての解釈を試み、それをきわめて前衛的な手法で解釈した音楽といえ、しかも、そこには、UKのエレクトロ界隈の最もコアな音楽性を取り入れている。またそこに、ブレイクビーツ、ドラムンベース、その先にあるドリルンベースを、イーライ・ケスラー自身のパーカッションの演奏で試みようとしているように感じられる。

ときに、スネアドラムの縁の部分を叩く”リムショット”の技法が取り入れられ、スティック捌き、そして、実際のストライクは、凄まじい速度である。つまり、生演奏のスネアやリムの素早いストライクにより、生演奏ではありながら電子音楽のグリッチに近い領域に踏み込んでいる。これをさらに楽曲アナライズとして解釈するなら、パーカッションの演奏にトーン・クラスターの技法を取り入れ、そこにクラブミュージックの要素、アシッド・ハウス、ダブ的な要素を付加し、異質なグルーブ感を生み出している。そして、実際にケスラーのパーカッションの演奏を聴いてみると、AIが演奏しているのではと聴き間違うかのような自動演奏に近い印象を受ける。

また、イーライ・ケスラーの音楽をトラックメイクという別の切り口から解釈するなら、自身の生演奏を録音した後に、ダブ的な手法で、短いサンプリングをかけ合わせて、それを一つのリズムとして入念に繋げるという、いうなればサウンド・デザイナー的な手法が取り入れられる。そこにビブラフォン、メロトロン、シンセサイザーのテクスチャーが重層的に加えられていく。これがこのケスラーという現代音楽家の生み出す音を、立体的構造的な構造にしているというわけである。

現地のニューヨーク・タイムズ誌は、イーライ・ケスラーの音楽的な背景について、「パンク・ロック、アバンギャルド・ジャズにある」としている。つまり、このケスラーの前衛性というのは、偶然に生まれでたものではなく、ましてや破れかぶれにアヴァンギャルドの領域に踏み込んだわけでもなく、まえの時代のニューヨークの前衛音楽、とりわけ、サックス奏者、ジョン・ゾーンをはじめとするフリージャズ、あるいは、往年のニューヨークパンクス達を生んだニューヨークに育まれた前衛音楽、つまり、この２つの文化側面を受け継いだがゆえのモダンミュージックなのである。

たしかに、ニューヨーク・タイムズが、彼の音楽を評して言うことは非常に理にかなっているように思え、イーライの最初期の作品においては、アヴァンギャルド・ジャズに近い手法が積極的に取り入れられている。また、よくよく聴いてみると、彼のリムショット、スネアのストライクには、ニュースクール・ハードコアの極限までBPMを押し上げたスピードチューンからの影響もあるように思える。

最初期のイーライ・ケスラーの作品は、お世辞にも親しみやすいとはいいがたものの、ここ数年、秀逸なトラックメイカーとしての真価を発揮しつつあり、作曲家として覚醒しつつあるように思え、楽曲においても一般的なクラブ・ミュージック等に理解があるリスナーを惹きつけるに足る音楽性に近づいている。

また、電子音楽家としてのキャリアも順調に積み上げている。ワンオートリックス・ポイント・ネヴァーのツアーにドラマーとしてのサポート参加、あるいは、イギリスのエレクトロ/ダブ・アーティスト、ローレル・ヘイローの作品制作への参加等の事例を見てもわかるとおり、元々は、現代音楽寄りのアプローチを選んでいたイーライ・ケスラーではあるものの、近年では、少しずつではあるが、電子音楽、クラブ・ミュージックに近い立ち位置を取るようになって来ている。

「Stadium」　2018

この「Studiam」は、ケスラーの七年目のキャリアで発表された作品であり、フランスの実験音楽を主に取り扱うインディペンデントレーベル「Shelter Press」からのリリースされている。  

アルバムのトラック全体には、どことなく清涼感のある雰囲気が漂っていて、そして、ヴィジュアルアーティストとしてのサウンドスケープが、電子音楽として見事に描きだされているように思える。　　

2011年ー12頃のアヴァンギャルド色の強い作品に比べると、今作「Stadium」で、イーライ・ケスラーはより多くのリスナーに向けて、このトラックをかなり緻密に作り込んでいる様子が伺える。

実際、今作は、彼の作品としては非常に親しみやすい部類にあり、落ち着いた感じのあるIDM（intelligence Dance Music）として楽しむことができるはず。

全体的にどことなく涼し気な雰囲気が満ちているのは、Caribouやレイ・ハラカミに近い質感があり、その中にも、イーライ・ケスラーにしか生み出し得ないパーカショニストとしての進化がこの作品には見られる。

それまでの作品に比べ、全体的な都会的な質感に富んだ雰囲気に満ちている。数学的な計算が緻密にほどこされた打楽器の小さな単位が、緻密に重層的に積み上げられ、彼独特の現代最新鋭のクールなブレイクビーツが形成される。

この作品で、イーライ・ケスラーが取り組んでいるのは、簡潔に言えば、パーカショニストとしての新たな領域への挑戦、冒険といえる。打楽器の音ひとつの音響の単位を極限まで縮小し、それを、サンプリングとしてつなぎあわすことにより、独特のビート、特殊なリズム感を生み出している。しかし、最初から最後まで、自分自身の実際のパーカッション演奏のマテリアルを利用している。リズム自体は、徹頭徹尾オリジナルで、これは、ほとんど驚愕に値する技法である。

パーカッションの音は、トーン・クラスターに近いものがある。それをリマスタリング作業で、音域を自由自在に操り、ダブ的なサウンド加工を施すことにより、アシッド・ハウスの雰囲気に近い現代的なグルーブ感を生みだすことに成功している。

そして、それは、楽曲中において、リズム自体が極限までたどり着いて、リズム性としての行き詰まりを見せたとき、エイフェックス・ツイン、スクエアプッシャーのようなダイナミックなドリルンベースへと様変わりを果たす。これは、ほとんど驚愕すべき現代音楽のひとつといえるでしょう。

パーカッションの生演奏により、電子音楽の最新鋭に近づき、それを乗り越えた未来の音楽が今作では心ゆくまで味わえるはず。 

「Icons」　2021 

イーライ・ケスラーは、今作「Icons」においてさらなる新境地へと進んだ、と、いえるかもしれない。レコーディング作業はニューヨークのロックダウン中に行われ、彼は人が途絶えた夜のマンハッタンをそぞろ歩き、実際のバイクや車のモーター音を丹念に記録し、今作「Icons」の楽曲のサンプリングとして取り入れている。もちろん、それ以前にフィールドレコーディングは、断続的に行われており、世界中の生きた音がここではサンプリングとして取り入れられている。

イーライ・ケスラーは、このロックダウン中において、文明の移り変わりの瞬間を肯定的な側面から物事を捉え、それを音楽として表現する。もちろん、サンプリングとして取り入れられているのは、何も現代の人々の生活音だけにとどまらない。中には、古い時代のフィルム・ノワールも存在する。そういった新旧の音楽が組み合わさることで、ひとつの強固な音響世界が形成される。

アルバム全体のアプローチとして、前作「Stadium」と聴き比べると、その違いが理解できるかと思う。ここでは、ローレル・ヘイローへの作品参加の影響もあってか、ダブ寄りのアプローチに進み、アシッド・ハウスに代表されるような音の質感に彩られる。そして、この独特の陶酔的な雰囲気は、間違いなく、ロックダウン中のニューヨークのマンハッタンでの夜の文明の新たな移り変わりの瞬間を、彼は、見事に音楽として描出することに成功している。それは、マンハッタンの夜の街の姿が見る影もなく変貌した瞬間を捉えたすさまじい作品であるとも言える。

今作「Icons」では、シンセサインザーの音源に加え、グロッケンシュピール、（チベットボウル）をはじめ、新しい楽器も数多く取り入れられているように伺え、それも、旋律楽器と打楽器的の中間点にある演出が施されている。この独特なイーライ独自のアンビエンス、環境音楽の雰囲気は、2021年にマンハッタンの夜の街角で彼自身が体感した大都会の静寂を”音”で表したといえる。そして、この作品には、どことなく、イギリスのダブ・ステップのアーティスト、アンディ・ストットに近い質感に彩られており、不思議なほど甘美な印象を聞き手にもたらすことだろう。

今作においての、イーライ・ケスラーの楽曲の中に感じられる静寂、その奇妙で得がたいサイレンスというのは一体、何によってもたらされたのか。ウイルスの蔓延なのか？　また、あるいは、それとも、蔓延を押しとどめようとする圧力なのか？　

そこまで踏み込んで明言することは難しいかもしれない。しかし、少なくとも、この名作において、ケスラーは、真実を、真実よりもはるかに信憑性のある「音」により明確に浮かび上がらせている。ニューヨークの殆どの経済活動がロックダウンにより、たちどころにせき止められた瞬間、その向こうから不意をついて立ちのぼってきたマンハッタンの姿を、その夜の果てにほのみえる摩天楼の立ち並ぶ奇妙な世界を、気鋭の現代音楽家、イーライ・ケスラーは、最新作「icons」において、パーカッショニストとしての現代/実験音楽により、異質なほどの現実感をもって克明に描き出してみせている。 

 Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eli_Keszler

BEATNIK.com  https://www.beatink.com/products/detail.php?product_id=11877

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New One：A remarkable work by a Liverpool duo

King hannah - 『big swimmer』　 / city slang　.

