Ling tosite sigure to Release Best of Album and Perform at JAPAN NIGHT at London’s indigo at The O2

Japan’s breakthrough guitar act Ling tosite sigure (凛として時雨) will release their first ‘best of’ album internationally through JPU Records on 7 August, following their performance at JAPAN NIGHT at London’s indigo at The O2 on Saturday 11 July 2015.

Entitled Best of Tornado, the 14-track album features songs spanning the trio’s 10+ year career, from their early self-released album and EPs to their recent chart topping album still a Sigure virgin and last year’s i’mperfect. Each track has been brought back up to date by being brilliant re-mastered by Metropolis Studio’s John Davis (Led Zeppelin, Royal Blood, the Prodigy).

Ling tosite sigure first came to the UK as part of The Great Escape, an experience – which included being played on the Radio 1 Rock Show – was so central to the growth of the band that photos of their time in England have been used exclusively in the album’s booklet. Since then, the group’s international following has continued to grow, further strengthened when latest tracks abnormalize and Enigmatic Feeling became the opening themes for series one and two of Production I.G’s hit anime series PSYCHO PASS. Additionally, abnormalize’s official music video has impressively accumulated near to five million views on YouTube.

Best of Tornado will be available in the UK and Europe from 8 July 2015 digitally from Amazon MP3 and iTunes, and available on CD in the territory from 7 August 2015. Pre-order now.

Best of Tornado TRACKLIST:
01. JPOP Xfile [video]
02. Telecastic fake show
03. abnormalize [video]
04. illusion is mine [video]
05. Souzou no Security (2015 mix)
06. DISCO FLIGHT
07. moment A rhythm (short ver.)
08. Beautiful Circus [video]
09. I was music [video]
10. Azayaka na Satsujin (2015 mix)
11. Telecaster no Shinjitsu (2015 mix)
12. nakano kill you (2015 mix)
13. Enigmatic Feeling (2015 mix) [video]
14. Missing ling
15. Boukan

JPU Tom’s Top 5 Albums of 2013

If you’ve been following Japan Underground this month, you’ll have seen we’ve been talking to the staff at JPU Records on their favourite albums of the year, Japanese or otherwise. Today’s the last of these features as we check out the five biggest albums of the year according to JPU and Japan Underground founder and head honcho, Tom Smith. Any words on the selection, Tom? “Circles and triangles were in this year when it came to cover design, weren’t they? Anyway, a number of people ask me what kind of stuff I listen to outside of ‘work’ – this should give you an idea! I had to be careful not to fill this list entirely with JPU releases… so I’ve been good and only included one… and it’s also my favourite album this year.”

Ling tosite sigure – i’mperfect
“This album. It’s not only at the top of my personal five favourite albums of 2013, it’s also in my top ten albums this side of the millennium. It took me well over a year for the LTS sound to click with me, but once it did, I was HOOKED. I’mperfect reminds me a lot of another favourite album of mine; Relationship of Command from At The Drive-In (listen on Spotify) – yet Sigure sound nothing like ATDI, but the energy of that album is present here too. Scratch that, imagine Relationship of Command condensed to 4 minutes and you have Ling tosite sigure’s ‘Sitai miss me’. My only problem with this album is that it’s over far too soon.”
Outsanding tracks: abnormalize, Beautiful Circus.
Buy from Amazon: Regular Edition, Digital Edition
Buy direct from JPU Records (worldwide shipping)

Bring Me The Horizon – Sempiternal
“BMTH first appeared on my radar years back when friends were going crazy over ‘Pray for Plagues’ and ‘[I Used to Make Out With] Medusa’. I didn’t really get the fuss, but that didn’t stop them ramming BMTH down my throat for the next few years… as a result I never really looked into the band much, which, looking back, is a shame. It was thanks to a different force shoving BMTH my way that I did eventually get into them; Youtube, with its barrage of Sempiternal ads earlier this year. I decided to listen on Spotify, and then buying the album after my month’s listening limit was used up just from playing it over and over. It still gets a lot of play today too.”
Outstanding tracks: Can You Feel My Heart, Shadow Moses.
Buy from Amazon: Regular Edition, Vinyl Edition, Digital (Deluxe) Edition.

Enter Shikari – Rat Race EP
“Much like Bring Me The Horizon, Enter Shikari are another band my friends have been going bonkers about for years, especially as they’re local boys. I’d seen more than my fair share of human pyramids at Shikari shows over the years  but never felt the need to buy an album. That was until I heard RADIATE on BBC Radio 1’s Rock Show. In fact, RADIATE is probably my favourite song this year, from anyone. I love it and it always lifts my mood. From there I worked backwards, and a month later I was the proud owner of all of Enter Shikari’s studio albums. Now they’re one of my favourite bands, and if this was a list of top 5 albums listened to during 2013, Enter Shikari’s A Flash Flood of Colour would be number one by a long way.”
Outstanding Tracks: RADIATE, Paddington Frisk.
Buy from Amazon: Digital Version

Crossfaith – Zion EP
“Yep, the EP and not APOCALYZE, their newest album. That’s not to say APOCALYZE isn’t  a lot of fun – it’s just too much for me. It’s like eating chocolate cake, with a side helping of chocolate cake, with extra chocolate cake on top. Sure, I live chocolate cake but in moderation, man… Zion, is just the right length, and full of nothing but killer tune after killer tune. I’m listening to it while I write this and I want to go out and jump around.”
Outstanding tracks: Jagerbomb, Monolith.
Buy from Amazon: Regular Version, Digital Version, +1 Import Version

NOISEMAKER – DOUBLE COLOR SHEEP
“I went to a live show severely hungover while in Tokyo, just to see my mate’s band Silhouette from the Skylit support the amazing JAWEYE. Except, for some reason JAWEYE was on first and I totally missed them from rolling in late… instead NOISEMAKER were headlining, and despite hurting from the night before, their live set brought me back to life and rocking down the front with everyone else. They gave me their album, and I haven’t stopped listening to it since. They remind me a bit of what would happen if SPYAIR went heavier… mixed with the stuff I used to listen to as a teenager. Anyway, awesome band, and now I’m seriously thinking about releasing this album in Europe – so do tell me what you think and have a listen to the tracks I link below. Plus their cover of Rhianna’s Rude Boy is also genius.”
Outstanding tracks: THE NEW ERA, platinum shoes.
Buy from iTunes

Ling tosite sigure’s Sensational New Album i’mperfect to be Released in the UK and Europe from 24 June

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
Order From: Amazon UK, iTunes UK, Amazon DE, iTunes 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.