Gaijin Sounds

By Jonti Davies

First of all, thank you to everyone who contributed to the veritable Fuji-san of CDR-filled envelopes that rose from the desktop to the ceiling of the Japanzine office, before eventually avalanching to the floor. We had around 100 submissions from foreign musicians based in all corners of these islands, and while the office cleaner wasn't too happy with the mess, we liked much of what we heard. And that's the important thing. There was a definite rock/indie bias to the music you sent in, granted, but we also received excellent work in other genres, with folk, house, blues, r 'n' b, soul, hip hop, ska and dub all more than capably represented. And yes, some of you really do know how to rock!

Selecting the "best" efforts from such an expansive, diverse selection of tracks was never going to be easy - especially with something as subjective as original music in various styles. But, after thoughtfully comparing our notes, exchanging frank opinions, offering bribes to one another and eventually just bickering among ourselves like hormonal high school students, we reached some kind of consensus. Even then there remained stray votes and unheard wishes, some of which are rounded up at the end of the feature - so if you didn't make the Top Ten, chin up, because it could still be that we've got some well-earned praise for you over there. And if not, well, you know there's always next year. Music never dies (if I've understood the Tower Records slogan correctly).

Gaijin Sounds as an entity is growing year on year, and 2009 will mark the first time we step out of print and into the live arena with performances showcasing the talents of some of this year's Top Ten artists. Look out for more on that front soon. In the meantime, you can freely download the compilation of this year's Top Ten tracks right here, and hear a selection of other highlights over here. (Individual tracks are also available on winning artists' profile pages; see below.) Download away, stick 'em on your iPod and feel proud to be a part of Japan's ascendant, multi-talented foreign music scene. You are the stars. Bravo.

Jonti Davies, Editor

P.S. Thanks for the help of the Japanzine panel of judges: Emily Millar, J.P. DuQuette, Sam Zipursky, and Rangi Thomson-McCall. Otsukare sama!

 

 

andrew tyrone rodgers: "let's open" (download)

We should probably open with Tokyo-based singer-songwriter Andrew Tyrone Rodgers' "Let's Open", a minor-key track which was seemingly titled purely for this purpose. Why is it such a great Gaijin Sounds lead-in? The day after I first listened to "Let's Open" I found myself humming its subtle melody on no less than six occasions. In one day. That's how finely crafted this gem of an acoustic creation is. It finds the immensely talented Mr. Rodgers in reflective mood, mellowly guiding us through a slightly off-kilter soundscape of recurring, hypnotic verses and carefully restrained choruses - plus, two-thirds of the way through we're treated to an excellent, unexpected piano interlude, which reappears in modified form to bring the song to a delicately poised close.

The success of "Let's Open" is largely built on impeccable guitar, maracas, buttery vocals (almost reaching a falsetto in places), and curiously phrased yet highly effective piano work - all of which are played by multi-instrumentalist maverick and one-man band Andrew Tyrone Rodgers. But it's not merely a matter of musical ability: this track also shows how important production is, the spacious treatment of vocals, guitar and percussion reminding me of Nigel Godrich's defining work on Beck's Sea Change LP - a very good thing indeed. Rodgers recently relocated from Chiba to the capital and is at the heart of the Tokyo pub/bar scene already; if he continues to produce work of this caliber, he'll become a national treasure in no time. 

myspace.com/andrewtyronerodgers
Upcoming live date in Tokyo: June 27th at Doobies (Ueno)

 

 

los skauters: "drinking shirt" (download)

If a snatch of hubbub heard at the beginning of "Drinking Shirt" is to be believed, Los Skauters are eight Stella Artois-glugging ska-men with a fancy for pork scratchings and kebabs. And who's going to argue with that? While it's difficult to ascertain whether this song was recorded direct from the soundboard at a bar somewhere (unlikely, perhaps, given the crystal-clear sound quality) or in a "live" setting that was cleverly constructed in the studio (or live, but with studio overdubs), the end results are the same: four minutes of a blistering two-tone/"new-tone" rhythm, punctuated by the blasts of a supercharged horn section, tidy descending organ lines and funny spoken-word skits, and all tied together with the brilliantly down-to-earth tale of a treasured shirt that has gone astray. The sheer relish with which the line "If I'm going to 'ave fun! Fun! FUN, FUN, FUN!" is bellowed out tells you everything you need to know about Los Skauters: these chaps are in music for good times, and they really want you to dance. Defiant, feelgood music (but, impressively, not in the cheesy sense of the term) is always to be commended, and this Osaka-based collective deserve all the praise coming their way. 
   
