2020s 35 Items

The live show "Aiyoku Jinmin Jūji Gekijō, (愛欲人民十時劇場)" held in Tokyo in 1980, is known as one of the legendary moments in Japan's avant-garde music history. The recordings made on that day were released on LP by Pinakotheca Records later that year. The madness-inspired omnibus created by artists surrounding Alchemy Records, inspired by those recordings, is this "Aiyoku Jinmin Jūnikyūdan (愛欲人民十二球団)."

Artist's names are a pun based on the names of Japanese professional baseball teams, resulting in improvised tracks by artists who were active in the underground scene of West Japan, such as Hijo-Kaidan, Sekiri, Omoide Hatoba (ex-Boredoms), and Subvert Blaze etc. Though the sound quality may not be top-notch, the collection of insane and playful songs vividly portrays the chaos of 1980s Japanese underground music, making it a valuable archival piece.

The new series "Magico," launched by P-vine, features Japanese actresses covering songs that match their respective personalities and releasing them as singles. Following the debut of Arisa Nakano (p7-6614), the second installment features Japanese actress Ruka Ishikawa, known for her work in films. In connection with the movie "Girl by the Sea," in which she starred in 2023, a song by Happy End was used as an insert song. Thus, she covers the classic track "Sore wa Boku Janaiyo" from Eiichi Ohtaki's first album. The arrangement of the song is handled by Seiichi Yamamoto (Boredoms, Rashinban, Omoide Hatoba, etc.).

"Isayahh Wuddha," an artist acclaimed for his unique dreamy funk sound crafted using cassette tape MTR, was none other than a personal project by musician Taku Hayashi residing in Kyoto. There is hardly anyone who would feel uneasy about his second album under the psychedelic project "ohhki", another activity of him, being released by P-vine. His music style, which shows no intention of conforming to mainstream music, is a strong expression filled with solid originality.

The songs recorded with analog equipment are treated with lo-fi sound production, successfully creating a unique pop world that delicately combines elements of psychedelia, dub, funk, and disco. While experiencing a sensation of floating gently in space, the undulations, akin to the brushstrokes of an impressionist painting layered with reverberations and echoes, are drawn onto the canvas of the sky along with the resonance of electric guitars, old keyboards resonating with cheap tones, and enchanting voices, accompanied by the repetitive beats of a drum machine. Beginning with an ode to birds, invoking surprises and casting small spells, after being struck by intense rain between night and dawn like a flowing stream, this world is embraced, lingering within me, entranced by the blues, and ending with "Well... just like a banana ripening... you're amusing." Simply there is light and the wind blows. It exists as literally alternative music, vividly presenting another world, rich in color.

LIMITED FIRST EDITION RELEASE
In an effort to reduce waste, the first edition run of Moon Music EcoRecord rPET LP will be strictly limited and produced at a higher specification than any future editions. All First Edition EcoRecord rPET LP products will be individually numbered.

NEW FORMATS AND NEW SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS
In tandem with Coldplay’s ground-breaking sustainability measures on their current tour - which
has so far produced 59% less CO2e emissions than their previous stadium tour - the band have
gone to great lengths to make the physical release of Moon Music as sustainable as possible.
This will be the world’s first album released as a 140g EcoRecord rPET LP, with each copy
containing nine recycled PET-plastic bottles recovered from post-consumer waste. This will
prevent the manufacture of more than 25 metric tonnes of virgin plastic, and provide an 85%
reduction in manufacturing process CO2 emissions/kg compared to traditional 140g vinyl.

Additionally, the band have collaborated with long-time partners The Ocean Cleanup to create
an additional format: the Notebook Edition EcoRecord rPET LP. The rPET for this edition
comprises 70% river plastic, intercepted by The Ocean Cleanup from the Rio Las Vacas,
Guatemala, and prevented from reaching the Gulf of Honduras and the Atlantic Ocean.
The CD editions of Moon Music will be the world’s first to be released on EcoCD, created from
90% recycled polycarbonate, sourced from post-consumer waste streams. This will provide at
least a 78% CO2/kg emission reduction, and avoid the manufacture of more than five metric
tonnes of virgin plastic.

Naoko Gushima's third album released in 1999, which has expanded its musical range more gorgeously while maintaining the stylish and urban atmosphere, will be re-released for a limited time on clear vinyl!

Following on from the previous work, Naoko Gushima's second album, released in 1997, which is almost entirely composed of her own songs and is equally popular in Japan and abroad, will be re-released for a limited time on Clear Green Vinyl!

Naoko Gushima's 1996 debut and urban mellow masterpiece, which has been attracting attention in recent years in the reevaluation of city pop, has been re-released for a limited time on clear purple vinyl!

Friction is one of the first Japanese punk bands and formed by Reck, Chiko Hige and Lapis in Tokyo in March 1978, and now the band is still keeping active. Reck and Chiko Hige had previously been on the NY no wave scene as founding members of James Chance and the Contortions, and brought back the experience and influence to the Japanese music scene. It's no exaggeration to say that the band laid the foundation for alternative music in Japan. P-vine is proud of reissuing all of their albums on vinyl.

"軋轢=Friction" is their 1st album released in 1980 which is also known as the only album in the period of Masatoshi Tsunematsu participating the band. Produced by Ryuichi Sakamoto.