RARE - NEW - OUT OF PRINT CD SECTION
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1. ABE KAORU: “Mort A Credit” (Kojima/ ALM – ALCD-8-9) (2 CD Set: Near Mint/ Mini LP gatefold Sleeve: Near Mint/ Obi: Near Mint/ Outer Slipcase: Excellent). Recorded in 1975 and released in 1976. This was the last album of the legendary sax howler Abe to be released in his lifetime. The title was taken from a Céline novel, since Abe was a huge fan of the French writer. The recording consists of two alto improvisations, taken from a concert staged on October 18th, 1975 and five more (two on soprano, three on alto) taken from another performance a couple of days earlier. Abe brings forth a real tour de force in which roughly cut-off notes are spaced so regularly that their rhythms are like watching a slowed-down strobe light. With run after run of harsh, crude and almost bawdy staccato honking, he speedily races through the octaves in ascending and descending anti-order cadence, infused at times with shrill squeaks and squeals, an occasional blood curling melody and references of non-existent simplistic and jokey tunes. Furious forehead center blowing guts of dancing note clusters on your earlobe. Generally speaking does Abe's performance on this disc resembles a high tensioned sound, like a killer babe dressed only in high-heeled stiletto boots trampling on your private parts. A real killer, portraying Abe in a fascinating period of transition, delivering a highly salient and audaciously experimental recording that blows all of the nowadays would be improvisation impersonators straight out of the water with their tail whopping bet ween their legs. Price: 40 Euros
2. ABE KAORU & TOYOZUMI YOSHIZABURO: “Overhang Party” (Kojima/ ALM – URCD-2) (2 CD Set: Near Mint/ Mini LP gatefold Sleeve: Near Mint/ Obi: Near Mint/ Outer Slipcase: Excellent). Stellar duo head on collision between Abe and free hitter/ skin mangler Toyozumi. The interaction between the two of them creates fireworks of improvisational exquisiteness, free rambling seat sniffing combustion that on some occasions instigated Abe to divert his attention from his beloved sax towards marimba and piano hammerings joined with harmonica blow-outs. Ferocious, ghastly and kerosene charged head slamming action between two of Japan's first wave free jazz terrorists. Quite rare disc that is getting more and more difficult to track down. Abe is indispensable in any one's collection that bothers to have an interest in outward-bound sounds. Blows any of the currently hyped wanna-be improvisers straight out of the water since Abe embodied musical greatness, inventiveness and tonal diversity all in one. Why settle for less when greatness is daggling in front of your eyes? Price: 40 Euro
3. ABE KAORU, MOTOHARU YOSHIZAWA, TOSHINORI KONDO, DEREK BAILEY: “Aida’s Call” (Starlight Furniture Company) (CD: Mint/ Case: Mint/ Cover: Mint). Recorded live at Michada-Kavalinka on 3 May 1978. Clash of the titans when Bailey visited Japan and teamed up with the reigning hardcore jazz heads, which boiled down to this great live recording giving you some insight into what volcanic heights these musicians were up to. The levels of intensity reached in this all-out rampage of rule-less free jazz are equally as astounding as either recording that is revered by jazz heads. Long out of print stellar live recording!! Price: 50 Euro
4. ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE: “Dokonan” (Acid Mothers temple – AMTDVD-001). (Sealed). In 2002, French film maker Audrey Gineset & Estelle Journoud accompanied AMT on their US tour to shoot a documentary film. More than just a document of a band on tour, the film looks at differences in culture and values, examining America both through French eyes and through the eyes of a Japanese band on tour in America . Main feature 54 minutes + extras and bonus visual material. Inc performances of Pink Lady Lemonade, La Novia, In E, Improvisation etc. & Bonus tracks. Completely sold out at the source and released in a miniscule edition, here is your chance to grab a still sealed copy. Price: 20 Euro