I'm also inclined to say "Kudos to Los Skauters!" for their impractical-but-endearing act of releasing a single on 7" vinyl earlier this year. "It seemed like a good idea at the time," Skauters frontman Daniel Mullins tells me - but it turns out that even with distribution via Jet Set Records and other specialist outlets around Japan, the band are still sitting on a stash of unsold sevens. Having heard the glorious A-side of that 45, "Skauters Want You!", which is every bit the chirpy equal of "Drinking Shirt", I suggest that all Japanzine-reading vinyl junkies (yes, both of you) get on the blower (or more specifically, visit the band's website) and put up ¥1,000 for your very own piece of Los Skauters history. And who knows, with the rate at which these guys are progressing and the reputation they've gained for their riotously fun live sets, buying in now could prove to be a very shrewd investment. Long live Los Skauters!   

losskauters.com | myspace.com/losskauters

 

 

 

semi-on: "well i was" (download)

When you're studiously working your way through a library of close to 200 songs, it's unfortunate but somewhat inevitable that longer tracks tend to have a greater chance of being overlooked - which is why it's remarkable that the near seven-minutes-long epic "Well I Was" had no trouble attracting plaudits from the panel. This is a perfect example of Semi-On's distinctively Bohemian sound, and while it rocks in its own idiosyncratic way, it's a world apart from the verse-chorus-verse formula used by so many guitar/bass/drum-driven outfits. As Emily rightly pointed out, "the gypsy-flavored carnivalesque style is a real departure from the straight rock stuff we usually get." In part this is thanks to the use of additional instrumentation, with Semi-On bravely bringing in the violins when necessary, but it's also down to the band's exquisite sense of timing. The soothing tones of Bryony's voice appear only after a minute of gradual instrumental build-up; four minutes in, Semi-On confidently make a u-turn, finding a completely new string-led direction that ultimately spirals the song into a heady crescendo of fiddle and non-words. It's pure fireworks. As, indeed, are Semi-On's not-to-be-missed live shows.    

myspace.com/semionsemionsemion | semion.org
Upcoming live date in Nagoya: June 9th at Hard Rock Cafe

 

 

 

nanbanjin: "bugred" (download)

nanbanjin have been here before. These uni art rockers starred on last year's Gaijin Sounds compilation, and in 2009 they've done the business again, bringing three-and-a-half minutes of unforgettable frenzy in the shape of "Bugred", apparently a commentary on parasites (in the human form, that is; you know the type). Near the start of the track there's a brief passage of stop-start guitar and drum bursts that sounds a bit too similar to the intro of Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out", but it's well worth listening through that for the subsequent three minutes of original high-tempo work, which is 100% nanbanjin and all the better for it. Frontman David Evans (aka Dai) positively screams his damning lines, and he's backed by half-spoken shadowing vocals from, er, himself. It could be a recipe for anarchy, but not with nanbanjin at the controls. Somehow held together by a tight rhythm section from Japanese drummer Manabu Mohri, nanbanjin sound like they're constantly in danger of being torn apart by their own velocity/ferocity: hearing the gravitational pull that just about keeps them together on "Bugred" is what makes this such an exhilarating bit of work. They've already toured Uzbekistan, so who knows how far these talented guys can go?  

myspace.com/nanbanjin | nanbanjin.net | cdbaby.com/cd/nanbanjin

 

 

 

downpressor: "cold war 2 dub" (download)

Legendary Jamaican engineer King Tubby described dub music as being "Jus' like a volcano in yuh head!" and there's magma all over the place in this smoldering production from Tokyo resident Chris "Downpressor" Barker. Taking one of his own cuts (built from the ground up, with real instruments and hardware) in a dubwise direction, "Cold War 2 Dub" showcases Downpressor's finely honed skills as a sound engineer. He knows exactly when to bring in snippets of vocals, horns and guitar, and he also understands when to drop the faders and strip the rhythm back to its bare essentials of drum and bass. This is the kind of music that loses something when heard through earphones, but trust me, hook it up to your soundsystem and blast it through some big bass bins and the true richness of Downpressor's mix will be revealed. It's powerful stuff.

