MetaFilter posts tagged with Japan and Music

Lunar Jamming

Korou — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:28:13 -0800

Moon Music: moonbell generates sounds based on lunar topography. (via) Topographical data is from Japan's recent KAGUYA explorer. Here's a short guide for the generator.

Mass webcam choreography

Dr-Baa — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:23:28 -0800

Hibi no Neiro by Sour "The cast were selected from the actual Sour fan base, from many countries around the world. Each person and scene was filmed purely via webcam."

Butamatsuri!

geos — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:14:19 -0800

Honyanko bushi, Tsurumanzoku, Butamatsuri, and Nevaneva Land are music videos produced by Obakejaa. [NSS (Not Seizure Safe), MLYT]

Make your own little songs about raindrops

acb — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:35:14 -0800

Lullatone are a half-Japanese, half-American duo based in Japan who make music that can probably best be described as twee folktronica; a recent EP of theirs is titled "Little Songs About Raindrops". And now, you can make your own with their Raindrop Melody Maker Flash web toy, which looks a bit like a pastel-coloured Tenori-On:

New life for traditional Japanese music?

desjardins — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:21:39 -0800

Jero, or Jerome Wright, Jr. is the first black singer of traditional Japanese enka music. Here he performs a duet - him wearing hip-hop garb, his partner in a kimono. He won the Best New Artist Award in Japan, and appeared today at the Cherry Blossom festival in Washington DC.

Flower of the Sun

Marisa Stole the Precious Thing — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:50:49 -0800

Vocalist Sayuri Anpo is far from well known, even in her native Japan, despite an extensive discography, the ability to cross multiple genres and an amazing voice. But you can listen to a number of her works online: she does rock both here and here, something gentler here, and something closer to dance here (video image slightly NSFW). She recently teamed up with other musicians to form a light jazz group, with demos available for free download here (alternate link to demo files here for those who can't open .lzh files).

How's Your Mind? Blown?

bardic — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 20:20:49 -0800

Fellow Mefites: I see your 13 year-old Japanese girl drumming to Rush's seminal prog. class "YYZ" and raise you an 11 year-old Japanese girl playing the whole damn thing on a synth (SLYT). OK, a few notes are definitely off. But I found this to be all kinds of good crazy. And here she is playing "Carry On My Wayward Son." It starts off slow, then becomes sort of insanely awesome.

"I can tell you that she went well."

setanor — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 10:29:58 -0800

RIP Nagi Noda (1973-2008) Amazingly talented art director/music video director. Sentimental Journey. Hearts on Fire. She's My Man. Her website of collected works, Uchu Country. Antville thread with a beautiful story from Aaron Stewart-Ahn is here.

Jero

greasepig — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 07:36:10 -0800

Enka is popular Japanese music which started to become popular in the Showa era after World War II. Until very recently, it's pretty much been popular only with the older crowd or in karaoke. Recently, though, a popular young star from Philadelphia has brought about a resurgence with the younger crowd. Look at his videos and be amazed. Presenting Jero. This guy has been really popular here for a while and I'm really shocked there hasn't been an FPP about him yet. You see his picture everywhere lately.

Low-bit gal from 'round Tokyo-way.

flapjax at midnite — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 22:38:25 -0800

There is a small but very dedicated and enthusiastic group of people around the world making music with Nintendo Game Boys and other cheap electronic gadgetry. While many of them are consciously fitting their low-bit sonics into relatively straightforward and predictable dance-oriented forms, some others are taking a rather more whimsical and less predictable approach. One such favorite of mine is the utterly charming, Tokyo-based henna dress. Then there's her alter ego, beta dress. Then there's her 3rd alter ego, CAMEBOY (of GGG) . Wikipedia page for Game Boy Music

Haisai Ojisan

billtron — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 14:28:46 -0800

Shoukichi Kina, peace activist, club owner, environmentalist, sailor, critic of the US presence in Okinawa, proponent of Okinawan independence, and, since 2004, member of the Japanese House of Councillors has been playing his highly influential hybrid of traditional Okinawan min'yo, reggae, and other island music styles since he formed the band Champloose in 1968. His most famous song, "Haisai Ojisan", has been covered by such artists as John French, Fred Frith, Henry Kaiser, and Richard Thompson. Due to his collaboration with world-music superstar Ry Cooder, Kina is largely responsible for introducing Okinawan pop music to the global stage. Clearly identified by the sound of the sanshin, Okinawan folk tunes and pop songs by Kina and such later groups as Begin, The Boom, and Rimi Natsukawa and have been performed by people from Japan, Argentina, Argentina, Peru, Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Brazil, Guatemala, Germany, Mexico, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Canada, and New York.

And the Beat Goes On... Nihongo Stylee!!!

y2karl — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 19:14:13 -0800

...Japanese hip hop has become a significant national, cultural, and business genre since the late twentieth century, and this phenomenon has been applied and has succeeded by using almost the same ideology that was historically used by other Japanese industries like automobile manufacturing. The pioneers in the Japanese hip hop industry like Buddha Brand learned their skills in the U.S. and have successfully been influencing the contemporary Japanese music scene. As a result, the imported hip hop has become a ''Japanized'' products. Many hip hop industries in Japan have modified the American hip hop into Japanese ways, and their businesses, like the hip hop dance schools, have succeeded.

