VA - Kuruisake Meets Revolution [2004]

Jukeboxxx Records started out as a primarily thrash label. The preeminent label from Nagoya release a lot of Nice View's early recordings, as well as several critical Japanese thrash compilations. This is one of them, and it's pretty dang good. There's a pretty good mix of thrash/hardcore bands that cover a wide swath of different styles.

The standout on this compilation is the first track, from Turtle Island. I saw them in Kyoto in 2002 on a bill with Naiad and The Futures. I had no clue what I was in for, but after setting up kodo drums, flutes, and even a sitar, they totally blew me away. I've never been a fan of "tribal" punk. It usually ends up pretty boring and hokey. Kind of like a drum circle gone awry. But Turtle Island is super tight, and all of their wild instrumentation packs the energy and excitement of punk and hardcore. The entire band is just so into the music and the songs are so well written, you can't help but get into it. I was instantly smitten. Since that time, they've even added the amazing George, from Bluebeard/Naht fame, on guitar. Not sure how he fits, but that's pretty interesting. To taste what Turtle Island is doing, here's a live video from 2008. So amazing:

VA - 狂イ咲け Meets Revolution

1. Turtle Island - どろろ

2. 枯梗 - 歌ってほしいあがる歌

3. Beryneck - ジプシーガール

4. TA-KEN & GoodbanD - VICTORY

5. Cause - Gari Gari

6. Strong Style - 朝日なき夜明け

7. Qua - キラキラ

8. Echo - I Say

VA - Nameless Flames [2003]

I can't remember where this came from. Maybe I bought it in Japan? This compilation has a very eclectic mix of bands, from wild thrash to dreamy shoegaze. Some of the "bigger" names on this comp are Deep Slauter, who toured the States in 2007, and Snore, who are similar to Deep Slauter. Crap, there's just a lot of different stuff on here. I don't have much inside knowledge into this comp, so just give it a try.

Here's some Deep Slauter:

VA - Nameless Flames

1. Deep Slauter - Peeping

2. Deep Slauter - A Full Stop

3. Fakestarfakes - Can I Close My Eyes To Sweet

4. Fakestarfakes - God Stays

5. ExVxS - New Word

6. ExVxS - Nauseating Sight

7. Slick - After The Deep Grief

8. Slick - Leave Tracks

9. Remainasit - 見つからない

10. Remainasit - Byeture

11. BxQx Idol - DxMxNxG

12. BxQx Idol - 有象無象

13. BxQx Idol - インチキジャスティス

14. BxQx Idol - ExLxD

15. Guernica - Kings

16. Chavo - Meaning

17. Chavo - Fuck All

18. Chavo - I Was At A Loss For Words

19. Weatherroll - Asayake Meets My Cartain

20. Zillion - 断

21. Zillion - 研ぐのは誰か、使うは我か

22. Zillion - 散乱の中心

23. Zillion - 人人人

24. Snore - 空白

25. Snore - 美しい物に心を蓴われてそこに在る哀しみに耳を傾けようともしない

VA - Surplus Suppression 3 Compilation [2003]

Here's an odd little compilation that I got from Nitro Mega Prayer when I did a trade with them. It's a weird amalgam of metalcore bands, with Nitro Mega Prayer and Enforce thrown in the mix. At the time, both bands weren't too far from that genre, but still sound different. The Nitro Mega Prayer tracks are sort of between their first split and their first album. The Enforce track is my highlight on here, though. They only released 3 tracks that I know of, on compilations, but they prove themselves as one of the best bands from Japan.

If anybody has any information on Enforce, please let me know!

VA - Surplus Suppression 3

1. Optimistic Hedge Hog - 欲望

2. Optimistic Hedge Hog - 扉の先

3. Jabberwock - One Step

4. Jabberwock - Fat Man

5. Enforce - 開放

6. Nitro Mega Prayer - 鏡

7. Nitro Mega Prayer - 8秒の沈黙

8. Lost Eden - Seven Cardinal Sins

VA - Here Comes The Bottom Line... Vol. 3 [2008]

And so the week ends with Volume 3. This actually isn't the last of the compilation series, but I don't have Vol. 4, so that'll be it for this anyways. I really hope Aki continues with this series, as there isn't really any other compilations in Japan collecting this stuff.

As with the others, this one has a different style than the one's before. This one is mainly emo and screamo bands. Some of the stand outs are Bed, What Ever Film, and The Sunset Boulevard, although almost every track is really good.

I still have a copy of this in my distro, so pick it up if you like the tracks: Buy it Here!