Best New Tracks： June Week 1

Joep beving & martin vos - 「02:07」　 / leiter　.

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東京のオルタナティブロックバンド、luby sparksが「songs for the daydreamers」をリリース.

柴田聡子の最新作「Your Favorite Things」。2024年5月25日にLPでリリース決定　

LE MAKEUP、待望のニューアルバム『予感』がリリース　　　　地元大阪 CONPASSでのワンマンライブが決定！

Music of The Month (2024 Apr.)

Wu-lu『learning to swim on empty』- warp.

Charlotte Day Wilson『Cyan Blue』 / XL Recordings/ Stone Woman Music

Mdou Moctor　　　『Funeral For Justice』/ Matador

Beth Gibbons - Lives Outgrown ‐ Domino

Vince Staples 　『Dark Times』/ Def Jam/ UMG

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The 10 Best Experimental Japanese Artists, according to Ultrademon

Ultrademon – real name Lilium Kobayashi – is a Kyoto-based artist, who has released music under a variety of aliases over the years. Having emerged with a kind of seapunk aesethetic that ended up inspiring the likes of Azealia Banks, her sound has shape-shifted over the years, finding a home on Rephlex with the now-cult ‘Seapunk’, a scene-defining record.

‘Chamber Music’, her latest record, was written mostly in Tokyo but also in Kyoto, and takes shape as a deeply personal tale from beginning to end. Listening mostly to metal and sub-genres like dungeon synth, black metal, death metal and doom throughout that period, the album expresses the emotions of regret, loss and pain that she was feeling at the time, through sounds that are spacious and clean and feudal track titles.

As a Japan-dwelling artist who likes to uncover exciting leftfield music, we asked Ultrademon to list her favourite experimental Japanese acts. “These songs do have a focus on Kyoto-based artists though some span other parts of Japan,” she says. “I don’t consider this an exhaustive list but rather, ten artists I recommend.”

She also sent this tweet:

It would be nice if just occasionally perhaps music content providers could write about Japanese artists without defining what they do in terms of their nationality. — Chris SSG (@mnmlssgs) October 30, 2019

“To start off, a younger artist getting some shine right now. He recently played the Discipline party (Bushbash, a venue around Tokyo) among other spots. His works touch on the club atmosphere more than the gallery – that of the ambient art school sound. Here is a clip of him from there performing a section of his recent work ‘Palace’. ‘Palace’ could constitute a ‘deep listening’ work by some metrics. I’ve listened to it many times over. My usual diet of music doesn’t include much electronic music these days, though Hegira Moya makes the cut.”

“I wondered if I should include Sugai Ken since, well, he’s getting a lot of coverage – in fact he recently released a mix via Dummy Mag . But I did want to mention a record that I thoroughly enjoy, especially in the colder months. Seemingly one of Sugai Ken’s most straight ahead works in some way. He captures the feeling of summer evenings in Japan. The sounds of the forest and the insect chirping, all via synthesis of sound. That work is called 如の夜庭.

“In Japan, there are a few species of cicada. Some people get really into their song, as this video shows the songs of the different types of cicada and what months they are active. Feel free to try and figure out which ones Sugai Ken likes.”

丈の低い木の丈は低い from Muku Kobayashi on Vimeo .

“I saw Kobayashi at the BnA Alter Museum, a sort of hipster hotel that features local artists and performance on occasion. His performance was so refreshing. The work is named ‘Shojiki’, where he ‘rewound’ different kinds of tape. The concept is supposed to play with the idea of magnetic tape being rewound in comparison though the effect was the most interesting aspect. The stretching sound of sticky packing tape being wound up on a spiralling mechanism. He and a partner would stretch various types, running around spools to create different frequencies. As the tape wears out, it harkens to the temporality of magnetic tape… well at least this is the concept? The ripping tape sound is an aural treat. As he stretches the tape, I feel he stretches the abstract machines of sound art. I wish I could see more works akin to this – rather than the over-abundant sonic naturalism (field recording works) and most despised in my eyes (yes, it is a fault of mine) oral performance art vein of sound art. i.e. – making mouth sounds into a mic. The body of his works almost completely focuses on the use of slow oscillations on a short curve. Simple oscillator modulations. Manifesting visually (moving video cameras), stretching tape, or automated shifts of simple oscillators.”

“I first discovered Komatsu’s work when returning to the USA from my first Japan tour – long before moving here, back in 2013. Among some gifts I received on my trip, one was a CD labeled ‘Mad Egg’ given to me by someone I performed with. For perhaps two years I pronounced his former moniker MADEGG instead of Mad Egg…

“Anyway, upon my recent move to Kyoto back in April, I was scouring the upcoming gigs and discovered a seemingly and interesting one at a local venue I’d been wanting to check out. It featured some Resident Advisor rated ‘up and coming’ producer or someone… I don’t remember the headliner though the opener left an impression. I didn’t even realise it was Mad Egg under his real name now… though I felt a familiarity. His work spans overt noise experimentation – sparse synth enunciations popping and pinging like a language lost – though the bulk of his works would perhaps be placed within the ‘ambient’ territory.”

“They have collaborated with the likes of Ryuichi Sakamoto (which of course gains major points overseas…) among other things. The three-piece never allows you to hear the fully worked out modulating rhythms and odd time signatures. Eventually, for some brief refrain, it comes together. Though when they are ‘off’ the tension is fucking terrible, though I do like pain… Attempting to produce sound art through vectors outside the pattern system regular band forms.

“They experiment with minute deteritorialisations within the refrains. Essentially it’s all refrain. Three refrains with modulations. Each instrument functions autonomously, though it’s a presupposed feeling. It’s an attempt at battling so to speak – it doesn’t translate to violence, perhaps just confusion at times. Kukangendai runs the venue 外 (Outside, detached, farther beyond) in Kyoto which came from the name of one of their pieces. They moved from Tokyo, and then opened the venue in 2016. They recently premiered their new record ‘Palm’ [above].”

“I first heard P.O.V.’s work on a CD I picked up from the Metal Disk Union shop in Naka Okachimachi. Pilfering through the black metal section I was scouring for something I would find interesting, I come from another time, perhaps, when one would go to the record store as a teen and buy CDs based on finding the cover interesting. Anyway this isn’t 2005, so yes I googled the release on my phone to basically find nothing. I got home and discovered upon opening and listening (there was no text on the outside of the CD) that it was a three-way split EP. Two noise artists and one depressive black metal act. I looked online for this P.O.V. and reached out. The release’s title, I later learned, stands for ‘Penis On Vagina’… so for all the cis het guys who just love guitar pedal distortion and Merzbow this will be your guy… Really though, I do love his work. A bit outside yet straight ahead… and he loves noise. He grew up in Nakano yet currently lives in Oita, near the many hells.”

“Not only breaking the Japanese folk modality at times, Sawai makes profuse use of vibrato on the string. She as such, is an experimental classical Japanese musician. Although I’d like to break this down a bit… in European-rooted music, 12 tone equal temperament is the norm. Since Western music is dominant, for most who are used to this feel anything out side of this tuning feels “out of tune”. Since it is not based on the hegemonic Western 12 tone standard. A koto player using western notation is playing experimentally, in a non-Eurocentric context. Though Western music did permeate and effect Japanese music through the early 20th century. There was even a whole style of imitation western music created by Japanese musicians ( for example ). Or later on in funk music .