5. AIHIYO: “S/T” (Tokuma Japan – TKCF-77022) (CD: Mint/ Case: Mint/ Booklet: Mint). Long out of print Tokuma title and one of the best Haino related releases so far. “Aihiyo is a guitar, bass and drums trio fronted by Keiji Haino that played skewed versions of traditional Japanese pop songs back in the late 1990s. Along with the first Fushitsusha Live 2-CD (PSFD-3/4) this is the most “accessible” Keiji Haino music available, yet it’s sufficiently scattered off-center to be of interest to those who enjoy staring at aquariums. The CD opens with a rapidly jaunting little verse-chorus-verse number that is a very joyful listen—especially coming from Haino. It’s not too often you hear something so peppy coming from this camp. Track two is something of a ballad that starts off with mellower melodies that explode into loud feedback guitar with spare bass and drum accompaniment. Haino busts out the harmonica on the next song—interspersed with his exclusive feedback microphone vocal attacks. There’s no guitar on this one, and it’s still rawer than your average trailer park. Track four is a very quiet, floating guitar and voice ballad with nary any other accompaniment. The following song is propelled by a looping bassline and steady drumbeat; along with an exquisite, trebly, psych-guitar workout from Haino-san. It’s really a rocker and one of his best, most popularly enjoyable tracks anywhere. Track six is more slow, and lurches forward in awkward stutters. The last three songs are fairly mild ballads–with track eight adding keening vocals and sections of rising amplitude—exploding into feedback and agitated vocals at the end. Unfortunately, there are no English lyric translations with this CD. If you’ve never heard Keiji Haino, this is one of the best points of entry.” (Arcane Candy). Price: 45 Euro
6. ASO AI: “Umerumono” (Oz Disc – EHE-027) (CD: Mint/ Obi: Mint/ Booklet: Mint/ case: Mint) rare and long out of print 2001 release, Aso Ai's first released artifact. Aso's debut recordings on the tiny and illustrious Oz Disc label had slipped by unnoticed through the mazes of the net. Aso Ai first appeared on the so-called music circuit around the year 2000 with the release of her debut single “Amaihibiki”, closely followed the following year by her full length CD “Umerumono”. Both releases slowly fell into slumber, disappearing into the gasping wounds of total obscurity until the freshly ignited Pedal Records label, led by former White Heaven guitarist Nakamura Souichirou, decided not to let Aso Ai's exceptional talent go to waste and set out to conflagrate her sonic isolationism. Upon listening and witnessing Aso's music, I could not but be struck by the bare stark nakedness and an almost “less is more” aesthetic that resonated out of every slow motion-like action she sings into being through her desolate tunes. Desolate as in stripped down of all artificial distractions, intellectual constructivism and violent sonic pollution, Aso's musical universe is one of limited notation and well balanced fragile “bossa-novelistic psychedelics”. She quietly sets out, throughout the entire album, to show a graceful, yet sharp moving floating stride. From the first, almost minimalist approach, the atmospheric angelical quality and utterly erotic naïveté that breaths through her delicate vocals, one can feel a premonition towards an unprecedented relationship she beholds for a lyrical and soft poetic shape that feels like an introverted and at times almost religious affair her music embraces. Like the fragrance of a freshly picked cherry blossom, Aso Ai's sonic universe is as fleeting and as fragile but in the mean time strong enough to face the seasonal climate changes the buds gets confronted with. Price: 30 Euro
