New York’s Shibuya-kei twosome Cibo Matto (meaning ‘Crazy Food’ in Italian) smash London tonight for the first time in 15 years! Yoko Ono’s London Meltdown festival to thank for it, running since yesterday until 23 June.
Cibo Matto formed during the mid 90s, alongside friends and collaborators such as The Beastie Boys, John Zorn and Beck. Since the release of their debut album Viva! La Woman in 1996, they have established themselves as musical innovators. Together, they made the iconic music video for their single ‘Sugar Water’ (below)- directed by the legendary French filmmaker – Michel Gondry. After the release of their second record, Stereotype A, the band stopped performing and recording, as Miho Hatori appeared on the Gorillaz hit single ’19-2000′ and the first Gorillaz album and Yuka C. Honda was producing records for Yoko Ono and Martha Wainwright.
Other acts to look out for during Meltdown include Deerhoof (21st), Bo Ningen (2oth) and music legend Ryuichi Sakamoto (19th).
Tickets for Cibo Matto range from £12.50 – £17.50 and are available by clicking here.
JPU Records is proud to announce that it will be releasing i’mperfect, the ground-breaking new album from Japanese sensation Ling tosite sigure (pronounced Rin Tosh-teh Shi-goo-reh).
The album made its debut in Japan’s Oricon album chart today, smashing into fourth position. The news that it will be coming to Europe – the group’s first release outside of Japan – has already made the news across Japan’s major music and entertainment press, including MTV Japan, Yahoo! and Natalie.
Hailing from Saitama, just north of Tokyo, the trio has managed to smash through the country’s notorious indie rock scene to become one of the most talked about new bands of the decade. Their ferocious yet beautiful arrangements feature sharp and technical guitar work; thick, distorted basslines; and aggressively progressive beats set against haunting, intertwined male-female vocals. It all contributes to i’mperfect being one of the most refreshing, unique and powerful albums of the year.
TRACKLIST:
1. Beautiful Circus (<-click for the music video)
2. abnormalize (<-click for the music video)
3. Metamorphose
4. Filmsick Mystery
5. Sitai miss me
6. make up syndrome (album mix)
7. MONSTER
8. KIMITOOKU (キミトオク)
9. Missing ling
Release Date: 24 June 2013 Formats: CD and MP3 Territory: the UK, Europe and Russia Pre-order From:Amazon UK, Amazon DE, (more stores coming soon)
To celebrate the release Ling tosite sigure’s official Youtube channel has been opened up to international fans for the first time. Check it out by clicking here.We’ll leave you with the music video to their smash hit single abnormalize, which is also used as the opening theme to hot new anime series PSYCHO PASS.
When: Monday 10 June 2013 (7pm-11:00pm) Where:The Pipeline, 94 Middlesex Street, London, E1 7DA. (map) Nearest Tube/Train: Liverpool Street, Aldgate/East, Shoreditch High Street Tickets: £7 on the door. Facebook event page:https://www.facebook.com/events/552250258160952/
After two consecutive sold out shows with FACT and [Champagne], Japan Underground returns with another belter of a line-up – and this time it’s teaming up with the Terracotta Film Festival for the ultimate Asian entertainment experience. Performing live will be the Japanese band Kao=S, making their UK debut at the event. Kao=S mix traditional Japanese music with modern rock. They’ve already toured America, had a video that made France’s No Life TV‘s top 10 videos of last year (ranking even higher than IBITSU from the GazettE), and they’ll be special guests at this year’s massive Japan Expo in Paris. PLUS support from THREE mighty acts; indie-pop from vocal goddess/diva ERIKA, more shamisen sounds from Hibiki (the UK’s only certified shamisen master) and drummer Tomo, plus shoegaze meets techno with The Newmarkets. AND, a full Japanese food menu available all-day from in-house food specialists Peko Peko! (check out the menu)
Kao=S
Stage time 9:35-10:35 Kao=S (pronounced ‘chaos’) fuse traditional Japanese instruments, performance art and passion with modern rock music for a truly unique experience. With links to FINAL FANTASY, a string of successful U.S tour dates (including a showcase set at SXSW) and a manga in their name, Kao=S now sets their sights on London for their first UK performance. The band consists of vocalist, sword dancer and FINAL FANTASY motion capture actress Kaori Kawabuchi; ‘Syamisenist’ Jack playing his own original rock-take on the traditional Japanese Tsugaru-Shamisen style; vocalist, guitarist and Kao=S’ leader Shuji Yamagiri; and new addition Shakuhachi (Japanese flute) player Daisuke Kaminaga, who joined the band as a regular member since touring America with Kao=S in 2012. Kao=S influences from traditional Japanese folk music, to rock legends such as Black Sabbath, L’Arc en Ciel and Led Zeppelin.