“There is a deep history regarding this – that is for another article… We can see in Japanese pop music there are different modes used. The form here is rooted in Japanese folk music there is an obvious influence. Try and listen for it in J-pop or J-rock, even. Oddly similar to some strains of midwestern emo, though I digress… The point is, even if Sawai’s song sounds traditional to Euro-centric musical ears, her playing western notation on a Japanese folk instrument is experimental. So this brings into question: what defines experimental? Is it defined by the dominant culture? In what context? I bring up many questions and challenge you readers to think about these things when digesting new sounds.”

“Akao’s work invokes not only the spirit of the melancholic mythic topological of Japanese folk, but invites a new view, borrowing from the poetics of modern European and American composition. A classically-trained musician within the ‘Eastern’ and ‘Western’ musical worlds, Akao pays homage to eons old tradition while pushing the boundaries of what is deemed possible with the Japanese flute. She rose to popularity in the ’80s participating in collaborations with pop and funk artists, bringing the Japanese flute to a new audience in a new light. She was trained classically in western modalities and integrated these stylings from the outside within. And a more minimal take . In the ’90s and beyond she shifted to going deeper into the folkloric roots of her instrument, at times collaborating with experimental artists. My favourite of her works is the album “Requiem for Maiden and Young Warrior” song “Legend of the Water Flame”. Unfortunately I could not find a clip of this one online though I did find another one of her works as a reference (above).”

“The event I saw LINEKRAFT at was an outdoor performance of the ROHM theatre in Kyoto. It was sort of in conjunction with the international film festival, though not directly. It was really odd in a way to hear harsh noise and industrial blaring in the middle of the day outside a famous theatre in a sort of museum area of Kyoto. At first I was unconvinced, judging and older generations harking back to some age of industrial I was too young to hear. Deeper into his performance I began to hear it. The cutting high end of him smacking scrap metal attached to a surface mic cut through all the sound more than any other during the whole performance. By the end he had removed his shirt to reveal a traditional tattoo, twisting dragons down his back. The event organisers themselves spoke to bringing out a sort of ancient esoteric energy in everyone. You can read about it (in Japanese) and the group that put it on.”

“Unfortunately I have not seen this group live. Though I have heard of them through friends. They planned a live protest in front of the agency for cultural affairs in Tokyo, regarding the Aichi triennial defunding. The triennial was defunded due to the showing of a piece speaking of the dark history of comfort women . A fact the Japanese government typically denies or tries to sweep under the rug. They have organised other events similar… Honestly I can’t really describe them, but if you are still curious here’s more about them .”

Ultrademon’s ‘Chamber Music’ album is out now via Soft Architecture – find it here .

Read next: The 10 Best Examples of Chinese Instrumentation in Hip-Hop/Pop, according to GZ Tian.

Techniques Unveiled: Local Noise Music Exploration

Local noise music: artist profiles – biographical insights, collaborations unveiled: local noise music: artist profiles, field recordings in local noise music: techniques, impact of local noise music on sound finance: the effects of noise pollution on the local economy, avant-garde venues: local noise music performance spaces, 2022’s top emergency loans for bad credit, noise music in japan: the local noise music scene and festivals..

The noise music scene in Japan has gained significant attention and recognition over the years, both locally and internationally. With its unique blend of experimental soundscapes, unconventional instruments, and boundary-pushing performances, noise music has become a prominent subculture within the country’s vibrant music landscape. This article aims to delve into the intricacies of the Japanese local noise music scene and explore some of the notable festivals that celebrate this genre.

To illustrate the fervor surrounding noise music in Japan, let us consider a hypothetical case study involving an emerging noise artist named Hiroshi Suzuki. Over the past decade, Suzuki has made waves in underground circuits with his avant-garde approach to creating sonic experiences. His live performances often incorporate a myriad of unconventional objects as instruments – from kitchen utensils to modified electronics – producing a cacophony of dissonance that captivates audiences. Through analyzing this local phenomenon along with other similar artists and events across Japan, we can gain insights into how noise music has evolved and embedded itself within contemporary musical culture in this East Asian nation.

Amongst numerous festivals dedicated to celebrating noise music in Japan is the renowned “Tokyo Noise Fest,” an annual event attracting fans from all corners of the globe. The festival serves as a platform for established acts The festival serves as a platform for established acts in the noise music scene to showcase their talents and connect with like-minded artists and enthusiasts. It features a diverse lineup of both local and international performers, ranging from well-known figures to emerging talents pushing the boundaries of sound experimentation.

Another notable festival is “Japanoise Fest,” which focuses specifically on Japanese noise music and its subgenres. This event provides a space for both established and up-and-coming artists to share their unique sonic visions and create an immersive experience for attendees. The festival aims to promote the diversity within the Japanese noise music scene, highlighting various styles and approaches that contribute to its rich tapestry.

In addition to these festivals, there are numerous underground venues across Japan that regularly host noise music performances. These intimate spaces provide a more intimate setting for artists and fans alike, fostering a sense of community within the noise music scene.

It’s worth noting that noise music in Japan extends beyond just live performances and festivals. There are also dedicated record labels, such as Tzadik Records, Alchemy Records, and RRRecords, that release noise music albums by Japanese artists. These labels play a crucial role in supporting the scene by providing a platform for distribution and exposure.

Overall, the noise music scene in Japan continues to thrive due to its strong grassroots community, innovative approach to sound exploration, and dedication from both artists and fans. Its influence has spread globally, making it an important part of not only Japan’s musical landscape but also the international avant-garde music community.

History of Noise Music in Japan

One notable example that illustrates the development and significance of noise music in Japan is the formation of the influential group Hijokaidan in 1979. Led by Jojo Hiroshige, this avant-garde band embraced unconventional instruments such as power tools and chainsaws to create a chaotic and intense sonic experience. Their performances challenged traditional notions of music and pushed boundaries within the Japanese art scene.

The emergence of Hijokaidan marked a turning point in the history of noise music in Japan. It paved the way for an experimental movement characterized by harsh, abrasive sounds and non-linear compositions. This genre attracted artists from diverse backgrounds who sought to explore new possibilities through sound manipulation. As a result, noise music became associated with artistic freedom, rebellion against mainstream conventions, and a rejection of established norms.

To evoke an emotional response from the audience, here are four key elements that define the essence of noise music:

• Dissonance: Noise music deliberately incorporates dissonant tones or frequencies that challenge listeners’ expectations.
• Rawness: The raw and unpolished nature of noise music captures a sense of immediacy and authenticity, often evoking feelings of intensity or unease.
• Catharsis: Many proponents argue that experiencing noise music can be cathartic, providing a release from societal pressures or personal frustrations.
• Sonic exploration: Noise musicians actively engage with their instruments or equipment to discover unpredictable textures and timbres, creating a sense of adventure and discovery.

Furthermore, we can visualize some important milestones in the history of Japanese noise music using this table:

In summary, the history of noise music in Japan is characterized by pioneering figures like Hijokaidan and pivotal moments that shaped the genre. This section explored an example from its early days, highlighted key elements that define noise music’s essence, and provided a visual representation of significant events. By understanding this historical context, we can now delve into the key figures in the Japanese noise music scene without any abrupt transition.

Key Figures in the Japanese Noise Music Scene

Transitioning from the historical context of noise music in Japan, we now turn our attention to the vibrant local scene and festivals that have emerged as a result. To illustrate this, let us consider the case of Tokyo where noise music thrives amidst the bustling cityscape. In venues tucked away in narrow alleys or hidden underground spaces, artists experiment with unconventional sounds, pushing boundaries and challenging traditional notions of music.

The local noise music scene in Tokyo is characterized by its diversity and inclusivity. Artists from various backgrounds come together to create an environment where experimentation is encouraged and celebrated. This sense of community fosters collaboration among musicians, resulting in unique sonic experiences that push the limits of what can be considered as “music.” For example, a hypothetical scenario could involve two noise artists collaborating on a live performance using non-traditional instruments such as found objects or modified electronics.