7. BOREDOMS: “Vision Creation Newsun” (A.K.A. Records - WPC6-10044/10045) (2 CD: Excellent ~ Near Mint/ 2CD Gatefold Mini LP Styled Jacket: Excellent ~ Near Mint/ Box: Excellent/ Sonic Device: Excellent/ Inner Tray: Excellent/ T-Shirt: Excellent, but needs to be washed). Complete Japan only released set housed in a nice box set that upon opening greets you with a chorus of frog sounds squirming out of a little sound device that reacts to light. The 2 CD set is set in a rectangular petal underneath of which you can find the exclusive “Vision Creation Newsun” T-Shirt that came with this set. Released on October 27th, 1999. Cutting and mashing it into pieces that coalesce into long tribal jams, digitally vibrating and crashing all the while. Snippets and references to Neu!, Hawkwind, Cosmic Jokers and other space trekkers become audible through the whole gamut of sound, making this truly a trip through psyched out hell. With trebly, bell-like sounds running through, a large chunk of "Rebore 0" sounds like the top octaves of a computer-controlled gamelan amok, supplemented by electronic bird and cricket choruses and forcefully underlined all the way through by stumbling drum patterns. A rare moment of calm occurs with (seemingly) acoustic guitar samples arranged delicately, while yowling and mewling plays in the background. Altogether an absolutely brilliant take, with large portions of "Vision Creation New Sun" still recognizable, but placed in an entirely different setting. A self-portrait in a shattered mirror. Getting impossible to get CD box set complete with working sonic devise upon opening, 2 CD's, gatefold jacket and T-Shirt, complete set!!! Price: 100 Euro
8. BORIS: “Akuma No Uta” (DIWPhalanx) (Promo Edition) (CD/ Insert/ Case: Mint). Limited pre-release promotion copy of Boris’ “Akuma no Uta” release, given away to a select few at the time. Probably no more than 50 copies of this version in existence. Price: 30 Euro
9. CHIAKI NAOMI: “Sorezore no Teburu” (Victor – VICL-62347) (CD and Jacket are sealed). Sealed mini-LP styled jacket CD of this quintessential Chiaki Naomi album. Like Tomokawa Kazuki and Mikami Kan already stated, Chiaki Naomi is one of the most beautiful – if not the most stunning – of all Japanese female kayokyoku singers who sadly cut her career short when her husband died. She hasn't been seen in public since. This album is out of her latter period but any album by Chiaki Naomi is stunning. Recommended. Price: 15 Euro
10. CHIAKI NAOMI: “Three Hundreds Club”(Victor – VICL-62348) (CD and Jacket are sealed). Sealed mini-LP styled jacket CD of this quintessential Chiaki Naomi album, the follow-up to the “Sorezore no Teburu” LP. Like Tomokawa Kazuki and Mikami Kan already stated, Chiaki Naomi is one of the most beautiful – if not the most stunning – of all Japanese female kayokyoku singers who sadly cut her career short when her husband died. She hasn't been seen in public since. This album is out of her latter period but any album by Chiaki Naomi is stunning. Recommended. Price: 15 Euro
11. CHIAKI NAOMI: “Taimu”(Victor – VICL-62349) (CD and Jacket are sealed). Sealed mini-LP styled jacket CD of this quintessential Chiaki Naomi album, the follow up to the “Three Hundereds Club” LP. Like Tomokawa Kazuki and Mikami Kan already stated, Chiaki Naomi is one of the most beautiful – if not the most stunning – of all Japanese female kayokyoku singers who sadly cut her career short when her husband died. She hasn't been seen in public since. This album is out of her latter period but any album by Chiaki Naomi is stunning. Recommended. Price: 15 Euro
12. CHIAKI NAOMI: “Minato ga Mieru Oka” (Victor – VICL-62350) (CD and Jacket are sealed). Sealed mini-LP styled jacket CD of this quintessential Chiaki Naomi album, the follow-up to the “Taimu” LP. Like Tomokawa Kazuki and Mikami Kan already stated, Chiaki Naomi is one of the most beautiful – if not the most stunning – of all Japanese female kayokyoku singers who sadly cut her career short when her husband died. She hasn't been seen in public since. This album is out of her latter period but any album by Chiaki Naomi is stunning. Recommended. Price: 15 Euro