Chris Barker recently collaborated with Jamaican deejay Trinity on a 7" release (along with Los Skauters, Downpressor gets bonus points for releasing material on vinyl) and is planning a "new direction" in his production work this year, but you can also visit Tokyo's One Blood to find him spinning the platter as a dub/roots/steppers selector every month. It's good to hear a gaijin keeping the bass culture alive in Japan.   

dubbing-in-tokyo.blogspot.com
Upcoming live dates in Tokyo: Every second Saturday of the month at One Blood (Ikebukuro)

 

 

beat persuasion: "your touch" (download)

"Your Touch" is the thrilling neon sound of two Osaka-resident gaijin producers - Deron Reynolds and Zak Baney - collaborating under the Beat Persuasion name. The track's base is a near-perfect "electro nu wave disco" balance of shooting synths and driving, electronic beats; on top of that we're led along by intriguing stream-of-consciousness lyrics ("the sights, the sounds of eyes so wide / ears broken drum bass loud, surrounds"), which recall Underworld in their creative prime. It's a "big" track in many ways and is about as full of tricks and as densely layered is it's safe to make an 80s throwback before it implodes under its own weight. "Your Touch" is really pushing the limits. It sounds like nothing else we received.  

myspace.com/beatpersuasion

 

 

 

ame one: "berliner" (download)

Osaka-based Hawaiian James McGrath, aka Ame one, is the kind of virtuoso talent who makes novice electronica hobbyists (that would be me) feel quite violently sick. You see, he's rather good at what he does. That's the crucial difference. Ame one knows his software inside-out and back-to-front - just check out the Logic 7 users' guides and other advice he provides via his homepage. He also has an evident mastery of rhythm in a tangible sense: he started out by becoming a highly skilled drummer, went into drum 'n' bass, and ended up as a composer and producer of some mighty fine electronic music. So while "Berliner" clearly was produced with the aid of a computer and is classifiably electronic in nature, it's vibrant and alive thanks to James's very real musical talent. It's short, sweet, professional-sounding, well-formed. Everything that a novice's work is not.  

ameone.com | myspace.com/ameone | twitter.com/ameone

 

 

 

the oversleep excuse: "dream within a dream" (download)

Bring the lights down low. Real low. "Dream Within a Dream" is the sound of Tokyo-based The Oversleep Excuse (great name, guys) heading deep into soporific territory, armed with an unlikely inventory of musical weapons: not just guitar, bass and drums, but also steel pans and kalimbas. The results are a stunningly beautiful apparition of post-rock, where the only direction is "deeper". Whispered backing vocals and other atmospheric touches combine to build the shimmering structure of an exotic dreamscape; the kind of place you won't want to leave. It's clear that The Oversleep Excuse plan things in great detail, and the preparation pays off in fantastic style on "Dream Within a Dream". Keep an ear out for big things from these guys in the future.  

myspace.com/theoversleepexcuse.com | oversleepexcuse.co.jp | cdbaby.com/cd/oversleepexcuse
Upcoming live date in Tokyo: June 20th at Grapefruits Moon (Setagaya)

 

 

 

kev gray: "one more chance" (download)

Kev Gray: genius? Quite possibly. His mastery of the art of storytelling is such that "One More Chance" - a tale of Sunday football woe, a lost romantic opportunity and subsequent mishaps in the pub, among other things - will have you hanging on every line, feverishly anticipating the next clever twist yet always being wittily outmaneuvered by Gray's charming turn of phrase. If Kev Gray offered to read bedtime stories to the Emperor's children, old tennoh would immediately ask to see his rirekisho. And then, after hearing "One More Chance", he'd say, "Kev, you've got a job for life; pack your things."

After appearing on last year's Gaijin Sounds compilation, the pressure was on for Kev to maintain his high standards. But he has surpassed his previous efforts. The production has been improved with tastefully applied reverb and enhanced intimacy, and he just sounds even more confident in his singing (and, for that matter, in what he's singing), to the extent that J.P. described him as displaying "mega-personality" here. Next year will bring one more chance for Kev to impress us with his sublime songcraft, which, I suppose, is quite appropriate. In the meanwhile, you'd do well to check out his live appearances both in and outside of Tokyo.     

hemlockmusic.com
Upcoming live date in Nagoya: June 9th at Hard Rock Cafe

 

 

 

the clockwork flowers: "autumn afternoon" (download)