To gain further insight into the local noise music scene in Japan, here are some key features:

• DIY ethos: Many noise artists take a do-it-yourself approach when it comes to producing their work. They self-release albums, organize their own shows, and actively participate in building networks within the scene.
• Underground venues: Noise music often finds its home in small-scale venues that emphasize intimacy and immersion. These spaces provide an alternative platform for both established artists and emerging talents to showcase their craft.
• Experimental festivals: Noise music festivals have become an integral part of the Japanese music landscape. Events like Aural Exciters Festival and Musica Practica bring together local and international acts for days filled with boundary-pushing performances, workshops, and panel discussions.
• Cross-genre collaborations: Noise music intersects with other genres, leading to exciting collaborations between noise artists and musicians from different backgrounds. This fusion not only expands artistic possibilities but also attracts diverse audiences who might not typically engage with noise music.

In summary, the local noise music scene in Japan, exemplified by Tokyo’s thriving community, is characterized by its inclusivity, experimentation, and dedication to pushing boundaries. DIY practices, underground venues, experimental festivals, and cross-genre collaborations all contribute to a vibrant and dynamic sonic landscape that challenges conventional notions of music.

Building upon the rich tapestry of noise music in Japan, we now explore how traditional Japanese music has influenced this genre.

Influences of Traditional Japanese Music on Noise

Key Figures in the Japanese Noise Music Scene have played a crucial role in shaping and defining the genre. One notable figure is Masami Akita, better known by his stage name Merzbow. With a career spanning several decades, Merzbow has released an extensive discography of noise music that explores themes of industrialization and human impact on nature. His innovative use of harsh textures and layers of sound has influenced numerous artists within the genre.

Another prominent figure in the Japanese noise scene is Keiji Haino. Known for his experimental approach to music, Haino incorporates elements of noise alongside free improvisation and avant-garde techniques. His performances often involve intense vocalizations and unconventional instrumentation, pushing boundaries and challenging traditional notions of music.

Masonna (aka Yamazaki “Maso” Takushi) is yet another influential artist in the Japanese noise music scene. Recognized for his extreme style characterized by high-pitched screams, distortion-heavy sounds, and chaotic energy, Masonna’s live performances are renowned for their intensity and unpredictability.

These key figures represent just a fraction of the diverse range of artists who have contributed to the growth and evolution of noise music in Japan. Their unique approaches to sound manipulation have helped shape the genre into what it is today.

The local noise music scene in Japan thrives due to various factors that contribute to its popularity:

• Cultural significance: Noise music taps into Japan’s cultural fascination with technology, urbanization, and non-conformity.
• Sense of community: The scene fosters strong connections among artists through collaborations, shared experiences, and support networks.
• Experimental mindset: Musicians actively explore new sonic territories through unconventional methods such as circuit bending or custom-built instruments.
• Underground venues: A network of intimate spaces provides platforms for both established and emerging artists to showcase their work.

To further illustrate this vibrant scene, consider these emotional responses from audience members at a recent noise festival in Tokyo:

• “The raw energy and intensity of the performances left me exhilarated, as if I had experienced a cathartic release.”
• “It was awe-inspiring to witness artists pushing the boundaries of sound and challenging conventional notions of music. Their fearlessness inspired me to think differently about creativity.”
• “The sense of community at the festival was palpable. People from diverse backgrounds came together, united by their love for unconventional music.”

In summary, key figures like Merzbow, Keiji Haino, and Masonna have significantly contributed to the Japanese noise music scene through their innovative approaches to sound manipulation. The popularity of this genre can be attributed to cultural significance, a strong sense of community among artists, an experimental mindset, and underground venues that provide platforms for expression.

Venues and Spaces for Noise Performances

In the realm of noise music in Japan, it is fascinating to explore the influences that traditional Japanese music has had on this genre. While noise music may seem far removed from the sounds and aesthetics of traditional Japanese melodies, there are intriguing connections that can be observed.

One example of how traditional Japanese music has influenced noise can be seen in the incorporation of instruments such as the shamisen or taiko drums into noisy compositions. These instruments, known for their distinct timbres and intricate playing techniques, add a layer of cultural depth to the otherwise abrasive and chaotic nature of noise music.

Furthermore, certain elements found in traditional Japanese musical theory, such as ma (the concept of silence between sounds) and hocketing (interlocking rhythms), have been creatively reinterpreted by noise artists. This fusion results in unique sonic textures and arrangements that challenge conventional notions of melody and harmony.

Exploring further into the local noise scene reveals an array of venues and spaces where these performances take place. From small underground clubs to larger concert halls, each space offers its own unique atmosphere for experiencing noise music. Some notable locations include:

• The Cave : A dimly lit basement venue known for its intimate setting and exceptional acoustics.
• The Warehouse : An industrial warehouse transformed into a vibrant hub for experimental art forms, including noise music.
• The Rooftop Garden : A serene outdoor space where noise musicians perform amidst lush greenery while juxtaposing natural sounds with their electronic creations.
• The Art Gallery : Noise concerts held within visually stimulating galleries create a multisensory experience that blurs boundaries between sound and visual art.

As we delve deeper into understanding the local noise scene in Japan, it becomes evident that emerging trends continue to shape this dynamic genre. In the following section about “Emerging Trends in Japanese Noise Music,” we will explore how technology advancements and cross-genre collaborations have propelled new avenues for expression within this ever-evolving musical landscape.

Emerging Trends in Japanese Noise Music

Having explored the various venues and spaces that host noise performances in Japan, it is now essential to delve into the emerging trends within the local noise music scene. These trends showcase the evolution of this genre and provide insight into its impact on both local and global experimental music.

Emerging Trend 1: Blending Traditional Instruments with Noise One fascinating trend gaining traction in Japanese noise music involves the fusion of traditional instruments with electronic soundscapes. Artists experiment with integrating ancient instruments such as shakuhachi (bamboo flute) or koto (stringed instrument) with distorted guitar riffs and industrial noises. This blending creates a unique juxtaposition between tradition and modernity, captivating listeners with an unexpected sonic experience.

• Diverse range of emotions evoked through dissonant sounds.
• Thrilling intensity that pushes boundaries of musical conventions.
• Unpredictability leading to feelings of suspense and anticipation.
• Rawness and authenticity resonating deeply within listeners.

Emerging Trend 2: Collaborative Performances Collaboration has long been a hallmark of the noise music community, but recent years have witnessed an upsurge in collaborative performances among Japanese noise artists. These collaborations bring together musicians from different backgrounds, genres, or even countries to create innovative sonic landscapes. By combining their unique styles and techniques, these artists push creative boundaries while fostering a sense of unity within the noise music community.

Table: Examples of Notable Collaborations in Japanese Noise Music

Emerging Trend 3: Exploration of Non-Musical Elements Japanese noise artists have also begun to incorporate non-musical elements into their performances, expanding the boundaries of what can be considered as noise music. These elements may include visual projections, performance art, or even interactive installations that engage multiple senses simultaneously. By integrating these diverse mediums, noise musicians create immersive experiences that blur the lines between auditory and visual stimulation.

As Japanese noise music continues to evolve and diversify, its impact on global experimental music cannot be ignored. This genre has inspired a new wave of experimentation worldwide, pushing artists from various backgrounds to explore unconventional sonic territories. To fully understand this impact, we must examine how Japanese noise music has influenced the broader landscape of experimental sounds across borders and cultures.

Impact of Japanese Noise Music on Global Experimental Music

Building on the vibrant history of noise music in Japan, the local scene has witnessed several emerging trends that have shaped and diversified its sonic landscape. One notable trend is the incorporation of traditional Japanese instruments into noise performances, creating a unique fusion of old and new sounds. For instance, artists like Masami Akita, also known as Merzbow, have experimented with blending the harshness of noise with the delicate tones of instruments such as the shamisen or koto.

Moreover, there has been a growing emphasis on collaboration within the Japanese noise music community. Artists are increasingly joining forces to create collaborative projects where different styles and approaches intersect. This not only fosters creativity but also strengthens bonds within the scene. A prime example of this trend can be seen in “The Tokyo Collaborative Noise Project,” where multiple artists come together to showcase their individual talents while collectively pushing the boundaries of noise music.

Additionally, technological advancements have played a significant role in shaping contemporary Japanese noise music. The advent of digital tools and software has allowed for more intricate sound manipulation and experimentation. Artists now have access to an extensive range of effects and synthesizers that enable them to explore new sonic territories previously inaccessible. This integration of technology has opened up possibilities for unprecedented levels of sonic exploration within the genre.