13. CM ENSEMBLE: “Love Central” (Metonymic-010) (CD: Mint/ Gatefold Jacket: Mint). Great New Zealand group from years ago that should appeal to the readers of these pages….Price: 15 Euro
14. DANIEL SCHELL – DICK ANNEGARN: “Egmont and the ff Boom” (Musique Belgique Archive – MB001) (CD and gatefold sleeve are new). The LP ‘Egmont and the ff Boom' tells the history of the traditional polyphonic music from the Low Countries, using the personage of Egmont, Count of Gaasbeek (1522-1568) as a theme. All music was recorded in the 70's, all based around the unique and traditional polyphonic music of the 16th century, featuring, next to the two mentioned artists, an impressive range of guest musicians/artists. Daniel Schell is of course known from the projects Cos and Karo with releases on Made To Measure / Crammed Discs and Pascale Son was part of that Cos project too. Than there's Michel Berckmans, one of the influential musicians of Univers Zero and Aksak Maboul and Ilona Chale, a cult vocalist who released a track on the ‘Noises' compilation on Kamikaze, way back… These are just a few of the artists that collaborate on this magnificent but sadly overlooked and largely unknown album. In all it tells about his search for the real traditional music from the low countries and about Egmont, who died on a scaffold on the Grande Place in Brussels. His martyr death represents the cultural genocide ordered by Philippe II, who took the lives of 15.000 other men, mostly Flemish rebels who were against the Spanish occupation of the low lands, the so called Gueux. Music wise the disc dwells into a wide array of music styles without ever loosing its coherent approach that fuses polyphonic Flemish traditions, folk, medieval stylings, psychedelic mindsets and lysergic Gong influenced deep space trekkings into a meltingpot of subtle folk shapes with a touch of electricity that in its course birth out evocative flashes of majestic psychedelic architecture and crooning with timeless cocktail folk moves and moments of a culturally defunct Belgian opera. One of the best albums to seep out of Belgium, awesome from beginning to finish. Rarely surfaces these days, even in the Low Countries . Highest recommendation. Price: 20 Euro
15. DNA: “Last Live At CBGB” (Avan – AVAN006) (Disc: Near Mint/ Case: Excellent/ Obi: Near Mint/ Booklet: Near Mint).Long out of print fantastic DNA live set recorded back in their active days. “A live set from CBGB's of the legendary no wave band with members Arto Lindsay, Tim Wright and Ikue Mori. Their approach was to take the already pared-down ethos of punk rock and strip it even further of ornamentation, including the dismantling of the rockish song structure. The tunes are raw, turbulent, disjointed, and short; many end before the listener begins to have a grasp on them. Lindsay's strangled yelp of a voice is dominant here, his words a steady flow of everyday non-sequiturs. Interestingly, given his direction in ensuing years, he is already occasionally referencing the Portuguese of his Brazilian childhood. His studiedly naive guitar technique is in full flower by this point, sounding like the bastard child of Derek Bailey. Wright and Mori provide what structural spine there is, the former alluding in several instances to Captain Beefheart bassist Rockette Morton, the latter pounding with joyous abandon. Hearing DNA was a cathartic experience for many musicians in the experimental New York scene of the early '80s looking to combine the power of punk with avant-garde and improvisatory elements; album producer John Zorn cited them as an influence in the creation of his Naked City band, for example. While it's impossible to recreate the atmosphere of the time, this disc goes a long way in demonstrating what the excitement was about. Recommended.” (Brian Olewnick) Spot on description that adequately covers the musical load here on display. Historical mindbending recording!! Price: 20 Euro