Arriving in Tokyo after a decade spent meditating in the Himalayas, Londoners John and Anthea Bliss have returned to civilization with a bang. The White Stripes would kill to be as cool, or as English, as The Clockwork Flowers. Okay, there are obvious signs of this duo's unabashed tendency for Beatles homage here - a structurally critical hook lifted from "And I Love Her", cryptic "Fool On The Hill" allusions and even a Revolver-drawn backwards guitar solo - yet "Autumn Afternoon" is not just a cap doffed in memory of the Fab Four. There's more to it than that. There's an odd, kinetic breeziness throughout "Autumn Afternoon", and lead singer John Bliss delivers his unpredictable, brilliant lines on an even weirder level of otherworldliness than was achieved by Lennon when, during his solo period, he infamously demanded of producers that they excessively alter his voice with effects. At times it sounds as though he's singing underwater. J.P. and I were of the opinion that "Autumn Afternoon" could do with being remastered, but the raw materials and composition are simply awesome. Bongos, real handclaps (!), organ, strings. This song makes me very happy. So thanks, Clockwork Flowers.  

web.mac.com/theclockworkflowers
Upcoming live dates in Tokyo: June 27th at Doobies (Ueno), July 19th at What The Dickens! (Ebisu)

 

 

 

 

other sonic highlights from the class of '09

These tracks so very nearly made the Top Ten. In all cases at least one or two of the judges felt strongly about the merits of the tracks listed here, but there was no unanimous verdict. Which is to say that you should download, listen and make up your own minds. If you happen to feel that some of these songs deserved to be placed even higher and were worthy of a Top Ten ranking, well, no one is going to accuse you of being wrong. Opinions on music are subjective, after all (apart from when it comes to James Blunt, who is objectively/subjectively/definitively awful, but I'm sure we all agree on that anyway).     

 

 

mathew castillo: "miss chicago" (download)

J.P.: "I have no idea what the hell Mathew is on about with the lyrics, but I like his voice and I think this song rocks in that late 90s alt-hard rock kinda way."
Jonti: "Yes, this is one of those tracks that has 'moshpit madness' written all over it, though I was pleasantly surprised to find a haunting piano version of the track on Mathew's MySpace. Castillo is definitely an artist to watch out for next year."

myspace.com/mathewcastillo

 

 

tara dawn: "heartbeat" (download)

Emily: "I like the slightly diva-ish imperfections of Tara's voice."
Sam: "This is a nice and upbeat song. It could be part of a soundtrack that would be playing as I drove around Paris. Love the horns and the voice."

taradawn.ca

 

 

nyte owls: "this is love" (download)

J.P.: "Say what you want about their vocalist (he's a taste it took me a full year to acquire), but this simplistic slab of twee-pop is actually pretty catchy."
Jonti: "Did you know that Andrew Tyrone Rodgers is/was the drummer in Nyte Owls? There's a lot of that kind of cross-pollination in Tokyo; it's a healthy scene. As for this track, it's quite charming and, as J.P. says, infectious. Sadly it seems that Nyte Owls are taking a break at the moment, but let's hope they return soon and stay for good."

myspace.com/nyteowls

 

 

davina robinson: "never good enough" (download)

Jonti: "I have a penchant for (deliberately) overdone echo on vocals, and this song has some surprisingly dubby moments in that regard. The self-deprecating yet vitriolic lyrics present an interesting twist, too; I never thought the word 'cellulite' could be sung in such an emphatic way, but Davina really nails it. Stadium rock with a sense of humor: now there's a thought that clearly never occurred to The Darkness."

davinarobinson.com | myspace.com/davinarobinson | youtube.com/rocknrollsoulchick
Upcoming live dates in Osaka: June 20th at Chicago Rock, June 27th at Sun Hall, July 17th at Pena (unplugged)

 

tender and paul: "le cafe" (download)

Emily: "Had to listen to this one a few times before I really got into it, and now I think it's really sweet. Perfect for forgetting about whatever you're doing and just stopping for a moment. Tender's vocals are so sweet and lovely. Nothing like a 'do-do-do' chorus."

myspace.com/rivage | tenderandpaul.f-sw.com
Upcoming live dates in Sannomiya: June 7th at Trinity, June 13th at Polo Dog, June 20th at Pirates Den


 

 

the watanabes: "hot water hills" (download)

J.P.: "Nice lyrics and slickly produced. Don't know why this didn't make the Top Ten, but I guess I just liked the other tracks a bit more."
Sam: "A really nice rock track."
Jonti: "I think The Watanabes are onto something good with the direction of this track in particular. 'Sunshine pop' is perhaps not the term I'm looking for, but this song definitely has the power to brighten up your day. It will be fascinating to hear what these guys come up with next year."

myspace.com/thewatanabes | cdbaby.com/thewatanabes | favouritetree.com
Upcoming live dates in Tokyo: June 16th at ADM (Ikebukuro), June 23rd at Marz (Shinjuku), June 27th at OTB (Kawasaki), July 20th at Kinoto (Shibuya)

 

 

 

 

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