• Thrilling collaborations between established and upcoming artists.
• Preservation and reimagining of traditional Japanese musical heritage through innovative techniques.
• Sonic landscapes that challenge conventional notions of harmony and melody.
• Explorations at intersections between genres, blurring boundaries for experimental expression.

Furthermore, here’s a three-column table highlighting some influential albums by prominent Japanese noise musicians:

These albums showcase the diverse range of styles and approaches within Japanese noise music, captivating listeners with their bold experimentation and boundary-pushing sounds.

In conclusion, the emerging trends in Japanese noise music demonstrate a dynamic evolution that pushes the genre’s boundaries while incorporating traditional elements, fostering collaboration, and embracing technological advancements. By infusing new ideas and techniques into this experimental realm, artists continue to shape a vibrant scene that captivates audiences globally.

(Note: The next section will explore the impact of Japanese noise music on global experimental music.)

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Contemporary noise music artists: local noise music and festivals, international noise music collaborations in the context of local noise music: noise music festivals, local noise music: diy scene and festivals, local noise music: the vibrant world of noise music festivals, previous interviews: local noise music artist profiles, next guitar pedals: local noise music equipment, lisa r. eley, related posts.

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10 Best Places to See Live Music in Tokyo

Misty Fujii is a Canadian who moved to Osaka, Japan, in 2019 and married her Japanese sweetheart. In 2022, they had a baby and moved to Fukui for the clean country air. She is a DJ who teaches English part-time and writes to share Japan with the world. She gets excited about collecting vintage vinyl records, food from all countries, travelling, and renovating her traditional Japanese house.

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Tokyo’s live music scene is a sonic playground where diverse sounds collide, and talent thrives! From intimate gigs at local live houses to colossal arena shows, there’s a stage for every music enthusiast. Tokyo has it all, whether you’re into rock, jazz, electronic, or traditional Japanese music. The city attracts both local and international artists, creating a dynamic atmosphere that never fails to impress. 

Attending a live show in Tokyo isn’t just about the music; it’s an immersive journey into the city’s pulsating soul and boundless creativity. So, whether you’re a dedicated fan or just looking to explore something new, Tokyo’s live music scene promises unforgettable moments and a soundtrack that will resonate long after the show. If you need help figuring out where to start, here are ten of the best places to see live music in Tokyo to get you grooving in the right direction. 

1. Blue Note Tokyo

3. ruby room, 4. nippon budokan, 5. ufo club, 8. ariake arena, 9. liquidroom, 10. kazunoya oiwake, japan wonder travel tours in tokyo, other articles you might be interested in.

Blue Note Tokyo is a legendary jazz club that pulsates with soulful melodies and captivating performances. Nestled in the heart of Aoyama, this iconic venue has become a mecca for jazz enthusiasts worldwide. You’ll be transported back to the golden age of music with its intimate setting and soul-stirring performances. From international legends like Oscar Peterson, Tony Bennett, and Herbie Hancock to local talents, Blue Note Tokyo attracts top-notch musicians who make magic on stage. Sure, tickets can be a splurge, but it’s worth every penny for serious jazz fans. Immerse yourself in the exceptional sound and impeccable service, and let the music sweep you away. Blue Note Tokyo guarantees an unforgettable jazz experience that will leave you craving more.

Website: Blue Note Tokyo

Shelter is a hidden gem for music lovers seeking an authentic and intimate live music experience. Tucked away in the hip Shimokitazawa neighborhood, this underground venue exudes a raw, gritty atmosphere that sets the stage for unforgettable performances. This venue hosts a kaleidoscope of local and international artists across genres, from indie rock to punk to experimental sounds. In its compact space, the energy is electric, and the connection between musicians and fans is tangible. Immerse yourself in Tokyo’s thriving underground music scene and experience the creative pulse of Shimokitazawa at this well-loved venue. 

Website: Shelter

The Ruby Room is regarded as one of the best live houses in Shibuya’s bustling Dogenzaka district. Despite its small size, this cozy live bar and nightclub has become a mecca for Tokyo’s creative crowd since 2002. Here, you’ll discover an eclectic mix of live performances and DJs, showcasing a wide range of musical talents from both local and international acts. With a capacity of just 150 people, this intimate space creates an electrifying atmosphere where you never know who might take the stage. From world-renowned artists like Belle & Sebastian to Basement Jaxx playing secret shows, The Ruby Room is where unforgettable moments unfold. Don’t miss their legendary open mic nights every Tuesday, where the next big stars make their mark. Get ready for an extraordinary night of music and an opportunity to witness the birth of tomorrow’s next star artist at The Ruby Room.

Website: Ruby Room

Nippon Budokan, Tokyo’s legendary indoor arena, is a cultural landmark that has witnessed unforgettable events like the first Beatles concert in Japan in 1966! Other top artists who have performed here include music legends like Duran Duran, Bob Dylan, Mariah Carey, and more. With its iconic octagonal shape and capacity for 14,000 spectators, it’s the perfect venue to experience electrifying performances across genres like rock, pop, jazz, and classical. Beyond music, Nippon Budokan also hosts martial arts events and cultural exhibitions, making it a versatile space loved by locals and visitors alike. Seeing a concert here is an awe-inspiring experience, as the grand architecture and impeccable acoustics ensure a sensational show from any seat. Prepare for a night of epic music and lifelong memories at Nippon Budokan.

Website: Nippon Budokan

Love rock & roll? Head to Koenji’s UFO Club, the quirky haven for Tokyo’s indie, punk, and psychedelic music scene. Here, you’ll discover underground artists making waves in Japan’s rock & roll world. From the wild sounds of Guitar Wolf to the surf rock vibes of The 5678’s (you might remember seeing them in Kill Bill!), this venue showcases established legends and up-and-coming bands with a cult following. The UFO Club blurs the line between artist and fan as everyone mingles in the main bar after sets. Brace yourself for a psychedelic experience as you step into a world adorned with dark red paintings that set the perfect mood for the mind-bending music you’re about to hear. Just make sure to leave your headache at the door because this place is all about letting loose and enjoying unforgettable and loud tunes. 

Website: UFO Club

Get ready to dance the night away at Womb, Tokyo’s legendary nightclub in the vibrant Shibuya district. Renowned for its electrifying atmosphere and world-class DJs, this hotspot is a must-visit for house, techno, and bass music enthusiasts. From Steve Aoki to DJ Snake, Womb has hosted top electronic artists from around the globe. As you step inside, you’ll be impressed by the high ceilings, the dazzling giant mirrorball (the biggest in Asia!), and an immersive sound system. Let the music envelop you while LED screens add a touch of visual magic. Womb’s parties are a nightly celebration of electric house and booming hip-hop, making it a nightlife experience like no other. Prepare to groove to the beats and unleash your inner party animal at Womb in Shibuya.

Website: WOMB

WWW X is where music lovers discover the next big thing and experience unforgettable moments in Tokyo’s music scene. This iconic live music venue in Shibuya, produced by Space Shower TV, brings you electrifying performances with an underground edge. With top-notch sound and lighting, the music experience here is excellent. From indie rock and punk to electronic and experimental music, WWW X showcases various genres that will keep you grooving all night. Step into this intimate space and let the raw energy and creativity of the performances inspire you.

Website: WWW X

Ariake Arena in Odaiba is Tokyo’s destination for unforgettable concerts. Initially built for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, this state-of-the-art indoor arena quickly became a music lover’s paradise. With its impeccable acoustics, the arena ensures an immersive experience that will leave you speechless or singing along! From chart-topping international sensations like Harry Styles, Post Malone, and Charlie Puth to local talents, Ariake Arena hosts diverse artists and bands representing various musical genres. With a seating capacity of up to 15,000, the concerts here are nothing short of electrifying, delivering an incredible atmosphere filled with excitement and energy. 

Website: Ariake Arena

LIQUIDROOM is nothing short of legendary. First established in Shinjuku’s Kabukicho district, it has since relocated to the more upscale neighborhood of Ebisu, offering a diverse lineup of live events. The venue’s long, rectangular space boasts excellent size and sound quality, making it a prime destination for music fans. With a capacity of 1000, it fits the bill as an intimate venue to see popular artists. Renowned for hosting an array of genres, it has welcomed global superstars like Rihanna, Foo Fighters, and Daft Punk, as well as emerging Japanese artists. With a reputation as one of Tokyo’s best live music spots, this venue guarantees a great experience that will leave you craving more.