16. D!OD!OD!OD!: “Ghost Temple” (PSF – PSFD-167) (CD: Mint/ Case: Mint/ Jacket: Mint/ Obi: Mint). Fantastic album of pure guitar and drums brutality (and the first non-Japanese release for PSF in several years) from the greatest noise musician in China, Li Jianhong. Long resident in Hangzhou, Li has released several records on his own 2pi label, including solo noise work for TV monitors and an album by his avant-rock unit Second Skin. He also curates the annual 2pi noise festival in Hangzhou. He played in at the Nuit Blanche festival in Paris in 2004, and this will be his second non-Chinese release. It is kind of amazing to think that China has already managed to produce a musician as au fait as Li Jianhong obviously is with the whole free noise aesthetic. D!O!D!O!D! is a full-on duo with drummer Huang Jin that mines the rich seams previously explored by Munehiro Narita’s Kyoaku no Intention and Rudolph Grey’s Blue Humans. Endlessly thrilling free psych-noise guitar blurt that bundles up enough flailing electric energy to illuminate half of Shanghai. Price: 15 Euro
17. FLIES INSIDE THE SUN: “Le Mal D’Archive” (Metonymic-009) (CD: Mint/ Gatefold Jacket: Mint). Flies Inside The Sun is the out-rock / free-jazz trio comprised of New Zealand stalwarts Kim Pieters, Peter Stapleton, and Brian Crook. Collectively, they've worked in a number of projects that have varied from the angry-pop of Scorched Earth Policy to the Kranky label approved drone-rock of Dadamah to the angular improvisations of Rain. By and large, each of the bands carries over a signature lugubriousness which certainly migrates into the Flies Inside The Sun. Imagine Movietone or Crescent turning even further to the tropes of jazz, than you come close to the sounds of Flies Inside The Sun. Price: 15 Euro
18. FLIES INSIDE THE SUN: “Cactus Sky” (Metonymic-007) CD: Mint/ Gatefold Jacket: Mint). Their follow-up release, exploring similar sonic horizons. Price: 15 Euro
19. FLOWER TRAVELLING BAND: “SATORI CD BOX SET” (Strange Days Records) (CD's and Box are new). Limited edition to 500 copies slipcase box set that housed 3 FTB albums, being Satori, Made In Japan and Make Up. These three come in identical mini-Lp styled sleeves, being a cardboard mini mailer for Made In Japan, complete with miniaturized inserts; gatefold Jacket and outer leather bag for “Make Up” (identical to the original LP) and gatefold sleeve for Satori, complete with reproduction of the original inserts. Next to that the box set comes with bonus artwork being reproduction mini 7 inch sleeves of “Crash” and “Satori” plus identical mini-LP styled sleeve reproductions of their sole Canadian pressed album and Joe with Flower Traveling Band “The Times” sleeve. This set is just too beautiful to handle. Disappearing fast on these shores, limited edition and sole one time only pressing with this box. Fabulously great. Price: 150 Euro

20. FLOWER TRAVELLING BAND: “Made In Japan ” (Strange Days) (CD: Near Mint/ Cardboard Box: Near Mint/ Obi: Near Mint/ Inserts: Near Mint). The most beautiful CD reissue I have ever seen of this legendary album. Released in 2004 in a tiny collectors edition of only 500 copies, this CD issue is presented identically to the LP version of this sucker, meaning that it is housed in a miniaturized version of the cardboard box/ mailer with paste on newspaper, obi and complete with 4 different inserts being a identical reproduction of the 4 paged liners, a press release, a mailing card to the FTB fan club and extensive liner notes. This edition dried up in merely a few days. A sight for sour eyes, stunningly beautiful and in totally mint condition.  Price: 50 Euro
