Pip Proud
A Fraying Space

boomkat: ...Japan's EM Records illuminate the liberated early works of Yokohama's no wave improv unit Inryo-Fuen circa 1980-82. First issued on flexi-disc and vinyl, these four tracks have now been remastered, re-edited and remixed from original tapes to provide a record of a fertile, pre-digital era when experimental music was performed on the very fringes of society to a tightly knit audience who really had to work to seek out anything beyond the pale - perhaps unlike today's instant access all areas culture. It opens with the historically poignant 'Dakyo Sezu (Uncompromising)' from their debut 7"; a stomping drums and bass dedication to Tony Conrad and The Dream Syndicate which provides an impromptu platform for local student agitators who burst onto the mic half way thru, only for the engineer to whip up the effects to chaotic effect. There follows some jagged skronk in 'Hammer Clock' which sounds uncannily like Mars meets Konono No.1, and then the thundering motorik turmoil of 'Sora Yori Orite Kisi Mono (That Which Falls From The Sky)' strangely alleviated by a lone, wistful organ figure that rises and swoops over all over the thing with celestial grace. But, for the full frontal, primal no wave dose, look no further than the 24 minute B-side of 'Ground Rock', summed up by the group's Jun Harada thusly; "This thrilling mode of performance had a mysterious power and sense of potential. By departing from pre-established harmony and pushing ourelves to our limits, we were able to discover a power that surpassed our own abilities. This act was like deciphering our own history from the deepest part of our being - the musical score of life that is DNA." Recommended!

Editions Mego: ...If you have heard any of Thighpaulsandra's previous albums, you will know that you'd best approach this record with no fixed set of expectations, because once again he changes genres and defies easy classification, sometimes more than once within one song. Drawing on his long-time background as a key member in such diverse groups as Coil, Spiritualized and Julian Cope's band (in each case arguably at the height of their creative prowess) and his work as producer and sound engineer for an even larger variety of customers, you'll find classical passages next to hard rock riffing, krauty experimental work-outs turning into super catchy, almost radio-friendly songs and more.Many adjectives have been used to describe Thighpaulsandra’s work: epic, challenging, timeless, idiosyncratic, but certainly never predictable or boring.Possibly his most rewarding album yet and a welcome and unusual entry, in the Mego catalogue, which will entertain and astonish listeners who are fond of having their mind severely altered by sound.

EM Records: ...A hotline to the gods! Kagura is a thousand-year-old form of Japanese Shinto sacred music and dance, accompanying the chanting of myths; the word "kagura" can be translated as "god-entertainment". Passed down over countless generations, the music is rare and recordings even rarer. Shigeo Tanaka was a master of the yumi (bow), an uncommon single-string percussion instrument, which is a true bow: arrows are fired off at the end of each ceremony to fend off evil sprits. The instrument is difficult to play; it's hard to draw out the proper sound and maintain the rhythm.Yumi kagura is the oldest of all the various forms of kagura. The Tanaka family, based in rural Jōge-cho, Hiroshima prefecture, has passed down this yumi kagura tradition for hundreds of years; this lineage continues to this day in the person of his daughter Ritsuko Tanaka. The Jōge-cho yumi kagura, which prays for family well-being, bountiful crops and good fortune, was designated an Important Intangible Cultural Property in 1971. The piece featured here, "Takusa saimon", based on the myth "Ama no iwato" (The Rocky Celestial Cave), is mesmeric, reaching back across ages to the time before time, with Tanaka's voice and yumi, accompanied by flute and metal percussion, drawing us closer to the primal activities of the gods. Listeners may find affinities with aspects of musics as diverse as German electronic minimalism like E2-E4, certain Ethiopian music, "spiritual jazz" and more, all tapping into the deep root of forever. Previously available only on a ridiculously obscure 1990 cassette release, Yumi kagura is the first collaborative release by EM Records and Riyo Mountains, a Japanese folk song research team. “Inagahachiman jinja yumi kagura hōnō" is recorded in 2016 by Tanaka's daughter and successor Ritsuko Tanaka.

- Juan A. ARTECHE ( All Instruments)- Pelayo FERNANDEZ ARRIZABALAGA (Bass Clarinet)- Indians from Alto Xingú (Voices)- Juan C. FERNANDEZ (Keyboards, Programming)- Javier PAXARINO (Flute, Piccolo Flute, Kabal, Baritone Sax, Bass Ocarina, Bansuri, Soprano Sax)- Markus BREUSS (Trumpets)- Julio CANO (Caja y Rumberas)- Wade A. MATTHEWS (Short Waves Radio)

EM Records: ...from Beginning c​/​w Lena Willikens Remix, released November 23, 2018"Beginning" composed and produced by Mari SekinePublisher: Eel's Bed Music(c) & (p) 2018 EM Records

EM Records: ...The second of two EM Records 12-inch vinyl-only "tribute releases" in support of the Kuzoku film "Bangkok Nites", this time by rap group stillichimiya, local heroes in their Yamanashi homeland. Based on samples from Dao Bandon's biggest hit, the classic luk thung Isan tune "Man on a Water Buffalo" [EM1131CD/LP], the tracks here, including a remix by Compuma, are a grittier, real-world counterpart to the dreamy first release in the series.