Website: LIQUIDROOM

Get ready to experience the vibrant world of Minyo, traditional Japanese folk songs, at Kazunoya Oiwake in the heart of Asakusa. Opened initially as Oiwake Minton Sakaba, this classic venue has been enchanting audiences since the mid-1950s before reopening under its new name. As you step inside, you’ll feel the rich culture of Minyo music, where the waiters and waitresses double as performers. Dinner is entertaining, with traditional music performed on the shamisen, setting the stage for an unforgettable evening. From popular folk songs to spontaneous performances by talented audience members, Kazunoya Oiwake is a hub of contemporary Minyo culture. Soak in the atmosphere, tap your feet to the rhythmic melodies, and get a taste of traditional Japan at this extraordinary restaurant and venue.

Website: Kazunoya Oiwake

When you really want to sink into the Tokyo nightlife scene, you can always book an exciting tour exploring the city and some of the best places to eat and drink at night! Check out some of the best Tokyo night tours , and let the fun begin!

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▶ Shinjuku Bar Hopping Tour: Experience Tokyo’s Nightlife in Izakaya Check out the best spots in Shinjuku while bar hopping through the lively and vibrant area. Try some delicious local food and drink as you explore the narrow yet photogenic alleys that the town has to offer. Experience Japanese izakaya culture and drink in Shinjuku like the locals!

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Electronic and Experimental Music

• Dec 5, 2020

Vintage Electronic Music from Japan, Part 1

1953 to 1963

Book: Electronic and Experimental Music, sixth edition, Routledge 2020.

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In post-war Japan, interest grew in Western music. Among the genres that sparked curiosity was electronic music, then taking off in experimental music circles in North America and Europe. In Japan, an inter-disciplinary group of Japanese poets, painters, and musicians formed a loosely knit collective called the Jikken Kobo (Experimental Workshop). Their goal was to collaborate on multimedia projects, installations, dance and music performances. Beginning Active for about seven years, Jikken Kobo included such musicians as Toro Takemitsu, Kuniharu Akiyama, Joji Yuasa.

Soon after its founding, Jikken Kobo was drawn into the world of electronic music by Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo (Sony). Sony hired composer Takemitsu on a part-time basis to compose music on tape. This led to a mutually beneficial relationship between Jikken Kobo and Sony, wherein the arts collective was provided with access to the latest tape recording and audio-visual technology in exchange for the development of music and projection art for demonstration purposes.

The initial exposure of Japanese musicians to musique concrète came by way of composer Toshiro Mayuzumi, who had attended a concert of Schaeffer’s electronic music while studying in Paris in 1952.[i] Upon his return to Japan, Mayuzumi completed Les OEuvres pour musique concrète x, y, z in 1953), This piece became the first tape composition by a Japanese composer to gain wide exposure in Japan when it was publicly broadcast by radio station. Mayuzumi effectively used this piece to convey the basic electronic music techniques used by his European counterparts. His only available equipment included audio oscillators and tape recorders.

Around 1954, Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai, or NHK, the Japanese Broadcasting Corporation, took an interest in the potential of tape composition for the creation of radiophoniceffects and music. Members of the NHK staff translated a handbook from the Cologne studio of German radio and this document reportedly became their blueprint for the creation of their own electronic music studio. Composer Makato Moroi visited Cologne in 1955 to view the German studio first-hand. Upon his return, he worked with fellow experimenter Mayuzumi to guide NHK into the establishment of an electronic music studio. The first composers associated with the studio included Mayuzumi, Yuasa, Moroi, and Ichiyanagi. Takemitsu also became a regular user of the studio by the late 1950s.

The original NHK studio was equipped much like the Cologne studio and featured a bank of tone-generating oscillators, audio filters, ring modulation and recording equipment.

The culmination of this early period of development of Japanese electronic music is considered by some to be the completion of Shichi no Variation ( 7 Variations ) (1956) by Moroi and Mayuzumi. [ii] This was a strictly serial piece based on the composition process used by Stockhausen for Studie II , in which all parameters of the sound, including envelopes, were determined by using serial methods. The work was scored graphically and used seven mixtures of sine waves instead of five as in Studie II .

After these early years of imitating European music, the electronic music of Japan diversified in many ways. Tape music because a tool for the producer of theatrical works and opera. Composers combined it with the orchestra. Some composers worked in television and used electronic music to embellish kid’s programming such as Astroboy. Others were fascinated by the manipulations of the human voice on tape. Some saw the tape recorder as a tool for mixing and creating collages of found sounds combined with electronics. Still others brought electronics into live performances, without tape. Many sought to combine the new sounds of electronic music with the traditional sounds of Japanese culture. We’ll hear a sampling of all of these.

For this program, we’ll hear some historic recordings dating from the earliest years of Japanese electronic music from 1953 to 1963. Part 2 will continue with works from 1960 to 1975, bringing to a conclusion the pre-synthesizer era of electronic music in Japan.

1. Toshiro Mayuzumi, “Les Œuvres Pour La Musique Concrète X, Y, Z” (1953).

2. Makoto Moroi and Toshiro Mayuzumi, “7 Variations” (1956).

3. Toru Takemitsu, “Vocalism AI (Love)” (1956).

4. Group Ongaku, “Metaplasm Part 2” from Music of Group Ongaku (1961, SEER Sound Archive). Live performance featuring Saxophone, Tape - Yasunao Tone and Takehisa Kosugi.

5. Tadashi Mori (conductor), Akira Miyoshi (composer), opening excerpt to Ondine for orchestra, mixed chorus and electronic sounds. (1961, Time).

6. Joji Yusa, Tracks 1-4 (1963). Incidental music for NHK Radio, based on Andre Breton's "Nadja". "The actual chart of constellations was played by three players (violin, piano, vibraphone) which was supposed as the music score. And birds' voices, electronic sound, sound generated from inside piano, through music concrete technique and constructed at the NHK Electronic Music Studio."

The next two works are based on the early Japanese novel The Tale of Genji from the 11th century. Both are called Aoi No Ue." The first is by the female composer Michiko Toyama and captures the story of Princess Hollyhock. The tape is used in this case to subtly modify the vocals and instruments used in the work. The second piece is by Joji Yuasa and is an extended voice and tape work which we will hear in entirety, all 30 minutes.

7. Michiko Toyama, “Aoi No Ue (Princess Hollyhock) (Music Drama for Tape and Narration)” from Waka and Other Compositions (1960 Folkways).

8. Joji Yuasa ‎– “Aoi No Ue” for voice and tape. Tape parts realized at NHK Electronic music studio (1961).

NHK = Nippon Hoso Kyokai (Japanese Broadcasting Corp.)

For the Archive Mix here are two more pieces of vintage Japanese electronic music:

1. Kuniharu Akiyama, 'Demonstration' Of Nissei Theater (excerpt). Music for a public demonstration of the stage machinery of the newly opened Nissei Theatre in Tokyo (1963, Edition Omega Point)

2. Toshiro Mayuzumi, “Mandara” for electronic sounds and voices (1969, Philips).

[i] Takehito Shimazu, “The History of Electronic and Computer Music in Japan: Significant Composers and Their Works,” Leonardo Music Journal 4 (1994), 102–6. [ii] Ibid., 71.

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Alternative Kyoto: how Japan's culture capital became a hotspot for live music

Beneath the surface of sedate geisha teahouses and hushed shrines, Kyoto is a hotbed for legendary live music — here, Japan's most unique, riotous acts are set free in the city's underground clubs, grungy dive bars and historic cafes.

An Irish pub is, perhaps, not the obvious place to find yourself in the cultural heart of Japan. It’s with some trepidation, then, that I settle into a corner table at Field , an Irish pub above an udon restaurant in downtown Kyoto, where the door sign advertises that classic combination of ‘draught Guinness, good Irish music, and curry bread of Noharaya’.

My apprehension turns out to be wildly misplaced. Over the next couple of hours, a succession of fantastically talented Japanese musicians takes to the stage, putting the fiddle, flute, banjo and tin whistle to a series of riotous jigs, reels and slides that wouldn’t be out of place in the pubs of Dublin. “Europeans and Americans living in Kyoto started the Irish music sessions in pubs in the 1990s,” manager Hikaru Sato tells me between tunes. “A few curious Japanese joined them, and the Irish music scene was born.”

