My good friend Kohei got me this album about 5 years ago when he went back to Yokohama for Christmas break. It's such a fun album. BeatMania is some kind of DJ turntable and mixing station that you plug into your Playstation and make your own mixes. I think it's exclusively made by Konami but I'm not sure. There's a lot of them. This one was compiled by Konishi Yasuharu of Pizzicato 5. It's a really weird mix of Shibuya-Kei and is absolutely lovely from start to finish. I haven't heard of most of the artists that participated on the album. I thought I would post some tracks from it. I still listen to it a lot. It's super happy fun! The track above is my favorite on the album. It has this amazing build and break about two-thirds into it that just gets me. It's really subtle but I think it pays off. Enjoy.
fistula spume says
I think this song might win for most sounds packed in short amount of time. Towards the end it's just nuts.
Takè Rodriguez - Game of Exotica 2:57
Rawkkiddoh says
I remember the game and am still amazed that I did not pick it up. Liking the way this sounds though, and it makes me wish I had gotten it even more
fistula spume says
From what I can tell the only English speaking kids that got this particular game were privileged rich white kids that really didn't like it at all. They seemed to be into the more pedestrian versions. I would've definitely played this one.
This brings back a lot of memories of seeing bands in Tokyo, from the sublime to the ridiculous. Hearing these, I feel like delving into my stack of Japanese CDs and dropping a few tunes.
It's strange how Japanese bands that gain any sort of foothold in America are expected to be sort of bad. Shonen Knife, or The Boredoms, or The 5,6,7,8's; that sort of raucous, silly stuff. Otherwise, a Japanese band has to have an utterly irresistible song ("Twiggy Twiggy/Twiggy vs. James Bond," for instance, or "Sukiyaki" by Kyu Sakamoto). I've never quite understood it, but if a Japanese act doesn't have a sure-fire hit song, Americans would rather they be ridiculous than sublime.
As a consequence, we miss a lot of excellent Japanese music, like this.
My good friend Kohei got me this album about 5 years ago when he went back to Yokohama for Christmas break. It's such a fun album. BeatMania is some kind of DJ turntable and mixing station that you plug into your Playstation and make your own mixes. I think it's exclusively made by Konami but I'm not sure. There's a lot of them. This one was compiled by Konishi Yasuharu of Pizzicato 5. It's a really weird mix of Shibuya-Kei and is absolutely lovely from start to finish. I haven't heard of most of the artists that participated on the album. I thought I would post some tracks from it. I still listen to it a lot. It's super happy fun! The track above is my favorite on the album. It has this amazing build and break about two-thirds into it that just gets me. It's really subtle but I think it pays off. Enjoy.
Comments (11)
This brings back a lot of memories of seeing bands in Tokyo, from the sublime to the ridiculous. Hearing these, I feel like delving into my stack of Japanese CDs and dropping a few tunes.
Post away Jonh. I'm a japananese junkie. I think sublime and ridiculous is an apt descriptor.
It's strange how Japanese bands that gain any sort of foothold in America are expected to be sort of bad. Shonen Knife, or The Boredoms, or The 5,6,7,8's; that sort of raucous, silly stuff. Otherwise, a Japanese band has to have an utterly irresistible song ("Twiggy Twiggy/Twiggy vs. James Bond," for instance, or "Sukiyaki" by Kyu Sakamoto). I've never quite understood it, but if a Japanese act doesn't have a sure-fire hit song, Americans would rather they be ridiculous than sublime.
As a consequence, we miss a lot of excellent Japanese music, like this.
sweet. the Takè Rodriguez song has a purposeful sound. it's good you gave me the link.
agh, Tokyo. my funds are dwindling. i might fail getting there yet again.