Here Comes The Bottom Line... Vol. 3 Compilation

1. Herpiano - I Wonder

2. Piece Pix - 真夜中の歌

3. Bed - 70000000000人間

4. TG.Atlas - 神or魔神

5. What Ever Film - イツワリ

6. The Sunset Boulevard - Return From Ruin

7. Nenem - 三階裏からの追憶

8. Curve - Rather Forgiven

9. Malegoat - Expression

10. Fragments - Such Days

11. Mod Lung - 昨日みた夢

12. Sheba - Rainbow On You

VA - Here Comes The Bottom Line... Vol. 2 [2006]

Ah, number two. This was some time after the first (around two years) and had a different focus than the previous one. Although the theme of Impulse Records' Here Comes the Bottom Line... seems to really just be about getting great Japanese bands together, each one seems to have a stylistic focus too. The first was a sort of melodic hardcore/screamo/emo mash-up. This one is more about noisy bands and emo bands. You've got the expansive and sneaky Bright and Dark Side next to the wild and chaotic Fountain of Rich Aroma. There's even a solid noise track with 斜陽 (sorry, won't bother translating it). The tying thread, like the first, is that this is the Japanese underground. Aki doesn't collect every band in this series. He would be almost to the hundreds by now. What he does try to capture is the spirit, the ethics of what makes the underground unique. Sometimes its just personal. Most, if not all of these bands have played shows with all the others. They probably know most of the members by name. Styles aside, this is a cohesive scene. And maybe that's the theme of each, he looks at one scene. I'm not sure if many of these bands have played shows with Mule or Minoritybluesband, from the first compilation, so maybe that's it. 


I can see this as also a sort of level setting, to define what makes these bands different. As an outsider to Japan, I don't normally play the scene card. I tend to evaluate bands based purely on their sound, not caring who they play with or what label they're on. And not that those things matter, necessarily, but I think they're indicative of the character and ethics of said band. There's a specific scenario that outlines this point perfectly. Zankyo Records is a slightly prolific label in Japan that releases music in the emo, and sometimes screamo, genres. If you listened to folio and, say, 3nd or The Cabs, you can see a lot of similarities. But, those bands would rarely, if ever, play together in Japan. The reason being, I can only ascertain from what I can see, is that folio is an indie or DIY band, and The Cabs are hoping to "make it big." After the success of 9mm Parabellum Bullet, who were on Zankyo before signing to Sony, it seems that becoming popular while playing indie music with screaming is a real possibility. This is really about the sound of music separated from the reasons that sound was developed. In some ways, that is also the problem with the internet spreading DIY music. Most of the time only the music is communicated, separated from the context that music was created in.


So, these compilations, while not explicitly communicating a message in their packaging, are about the DIY culture and what it means. If so, then it's really some sort of allegorical biography of Aki himself, because the dude embodies what is great about this culture. Playing in about 10 bands, being a focal point and supporter of the DIY scene. His most recent Impulse Fest is a perfect example of his commitment to the scene outside of a specific genre. Do yourself a favor and get into Impulse Records.


This compilation is still available a few places, but hey(!), you can pick it up in the States from me, so DO IT!
http://www.meatcube.com/product_info.php?products_id=293 
And listen at the link below.


For comparison. Folio:

and The Cabs:

Here Comes The Bottom Line... Vol. 2 Compilation

1. Shoutmoskva - Missing? or Nothing?

2. Fountain of Rich Aroma - A View

3. Bright And Dark Side - Mirror

4. Same Place Empty - Consciousness That Was Let Loose

5. Paluka - 荒唐無稽

6. デラシネ - Business For Your Music 10,000,000

7. 斜陽 - 無題

8. Alan Smithee - Stalker

9. 33/45 - 連鎖、共鳴シ続ケル鐘

10. Test Mustard Disco - Irresponsibility

11. R3-N7 - クソッタレ

VA - Here Comes The Bottom Line... Vol. 1 [2004]

Back in 2005, Impulse Records was an upstart label coming out of Shikoku, Japan. I'm not sure who sent the first email, but I think I contacted Aki to get copies of their first compilation (this one) and the Forgetmenot 3 songs EP. This was at a time when most of the bands I'd been friends with were slowing down or breaking up all together. I was busy with Cease Upon the Capitol and not paying so much attention to what was going on in Japan. So when I got the stuff from Impulse, I was blown away by all of these newer bands that were amazing. Forgetmenot was an instant favorite, for sure, but this compilation took time to grow on me. I appreciate it now more than I did then, mostly because of changing tastes.