The genre was seized upon with aplomb by subsequent generations of Japanese musicians, who’ve taken it up with the passion, verve and skill typical of this nation of hobbyists. “Japanese people often believe that mastering something leads to enjoyment, both in work and in hobbies,” says fiddle and tin-whistle player Ryo Kaneko, fresh from a rousing rendition of Egan’s Polka. There’s even a word for it in Japanese: ikigai — the sense of motivation and life force generated by the pursuit of one’s passions. “Hobbies are huge here,” confirms my guide, Van Milton of InsideJapan . “And when you find one, you go for it, full throttle.”

The modest Irish folk scene is just the tip of the iceberg. The guidebooks speak of Kyoto with reverential awe: a city frozen in time, where robed monks sweep around hushed temples, and an opaque silence hangs above the perfect angles of Zen gardens. But there’s another side to the place — one that’s modern, rumbustious and irreverent to the core. By night, Kyoto is turned upside down. The city’s counterculture has long been brewed in the city’s music venues, locally known as ‘live houses’. In the 1970s, members of the Japanese Red Army, a female-led militant communist group who aimed to overthrow the monarchy, were said to have hidden out amid the swirling smoke and dark-wood walls of Zac Baran , one of Kyoto’s most famous jazz bars.

My own descent into the Kyoto nightscape continues at Urban Guild , the city’s leading avant-garde music space. Fractals project off the walls. A man in a bucket hat with a ducktail beard smokes a large cigarette of dubious legality. It’s a full house here tonight, spectators packed onto wooden benches — yet there are even more people standing around the stage, waiting to perform, than there are in the audience. A young man goes through some warm-up stretches; an elderly man with knee-length dreadlocks, topped with a rasta cap, repeatedly bends over and pounds his knees with his fists. They’re limbering up.

The need for physical preparedness becomes apparent as the night proceeds, a marathon of modern jazz improvisation that unspools through several hours with more than 30 performers, many of whom return to the stage time and again. The evening unfolds in an amorphous phantasmagoria of music and light. There’s a circus feel, with children running amok across the stage, ducking beneath drum risers, synthesizers and microphone leads. The decibels rise; they stick their fingers in their ears. A salaryman sleeps on a corner bench.

One of the repeat performers is vocalist Fuyuco, who I chat to in between sets. She explains that Kyoto’s smaller population — around half that of Osaka, and 10 times less than Tokyo — and less well-known venues have helped a different kind of music scene flourish here, compared with those found in bigger cities. “Kyoto is a small, deep city,” she says. “People’s connections are spread like roots; you can make a community easily here. The cost of living is also cheaper than other major cities, which is why so many experimental musicians live here.”

The next day, I meet ambient music producer Ferdinand Maubert in Cavalier, a darkly stylish cocktail bar. As I quiet the embryonic thud of a hangover with Hibiki whiskies, he explains that Kyoto is at the vanguard of Japan’s nascent electronic music scene. It long faced a unique stumbling block: a 1948 law, introduced to counteract the corrupting influence of US culture, which banned dancing after midnight. For long periods the police turned a blind eye, allowing nightclubs to operate semi-legally, but a series of high-profile raids in the 2010s, known as the ‘War on Dance’, shuttered an already stifled scene even further. Protests followed and Japan’s archaic dancing ban was finally lifted in 2015.

Ferdinand tells me things are moving forward here, even if progress is slow. “When I was in Europe in the 2000s, it was all about underground raves; now everyone wants them here in Japan,” he says. “Ten years ago, we were in the 1980s in Japan. Now we’re in the 1990s.” The ambient music scene in particular is growing, boosted by a 2022 multimedia exhibition held in Kyoto by Brian Eno, the British musician and record producer who popularised the genre in the 1970s and 1980s.

Ferdinand agrees with Fuyuco that Kyoto makes a good home for those who don’t fit so easily into mainstream life in Japan. “These people choose to live a little on the margins of society,” he says, “and you can do that in Kyoto — it’s more affordable, and it’s also close to nature.” The latter is particularly important to Ferdinand, whose debut album, Made in Kyoto , is infused with field recordings made in the bamboo forests outside the city.

Kyoto also provides a handsome setting for music venues, with its historic architecture having been spared bombing during the Second World War. Rock ’n’ roll bands shake the wooden rafters of Jittoku, a former sake brewery said to be the oldest music house in Japan, while live swing music echoes against the mosaic tiles of Sarasa Nishijin, an attractive 1930s bathhouse that’s now a cafe.  

( How to spend a day in Kyoto, Japan's culture capital. )

Rebel Music

‘The nail that sticks out will be hammered down’ — this traditional Japanese proverb is trotted out by foreign observers so often that I’m surprised to hear it repeatedly from Japanese people themselves when describing the country’s collectivist, conformist society. Music, though, is a vehicle of escape for Kyotoites of a more individual bent. Walk among the canalside shophouses and cherry trees of Kiyamachi Street and you may be greeted by the striking sight and sound of Chanko Ponchi, an ex-sumo wrestler, rapping and beat-boxing in nothing but his mawashi (loincloth). Another individual of the Kyoto music scene is Taiji Sato, a guitar-wielding firebrand with a magnificent mane who has earned the sobriquet ‘the Japanese Lenny Kravitz’ and become a prominent fixture in the city’s live houses.  

Nowhere is Kyoto’s fierce musical individuality more evident than in its upholding of the proud tradition of Japanese punk rock, spearheaded in the 1980s by acts such as Boøwy and Shonen Knife. Among those carrying the flag today are Kyoto legends Otoboke Beaver, whose brand of searing guitar punk and satirical lyrics — often damning of the narrow conservatism and familial pressures of Japanese society — has generated interest in Europe and the US and won acclaim from rock royalty Dave Grohl. “It was only after we started getting attention overseas that we were labelled as a punk band,” singer Accorinrin tells me, “but maybe our attitude is punk.” Perhaps, she says, this has something to do with being from Kyoto, where, as with the wider Kansai region, “people are known for being direct and outspoken”.

Even here, in the modern punk scene, the influence of Kyoto’s traditional arts makes itself known. Accorinrin points to manzai, a classical comedy form. “Kansai is the birthplace of the comedy scene in Japan, so we don’t consciously think about comedy; it’s just a part of us,” she says. “Manzai is a traditional type of stand-up comedy, usually two people in a conversation — it has a rhythm, a slow and fast speed. The changing tempo fascinates us and this influences our songwriting.”

As luck would have it, the band are playing a homecoming gig in Kyoto during my visit, so I duly show up at Socrates, a grungy dive bar, with my guide, Van, in tow. Sweat drips from the walls as the band rattles through a set of pulse-quickening punk, with sweet pop melodies alternating with bursts of spiky rage over spidery guitar riffs. The band’s bugbears are evident in the song titles — I Won’t Dish Out Salads; I Am Not Maternal; Dirty Old Fart is Waiting for My Reaction — and in the righteous fury of the lyrics, barked in Japanese and English, with lines like: “A tenacious sulky troublesome ass/Looking for a one-night stand/Creepy old fart.”

“This is what happens in Japan,” says Van, nodding approvingly, “when the mask comes off.”

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‘Tokyo Vice’ Went Bigger in Season 2 — Including Its Depiction of the ’90s

The first season of Max ‘s “ Tokyo Vice ” introduced audiences to Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort), an American crime reporter working in Japan who gets a crash course in both local journalistic practices and the complicated relationship between the police and the yakuza. The filmmakers immersed the viewer in the world of ’90s Tokyo just as Jake was immersed in it, creating a highly kinetic and involving character study that was also a study of a specific time and place. Season 2 retained those qualities but broadened the show’s perspective to provide a more ensemble-oriented look at its world, deepening its exploration of the cops, criminals, reporters, and nightclub hostesses whose lives intersect with or run parallel to Jake’s.

The result was a second season that not only delivered on but surpassed the promise of Season 1, a visually and aurally dense series in which the craft is so thoroughly integrated with the story that it’s often invisible. This is just as assistant costume designer Hideyuki Kurosawa intended. “We wanted the costumes to fit smoothly into the whole television show, working together with all the other parts,” Kurosawa told IndieWire. “It wasn’t like we wanted our work to stand out. It was supposed to fit in with everything else.”