ERIKA
Stage time 8:50-9:20 ERIKA has emerged from a life coloured by the musical corners of London town and Japan. While it was initially opera and musical theatre in which she found her voice, as her birthdays passed she discovered the soundtrack to her early daydreams and pop greats such as Kylie and Carly Simon made their influence. Later ERIKA found herself as much at home with the 90s rave scene as she did with the heavy rock scene and from this union of diversity emerges a style of ‘epic pop’. But don’t get complacent, ERIKA is not all catchy riffs and bubblegum. There is a darkness to her songs that you don’t have to dig that deep to find.
On stage ERIKA is an icon of fashion and confidence and coupled with a vulnerability that is hard to ignore, it is really only in her performance that you can fully understand how interesting and impressive ERIKA is.
Hibiki and Tomo
Stage time 8:05-8:35 Hibiki is the only professional player of Tsugaru Shamisen in the U.K. Since his arrival in U.K, Hibiki has performed on many occasions, including the Japanese Emperor’s birthday event at the Japanese embassy, Japan Matsuri and HYPER JAPAN. He currently teaches 20 students the Tsugaru Shamisen. Check out a video below of one of Hibiki’s other collaborations;
The Newmarkets
Stage time 7:20-7:50 Techno DJ/producer Shin Nishimura and Hide Uno the drummer singer from Dobly became friends and spent their school days in Newmarket, UK. The Newmarkets’ music is a mixture of alternative boogie beats and mild melodies and harmonies, heavily influenced by break beats, techno and rock music.
Premier rockers ONE OK ROCK will embark on their long-awaited European tour this October courtesy of Speakeasy and B7klan! Fusing elements of emo, heavy metal and pop-rock, the band have gone on from playing small-time concerts in 2005, to sold out arena shows across Japan.
Their latest album Jinsei × Boku = is out now on iTunes (click here to buy it from the UK store) and contains tracks mixed by John Feldmann (producer/engineer of The Used, Panic! at the Disco), and Danish engineer Tue Madsen (“The Beginning”). Plus, the band also had an opportunity to work with multiple Grammy award-winning engineer Chris Lord-Alge (Green Day, Avril Lavigne, Hoobastank) in the final stage of the album production, securing ONE OK ROCK with the trademarked sound incorporating western rock with the flair of the Japanese.
Anyway, enough about that. You’re here for the tour dates after all. Whack these beauties in your calenders;
Thu 24 October 2013 – Werkstatt, Cologne, Germany.
Sat 26 October 2013 – The Garage, London, UK.
Sun 27 October 2013 – Bataclan, Paris, France.
Tickets will be available from 1 June on b7klan’s homepage at 10AM: http://www.b7klan.com/ we’re guessing that’s B7klan’s local time, so 9AM for those in the UK!
We’ll leave you with one of our favourite videos from the band:
When: Saturday 25 May 2013 (9pm-3am) Where:Bloomsbury Lanes, 50 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 9EU Nearest Tube: Euston, Russell Square, Holborn Tickets: £5 if you tell the doorman you’re there for Japan Underground, Otherwise £8 Facebook event page:https://www.facebook.com/events/297698260361917/
In recognition of the ultimate hero, Japan Underground teams up with the Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes and Throwback Club to present a night of Bowie mania, celebrating his influences in music, art, fashion and film!
Spread over two floors, there will be live music from 5-piece Bowie tribute act The Thin White Duke, cult-classic Labyrinth showing in the in-house cinema, DJs spinning the best of Bowie and other fantastic fancies all night, plus the Japan Underground crew taking over the entire Kingpin Suite for ‘Club Bowie’, a tribute to the legend by way of Japan – a country with subcultures deeply influenced from the legend.
Plus! Bowie cosplay competition and plenty of Bowie inspired prizes to be won throughout the night!
Entry to the night includes access to both floors (the whole venue!) throughout the night, but if you want cheap entry be sure to tell the door staff you’re there for Japan Underground to get in for a fiver! Plus, bowling, karaoke and arcade machines available at additional costs.
And yes, we will play Japanese music. Who knows where visual kei would be without a touch of Bowie!
Stage time 8:50-9:20