The Japanese Hip Hop Movement: Its Cultural and Economic Impact See also: Buddha Brand - Ningen Hatsudensho See also: Buddha Brand - Shakkazombie See also: DJ Hazime- 7 days See also: Miss Monday - Curious See also: What Makes Japan So Cool?: An Interview with Ian Condry

Pachinko! (Bring the Noise).

flapjax at midnite — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 18:15:37 -0800

Tokyo-Ga: this excerpt from a Wim Wenders film offers an interesting little glimpse into the world of pachinko, a gambling obsession for so many in Japan. But while most are gazing hypnotically into the noisy little machines in order to win prizes or money, others are circuit bending them to make them even noisier. Here's the circuit bending pachinko guy's YouTube Channel: "I am Japanese circuit bender."

The kids're skee-ratchin'.

flapjax at midnite — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:25:04 -0800

DJ Sara and DJ Ryusei. Sa ra is 8 years old. Ryu sei is 5 years old. I reckon maybe those are papa's hands working the platter and fader in this clip? Also on the vinyl tip, and coming at ya outta Japan, the SOUND WAGON.

The Ventures: big in Japan

flapjax at midnite — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 06:27:47 -0800

It's hard to think of any music that's any more fun than The Ventures, and here they are, live in Japan, 1965, at the top of their game. This footage is really good: Walk Don't Run. Wipe Out. Apache. House of the Rising Sun. Slaughter on Tenth Avenue. Flight of the Bumblebee. The Cruel Sea . . . But WAIT! Opening for the Ventures on that steamy summer night was homegrown Ventures cover band The M-Ventures! Straight outta Tokyo! Check out their versions of The Pink Panther Theme, Surf Rider and Yellowjacket. And in case you were wondering if the Ventures' influence is still being felt in Japan, well, check out 9-year-old guitarist Chicchi's versions of The Cruel Sea, Penetration, Walk Don't Run and Pipeline.

100 volts. And what you can do with them.

flapjax at midnite — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:31:03 -0800

Time once again to pay a little visit to Japan's ever-engaging electro-mechanical music overachievers, Maywa Denki. Here's some of their latest and greatest efforts.

Japanese JB Juxtaposition Jamboree

Burhanistan — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 20:08:01 -0800

Interpreted: James Brown meets Kraftwerk.

DEVO Lives

SansPoint — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 13:13:21 -0800

On the cusp of DEVO's first tour of Europe since 1990 , it's become clear that, though largely cast aside after their 1980 hit "Whip It", DEVO's influence is finally being felt on modern audiences, around the world. DEVO has inspired tribute bands, some traditional, some not. They've also spawned new bands, domestic [MySpace link], and Foreign like Japan's POLYSICS [YouTube], and Germany's Mutate Now [YouTube]. With musical inspiration like this, can't we forgive such missteps as Devo 2.0?

MTV for emotaku

anthill — Mon, 28 May 2007 00:32:28 -0800

Anime Music Videos. Yet another remixing web subculture, they're usually a source of amateurishly produced angst. From the competitive perfectionists, though, come well lipsynched, action packed, meta-mashuped, and occasionally just filthy stuff for cartoon nerds. Besides the usual metal, ballads, and pop rock, there's some Daft Punk, club, and downtempo accompaniment. Or you can just go to hell. Wear headphones and no-one will know.

Nihongo Bongo!

carter — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 13:40:26 -0800

Nihongo Bongo! - Latin music by Japanese artists from the 40s, 50s and 60s. "Mambo, rumba, cha cha cha, bossa nova, calypso, you name it... it was big in Japan. The exodus of Japanese migrants to Brazil ensured a lasting connection with South American culture as many Japanese artists toured Brazil."

Takeshi Terauchi and The Bunnys do Beethoven

BuddhaInABucket — Mon, 11 Sep 2006 18:04:38 -0800

Japanese Surf Versions of Classical Themes

brand new wave upper ground

Navelgazer — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 19:06:30 -0800

Awesome J-Pop Videos. For a genre few in the U.S. are familiar with, it certainly garners some very heated opinions (likely because of Morning Musume and the like.) Still, there are some who go above and beyond the fold. (largely youtube filter.)

Warning: Video May Be Manicly Energetic And Irresistibly Cute

yankeefog — Sat, 18 Mar 2006 10:34:09 -0800

The J Marimba Ponies have performed at Carnegie Hall, as well as in concert halls from Vienna to Japan. Even more impressive, the oldest member of the group is 12, and the youngest is 4 years old. Musical prodigies or novelty act? See them play Khachaturian's Sabre Dance (Coral link to Quicktime video) and judge for yourself. Via Music for Maniacs. Previously mentioned on MeFi but worth its own thread.

The Hippest Sounds on Earth

digaman — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 08:33:29 -0800

John Coltrane. Thelonious Monk. Hank Mobley. Lennie Tristano. Blue Note. Impulse. Riverside... In other words: jazz. Now three fans in Japan -- a country that has always appreciated America's gift to music even more than the US itself -- have created The Jazz Discography Project, a bare-bones, open-source, astonishingly exhaustive database of the hippest sounds on the planet. For aficionados, just reading an ASCII entry for long out-of-print stuff like A Message from Garcia, featuring a young and then-unknown musician named Bill Evans who would later reinvent his instrument, is thrilling.

RESPECT!! LOL the EX

analogue — Sun, 25 Sep 2005 17:48:42 -0800

Darkseed is a Japanese hip hop crew (not the be confused with the other Darkseed) I accidentally stumbled upon while surfing the interweb. Aside from their unique songs (I'm partial to LOLIFUSE 13's IDM-esque "fly me to the morning" remix, though not so much their trance-flavored "WE ALL LOVE DARKSEED" sexual frontier remix), I found it fascinating that this collective whose ranks include the likes of MC/DJ/Producers bombtrack, LOL the EX, fujimotor, and HOUNDDOGGYDOGG have their own comics, haikus, and even spinoff projects!