21. FOOD BRAIN: “Bansan – Social Gathering” (P-Vine) (CD: Near Mint/ Mini LP hardcover Gatefold Sleeve: Near Mint/ Obi: Near Mint/ Insert: Near Mint). Long deleted deluxe CD issue of this all time masterpiece. Comes with obi and insert. This is an exact duplicate of the original disc that came out on Polydor in October 1970 and was legally reissued by P-Vine in 1999 in an edition of 500 copies. Everything to this disc is identical to the original, even the labels. Pressed on heavy duty vinyl and housed in a heavy fold out thick as wood carton sleeve, it will come as no surprise that these babies sold out quickly when they were released upon an unsuspecting crowd in 1999. Also known under the title "Social Gathering", "Bansan" was Food Brain's sole recorded output. This is partly due to the fact that Food Brain was but a mere session group, erected out of the crème of the crème of the early seventies Japanese psychedelic underground scene. The line-up is just mouth watering and consisted out of Shinki Chen of Speed Glue and Shinki on guitar, Yanagida Hiro of Apryl Fool on organ, Kabe Masayoshi of Apryl Fool and Golden Cups on bass and ex-Jacks drummer Tsunoda Hiro. The music is a great jam session with wailing organ riffs, sneering acidic guitar insertions, blood clotting pounding bass lines and vicious snare drum insertions. Some free jazz like clarinet insertions also pop up un this all time Japanese psych mayhem disc, due to the courtesy of Kimura Michihiro. A real psychedelic, free improvisation and progressive masterpiece. Legendary to say the least. Completely vanished so here is your chance to obtain a great and superb copy of this all time jaw dropping classic. Price: 30 Euro
22. FRICTION: “Katsurei” (Pass Records – PAS-105) (CD: Mint/ Mini-LP Gatefold Sleeve: Mint/ Obi: Mint/ Insert: Mint). Mini-LP gatefold sleeve edition of Friction’s first ever milestone recording. The first true Japanese punk record and the band to herald the Tokyo Rockers short-lived movement. Recorded in 1978, this is a monster. Price: 25 Euro
23. FRITS WEILAND: “Forecast Windy” (FCW/CD/01) (CD: Mint/ Booklet: Mint/ Case: Mint). Awesome privately released Dutch electronic music by this totally under documented composer that worked close with and next to Dick Raaijmaekers. Weiland has been performing radiophonic experiments since 1957 and is one of the old skool composers to come out of Holland. This first CD of a series of two focuses on his electro acoustic and electronic music works recorded between 1979 ‾ 1985. This self-released Cd was signed and dated during one of his live performances in Belgium back in November 1999. Comes with 15-paged booklet. Price: 80 Euro
24. FRITS WEILAND: “Red Dust” (FCW/CD/02) (CD: Mint/ Booklet: Mint/ Case: Mint). Awesome privately released Dutch electronic music by this totally under documented composer that worked close with and next to Dick Raaijmaekers. Weiland has been performing radiophonic experiments since 1957 and is one of the old skool composers to come out of Holland. This first CD of a series of two focuses on his electro acoustic and electronic music works recorded between 1977 ‾ 1989. This self-released Cd was signed and dated during one of his live performances in Belgium back in November 1999. Comes with 15-paged booklet. Price: 80 Euro
 25. FUSHITSUSHA: “Withdrawe, this sable Disclosure ere devot’d” (Victo – cd060) (CD: Mint/ Insert: Mint/ Case: Mint). Price: 30 Euro
26. GALACTIC EXPLORERS: “Epitaph For Venus” (Psi-Fi – PSCD0002) (CD: Mint/ Booklet: Mint). Price: 30 Euro
27. GEINO YAMASHIROGUMI: “Symphonic Suite Akira” (Victor – VICL-23092) (CD and case are mint). Great copy of this quintessential Geino Yamashirogumi release that came out back in 1994. Although this one is a latter effort by the band, it nevertheless can be seen as yet another highlight in their repertoire. Having being commissioned by Katsuhiro Otomo to compose a soundtrack to the hand drawn animated movie set in a Neo Tokyo as depicted in AKIRA. Nightlife is dark and violent. Fundamentalist Buddhist sects roaming the streets chant dogma searching for answers. And most importantly, the drugged up punk teenagers such as the main protagonist Kaneda and his unstable friend, Tetsuo who is the subject of a secret military experiment which continues the work of the Akira project - a project which accidentally started WWIII years before. Tetsuo's new psychic powers lead to the revival of Akira, and Akira destroys Neo-Tokyo in a moment of fury. While Tetsuo carves an