Realm of Dusk

Another Cardiacs 12”.

#nowplaying #prog #vinyl
Cardiacs — ‘Day is Gone’
Fantastic EP from 1991. I’m no expert but maybe this is the inflection point between early and late-period Cardiacs? The previous owner slipped a Melody Maker article about the band into the sleeve.

A 12” single by Cardiacs.

#nowplaying #prog #vinyl
Cardiacs — ‘Susannah’s Still Alive’
The Cardiacs doing a Kinks cover with a little psychedelic Pink Floyd excursion levered in. So, Blur’s three primary influences all in one place, basically.

Excited! Knew this was coming, but had no idea it was so imminent.

Album cover with Doji Morita once again looking like a very pale and sickly robot.

#nowplaying #japanesemusic #vinyl
Doji Morita — ‘Nocturne’
Widescreen melancholy from 1982. I’m an absolute sucker for this kind of sad Japanese music from the 1970s and 1980s.

A vinyl copy of the only record by Jun Togawa Unit.

#nowplaying #japanesemusic #vinyl
Jun Togawa Unit - ‘Far East Comfort Song’
Sublime new wave of the Fairlight-enhanced variety. Got a soft spot for albums that play at 45.

A Japanese vinyl copy of a classic album by the jazz-folk-blues singer Maki Asakawa.

#nowplaying #japanesemusic #vinyl
Maki Asakawa — ‘Blue Spirit Blues’
Considered by many aficionados to be her finest album. Certainly it captures her sultry, smoky vibe as beautifully as anything in the Maki discography.

Doji Morita, a Japanese singer from the 70s and 80s has fallen onto the grass. The sleeve of her boiler suit has ripped revealing wires. Is she a robot? A bomb? Meanwhile, the sun is eclipsed by the moon and both are setting or possibly crashing into the earth.

#nowplaying #japanesemusic #vinyl
Doji Morita — ‘A Boy’
Essential Japanese melodrama for fans of Yoshiko Sai and Maki Asakawa. Possibly my favourite album cover of all time. Was delighted to finally see it at album size and realize it’s a painting.

Woah, I need to hear more of this story.

Albums by Nobukazu Takemura, Nick Krgovich with Tenniscoats, Agriculture, and Tenniscoats.

#recentlyadded

I needed to hear that, thanks.

A Japanese vinyl record from the 1970s, with the obi strip and everything.

#nowplaying #japanesemusic #vinyl
Kan Mikami — ‘There are No Dreams to be Realized’
Was delighted to find some records by this icon of the Japanese counter-culture (and, later, a PSF recording artist). This is one of my faves by him.

Great list. Yours that is. I literally did not know Pitchfork still existed. Thought I'd read that it had been shuttered.

No, I'm preeety sure they're the same dude.

I have thought this many times. 'Saw' them last night, and it was a long, strange trip.

How about Sylvain Chauveau?

Great album. Every song is catchy as hell.

I’m not a pop critic but I read pop critics and my TS takeaway is a fascist emergency is no time for monoculture

Reissue of the debut Yapoos album on transparent pink vinyl.

#nowplaying #vinyl
戸川 純 & Yapoos – ‘裏玉姫’
Jun Togawa, the queen of Japanese post-punk, in one of her many guises.

Vinyl reissue of an album by 1970s Japanese singer-songwriter Yoshiko Sai. I’ve translated the title as ‘Dream of Fetus’ and the bonkers cover art suggests that’s probably not too inaccurate.

#nowplaying #vinyl
Yoshiko Sai — ‘Dream of Fetus’
Seemingly impossible to get an original of this, even in Japan. So, I got this clear vinyl reissue. Sadly, they don’t press ‘em like they used to.

One of my faves. ‘Seeing’ them play on Sunday.

I love the first two albums and need to give this one another chance. One of the great dollar bin groups.

Highly recommend ‘Heroin’, his duo album with Stephan Mathieu.

Highest possible level of approval

Yes, he’s alive.

I think mine would be pretty normie. Not liking ‘Washing Machine’ would be where I’d diverge from the consensus. I’d also prolly put ‘Experimental Jet Set’ and ‘Dirty’ higher than most MFs.

Did anyone say Joanna Lumley yet? I’m seeing a lot of Wodehouse, which was my first thought.

I know sooo many people who count this as a fave but it’s my third least fave (after the final two albums). Different strokes! Def agree on the brilliance of ‘Murray Street’. Funnily enough, that’s my third fave (after ‘Daydream Nation’ and ‘Sister’).

Normally, I’m against bands playing live without the person who did all the stuff but it makes sense in this context. I might even be in the country then!

I think the big issue he had was that the lack of cortisol was literally killing him and it took the doctors a long time to figure out what the problem was.

I know someone who has this (or something very similar).