This is sold out everywhere, but I found a copy at MNM Distro. So, buy it here:
http://mnm.xrea.jp/distro/cd/index.php?page=all#916

Here's a music video from one of Mule's later albums:

Here Comes the Bottom Line... Vol. 1 Compilation

1. Mule - 12

2. Butch - The Day

3. Driftage - Issues Persecute Us

4. Infro - 足跡

5. Infro - 独り

6. The Oxide - Bombed Like This Stereo

7. Hush Puppy - Still

8. Minority Blues Band - Stone Won't Roll

9. Forgetmenot - 理想も忘れて

10. Halka Goat - 光の日々へ

VA - Saitama Local Music Reconstruction [2012]

This isn't a part of emo week, it's just something I found and wanted to put out here. I'm not sure who long this will stay up and free. This is a compilation of local Saitama acts. There are 27 tracks & bands in total, and Ototoy (a Japanese MP3 service) has it all up for free. You do have to register and login to download, but it has English instructions and is pretty simple.

The compilation is an extremely diverse mix of styles. It starts with some punk/hardcore, moving into electronic, then hip-hop, then experimental noise, then rounds it off with rock. I liked some of the stuff and did not like others. But, it was fun hearing a ton of bands I was unfamiliar with. S-Explode is the only band I knew on the compilation. Try it out, and quick cause I feel like this won't be free for long.

V/A - SAITAMA LOCAL MUSIC RECONSTRUCTION

1.  Little basterds - DAY BY DAY

2.  HIGH THRASH GIRL - Do You Live Or Die

3.  GLEAM GARDEN - MAYBE TOMORROW ,MAYBE NOT

4,  s-explode - RE:dis heat

5.  Fragment - bluff dance

6. k-over - ネガポジション[改] 

7.  Hirotaka Maki - infiniti

8. アナログ輝 - DOPE ROUND

9. BARZ BEATZ - Sunset Blues

10. Ken sakano - set-your-soul-free 

11. EMDEE1 - INFERNO

12. あなあくやまい - 雨お通り

13. codomotona - ゆびきり

14. 突然段ボール - この世に無い物質

15. ジブンジカン - ループ/ototoy ver

16. Sunnyday hit singers - 作りかけの日曜日(Another mix)

17. Floating Feelings - カラフル

18. Even Sense - Top secret

19. RAGNAROCKS - touch

20. Far apart Daily life - give me my self

21. HOCKLE HOCK - a new song

22. Broken Mountain - From This Town/

23. theビューティフルニー - ガンマンの腕の中で 

24. Lipples - 大嫌い

25. NANISAMA? - 僕の花

26. FUNNY FINE DAY - Flower

27. ゆいだいき - コメットハンター

NNI Postrock Compliation - Vols. I & II [2011-2012]

The divide between the underground music scene in Japan and the doujin music scene seems pretty large. Obviously, I'm only observing from a distance so I can't really tell. But the bands from either scene never play together (even though most doujin artists never play out anywhere), and their pages are never linked to each others. The doujin scene is really focused around internet releases and selling their stuff at Comiket, the underground scene live shows and distros. I listen to both scenes, as I can find info on them. Wherever the music comes from, if it resonates with me, I'll listen to it.

With all that being said, now I have to sort of contradict myself. What I'm posting today, I only found because of a link between the scenes. The band none but air (yeah, it sounds a lot like some it air, which is why I got excited) played a show with some underground bands I pay attention to (document not found & elica). I looked them up, liked their sound, and found that they appeared on a post-rock compilation (post-rock not being my favorite genre anymore after millions of bands have murdered long intros in the face). The compilation was full of bands I'd never heard of, so I gave it a chance and it was surprisingly solid. And there were more than one, there were two compilations! It looks like this NNI group is doing these as some sort of collaboration between musicians and artists.

Anyways, the downloads are free and the music is good. Most every band sounds different than each other, and some don't quite fit into the post-rock mold (is that techno I hear?), but free is as cheap as you can get.

NNI Records Compilation page

夕景の窓 - NNI Postrock Compilation #1

1. Melanche[n]try - アイオンの微睡

2. つこ - 蝶の軌跡

3. ぽんぽんがぽんぽん - Am I sleeping?

4. LOMO - To mute the World

5. カトウタイキ - dreamy wonder

6. ネツ - トイボックス、または白塗りのマティエールが机に突っ伏すまで

7. SE2 - アンジュロと真夜中

8. Fairy Penguin - 演劇少女

9. mellow out - Lights

暁の窓 - NNI Postrock Compilation #2

1. エヌオシ - 仮眠の季節におけるボクたちの挨拶

2. X2N - Musica

3. Al-Kamar - 閉塞と虚空

4. iida - riot in me

5. 110428 - juvenile

6. 6ta - Insider in the minor

7. tuaiki - We go without our will

8. none but air - 閉鎖された鍵穴の理由と終わり

9. 奈加野ｸﾞﾘﾌｫﾝ - さよならに咲く