empire out of the ensuing chaos, the Geino Yamashirogumi ensemble churn out lethal mix of apocalyptic gamelan mayhem, esoteric and telekinetic Buddhist mantic singing, percussion driven madness, Indonesian inspired chromatic drumming frenziness, eerie synthesizer dementia and Japanese theatrical music sucking influences as wide and varied as Noh and Bunraku elements. The end result is devastating toxic merger that brings out big city agitation, axial motion, turmoil vibrating vibes and delirious, hallucinated and crackbrained psyched out ethnic music that is just jaw-droppingly great. A true classic, highest recommendation. Price: 25 Euro
28. GHOST: “Hypnotic Underworld” ( Drag City – DC249CD) (CD/ Case & Booklet are near Mint). “Hallelujah! Ghost are back! Since Drag City's simultaneous release of their Snuff Box Immanence and Tune In, Turn On, Free Tibet albums back in 1999, we hadn't heard hide nor hair of Japan's wonderful acid-folksters Ghost (unless you count their liason with Damon & Naomi). Indeed we'd begun to wonder what was up with Masaki Batoh, Michio Kurihara and crew -- we missed them! And in those four or five years, it seemed that fans of '70s inspired Japanese psychedelic music had switched their allegiance to the much more prolific Acid Mothers Temple camp led by Kawabata Makoto who emerged in the meantime. But we Ghost fans know that, as good as AMT can be, in the realm of cosmic communal Japanese hippy rock, there is no comparison. Ghost rule that particular hypnotic underworld. Depth, beauty, originality -- on all those counts they have it over AMT. Unlike the excessive pastiche of AMT, there's nothing tongue in cheek about Ghost. And as for quality control, well, you do the math. So, needless to say, we were supremely excited to get this brand new Ghost album! The sun was sure 'tangging' the day this showed up. Word was that this might be Ghost's best album yet, and while we each have our favorites (mine's Lama Rabi Rabi, with their self-titled debut in close competition) this was immediately revealed as a contender. In short, it's freakin' great. Ghost explore some heavier, rockier, more prog-tastic directions in some of these songs, yet let their incomparable delicate psych-folk flow as well. Stirring guitar/drums workouts coexist with Batoh's fragile vocals and trembling sunshine melodies. And Terrascopic trainspotters will be interested to know that Ghost interpret songs by both Syd Barrett and the obscure '70s Dutch prog-rock act Earth & Fire, and make them completely their own. The album takes its name from the four-part, 25-minute suite that opens this disc, which ventures from lovely, hazy jazz-inflected jams to bombastic, utterly prog-rock flourishes complete with grandiose choirs. That alone is worth having waited four or five years for!” (Aquarius Records) Price: 12 Euro
29. GRIM: “Folk Songs For An Obscure Race” (Hang Niap Records – Haang-002) (Sealed). Destined to be one of the top 3 reissues of this year. Once White Hospital disintegrated, the unit split up into Vasilik – being Tomosada Kawahara and Grim being Jun Konagaya. This first official reissue of the complete Grim catalogue presents a sick slice of industrial noise fumes. Treated percussive rattles, drum pounding, throbbing bass lines, pulses, detuned organ slashes and voices from beyond the grave make up the sonic palette of this aural assault. In way the sounds resembles to the first SPK releases but be it even more detuned and obsessed with a sick morbidity drifting towards the bowels of human suffering and things best left untouched. In short the perfect soundtrack to play at your personal little holocaust. Disturbing industrial sound files that make up one of the best-kept secrets to seep out the early 1980’s Japanese sewer infested with all that the bubble economy casted away. So sick it is bordering on the brilliant. In my book, ranks up there next to the sole White Hospital LP (a monster), 2nd Hanatarashi and the Leichenshrei LP by SPK. All indispensable. Comes with detailed fully illustrated booklet, mini-LP styled gatefold jacket and obi. The works!!! Price: 17 Euro