Composers Saunder Jurriaans and Danny Bensi took a similarly restrained approach to their work, avoiding clichés in the music that would telegraph the time and place too bluntly. “The initial [intention] was to create a sound very specific to the show that wasn’t placing it too much geographically,” Jurriaans told IndieWire. That said, the broadened milieu of Season 2 meant that Jurriaans and Bensi could delve more deeply into Japanese instrumentation, finding a new sound by playing the instruments — with which they freely admit they were not entirely well versed as performers — in their own style.

The need to accurately depict the ’90s without drawing attention to it has been a hallmark of “Tokyo Vice” from the beginning and a key challenge for production designer Kikuo Ohta. “The truth is that these kind of old places hardly exist anymore,” Ohta told IndieWire. “In order to evoke the historical era, we had to look for hidden spots that no one goes to, or we had to find places that hadn’t changed too much that we could make look older with set decoration.” Like his colleagues, Ohta took advantage of the increased scope of the new season to expand the show’s visual language and find unique ways of expressing character through design.

In the videos below, Ohta, Kurosawa, Jurriaans and Bensi explore how they approached the new challenges and opportunities provided by Season 2 of “Tokyo Vice.”

The Production Design of ‘Tokyo Vice ‘

One of the biggest changes at the beginning of Season 2 is the shift that Rachel Keller’s character Samantha takes from expatriate nightclub hostess to club owner, a transformation that production designer Kikuo Ohta saw as central to the series. “As soon as we began working on Season 2, it became clear that the most important thing would be Club Polina,” he said. In designing the club, Ohta took his cues from the character and her love of her new home. “It’s all her design, with a more Japanese feeling. Just as Samantha wanted to change the feeling of the club, that was also what I was trying to do by providing this design.” Ohta employed traditional Shoji screens and a Japanese sand finish on the walls and even made sure the wood in the club came from Japanese trees. Ohta’s meticulous work made it a little distressing when he learned there would be a violent shoot-out in the club. “I hadn’t known at first that there was going to be a gunfight that destroyed the set,” he said. “When I found out about it, I was honestly feeling a little sad.”

The secretive world of the yakuza is a pivotal aspect of the series’ narrative, and Ohta had a specific perspective that came from personal experience. “You would normally never get to see inside of the home of a yakuza,” Ohta said. “But by chance, 20 years ago, I had a part-time job working in houses, including a yakuza house. The yakuza clans were at war, so I was careful to be discreet and fast when I took some photographs for posterity.” Those photos served as reference points decades later when Ohta needed to create living spaces for his yakuza characters. When it came to another key location, the headquarters for the newspaper where Jake Adelstein works, Ohta chose to build a set and ended up with a massive build filled with authentic pieces of set decoration to make the space come to life. “I think it was the most decorated set in the world. It had everything, even a small elevator just for reference materials. Everyone spent way too much time on these details.”

In the video above, see how Kikuo Ohta built the expressive and period-accurate environments of “Tokyo Vice.”

The Costume Design of ‘Tokyo Vice ‘

Like Ohta, assistant costume designer Hideyuki Kurosawa had to recreate 1990s Tokyo faithfully, and his research gave him a clear direction. “In Japan, at that time in the ’90s, everything was getting bigger,” Kurosawa said. “Suits, for example, were roomier, more comfortable, with bigger collars, even equestrian collars. All of this was part of Japan’s unique culture at that time.” Accordingly, Kurosawa dressed many of the characters in clothes that would immediately evoke the era, though when it came to the yakuza, he decided to differentiate between clans via the eras their fashions represented. “By the end of the 1990s, the yakuza were in gradual decline,” Kurosawa said. “There were still some yakuza dressing as they had historically. For example, the Ishida clan wore clothing in the old style, while the Tozawa clan wore newer styles, which were more corporate and business-like, with a tighter, neat suit. Today, we don’t have anything like this, but way back in the 1990s, this is how it was.”

For Season 2, the costumes also had to reflect Jake Adelstein’s changing fortunes. “Between Season 1 and Season 2, Jake becomes a much better reporter,” Kurosawa said. “He’s making more money. He’s about to hit it big. He has this youthful energy and a can-do attitude. So he’s wearing a lot of blue to convey his youth and a feeling of going places.” Samantha is another character who has undergone a transformation, and like Kikuo Ohta, Kurosawa saw an opportunity for their craft to illuminate the change. “In this season, Samantha takes it upon herself to go from being a hostess to being a mama-san who is in charge of the other hostesses. As a mama-san, Samantha needs to be respected, so she dresses more Japanese and wears a dress made from kimono fabric.” While Samantha’s are among the most eye-catching fashions in the series, Kurosawa was every bit as attentive to more mundane dressers — even when what the clothes are expressing is how much the characters don’t care about clothes. “Nagata, the female police officer, is thinking only about how to bring down the yakuza,” he said. “She is not a person who is thinking much about fashion.”

In the video above, watch as Hideyuki Kurosawa breaks down his approach to the costumes of “Tokyo Vice.”

The Music of ‘Tokyo Vice ‘

Although the score for “Tokyo Vice” often speaks eloquently for the characters, conveying via music what they’re not articulating verbally, the show’s composers didn’t go in with preconceived notions of each character’s musical identity. “We very much respond viscerally to what we’re watching,” Saunder Jurriaan told IndieWire. “We don’t tend to set out to create character themes. We really let that happen organically. It’s not like we’ll sit down and be like, OK, now we have to write Tozawa’s theme and Ishida’s theme. It’s just not the way we process the story. But these themes organically came out of Season 1, and one of my favorites is Tozawa’s theme, which is really strange, kind of eerie. It started out with gongs doubled with this weird synth, and it’s almost a little out of tune, and that really grew in Season 2. We brought in a kind of low string orchestra underneath it, with lots of cellos to give that deep, dark Japanese sense of thousands of years of honor that cellos and double basses really bring out.”

While Season 2 of “Tokyo Vice” is more of an ensemble affair than Season 1, the arc of main character Jake Adelstein still led to some important musical developments, among them an increased reliance on traditional Japanese instruments. Initially, Jake was too new to the culture to justify that kind of instrumentation. “We couldn’t have started out that thick and heavy with it,” composer Danny Bensi said. “It would have been too much.” As Jake has become more and more immersed in Japan, however, the composers have correspondingly incorporated a Japanese influence in their music. The composers used instruments like the koto, a stringed instrument that created what they describe as a “buzzing, bendy sound,” and played taiko drums that they played themselves in the studio and then layered in the mix. The result is a timeless-sounding score that evokes both character and theme without becoming too literal, casting the same hypnotic spell on the viewer that Tokyo does on Jake.

In the video above, listen to some of Saunder Jurriaans and Danny Bensi’s most compelling pieces of music from “Tokyo Vice,” along with the composers’ thoughts on the score’s creation.

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When Roller-Skating Nuns Came to the Opera House

The choreographer Florentina Holzinger’s shows feature circus performers and abundant nudity. Now, she’s bringing her experimental approach to opera.

By Ben Miller

Reporting from Schwerin, Germany

In a rehearsal last week at the Mecklenburg State Theater in Schwerin, northeastern Germany, Fleshpiece, a shirtless performer with tattoos and purple hair, strode to the front of the main stage and delivered an impassioned monologue.

“This opera house, this is our church,” Fleshpiece intoned. “We continue to nail you to the present, just as Jesus was nailed to the cross.”

Supervising the scene was the experimental choreographer Florentina Holzinger, wearing a black baseball cap and a T-shirt printed with a picture of two nuns engaged in B.D.S.M. play.

Her previous works, including “ Ophelia’s Got Talent ” at the Volksbühne in Berlin and “ A Divine Comedy ” for the Rührtriennale festival, were boundary-pushing, peripatetic shows in which nudity, profanity, onstage helicopters, onstage ejaculation and performers hanging from their teeth have shocked and awed audiences. “Ophelia’s Got Talent” jointly won Germany’s Faust prize for best dance production last year, cementing Holzinger’s status as one of Europe’s rising theater stars.

In the German-speaking world, that kind of profile brings invitations to direct opera — and Holzinger’s work, which matches music with powerful, stage-filling spectacle, certainly has operatic qualities. Yet a gilded opera theater still seems an unlikely home for Holzinger, 38, whose anarchic works are collaged from new and old text and music, often with sharply contrasting styles.

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