30. HADAKA NO RALLIZES/ LES RALLIZES DENUDES: “End of the Heavy Groove” (Univive Oriental Masters 2 CD Set) (2 CD and case are Mint). Long out of print ear-blistering 2 CD set. Latest installment on the semi-legit ongoing Univive label documenting the exploits of Japan’s greatest psyched out rock outfit ever to have walked the face of the earth, hell even the greatest band ever to walk the face of the globe for that matter. New double disc set in jewel case. This one features two previously unreleased 1976 dates, one from an unknown location/date, the other July 30th 1976. Excellent mix of phased amphetamine guitar blats and black flower ballads with Mizutani on explosive, snake wrestling form. Beautifully packaged in a jewel case with glossy sleeves and pressed in a tiny one-time made to order run. Filled with desolate guitar melancholia it approaches the kind of music for the jams that absolutely destroys all with its cataclysmic wind storms of distorted guitar/bass/drums cacophony before setting direct course for the hottest nearby star and erupting in some of the most righteous low end fuzz blasts ever captured on tape. Holy shit! is an understatement. Sheer brilliance and already oop, so…... Price: 85 Euro
31. HADAKA NO RALLIZES: “1981.11.6 Housei Daigaku Gakukan Hall Part 1” (Private) (CDR: Mint/ Jacket and Case: Mint). First generation Rallizes live recording that came out about 15 years ago, limited to only 50 copies. Price: 30 Euro
32. HADAKA NO RALLIZES: “1981.11.6 Housei Daigaku Gakukan Hall Part 2” (Private) (CDR: Mint/ Jacket and Case: Mint). First generation Rallizes live recording that came out about 15 years ago, limited to only 50 copies. Price: 30 Euro
33. HADAKA NO RALLIZES: “Otoko No Hadakarizu” (Private - 001) (CDR: Mint/ Case & Insert: Mint). First generation Rallizes live recording that came out about 15 years ago, limited to only 50 copies. Recordings date from various sources ranging from 1973 up until 1981. Price: 25 Euro
34. HADAKA NO RALLIZES: “Otoko No Hadakarizu” (Private - 002) (CDR: Mint/ Case & Insert: Mint). First generation Rallizes live recording that came out about 15 years ago, limited to only 50 copies. Recordings date from October 2nd 1982, pt one. Price: 25 Euro
35. HADAKA NO RALLIZES: “Otoko No Hadakarizu” (Private - 003) (CDR: Mint/ Case & Insert: Mint). First generation Rallizes live recording that came out about 15 years ago, limited to only 50 copies. Recordings date from October 2nd 1982. Price: 25 Euro
36. HADAKA NO RALLIZES: “Bootlegged Rallizes Denudes Obscure Recordings Number One” (Private) (CD and Case are Mint). Again first generation trade circle Rallizes obscure live recordings that came out about 15 years ago again in a limited run of 30 copies. Price: 30 Euro
37. HADAKA NO RALLIZES: “Bootlegged Rallizes Denudes Obscure Recordings Number Two” (Private) (CD and Case are Mint). Again first generation trade circle Rallizes obscure live recordings that came out about 15 years ago again in a limited run of 30 copies. Price: 30 Euro
38. HADAKA NO RALLIZES: “Bootlegged Rallizes Denudes Obscure Recordings Number Three” (Private) (CD and Case are Mint). Again first generation trade circle Rallizes obscure live recordings that came out about 15 years ago again in a limited run of 30 copies. Price: 30 Euro
39. HAINO KEIJI: “Keeping On Breathing - Iki O Shiteiru Mama” (Tokuma Japan – TKCF-77016) (CD: Mint/ Case: Mint/ Booklet: Mint/ Obi: Mint) Released April 21, 1997. If I were thinking of a good place to start listening to Haino solo, I would select "Keeping on Breathing" and "I said, this is the son of nihilism". "Keeping on Breathing" is a flawless excursion into what Haino does best on guitar and voice. There are some violent vocal sections reminiscent of Watashi-Dake and there are some more Haino-improv guitar oriented sections. The sound quality is very fine. This disc is definitely not a guitar-roar wall-of-noise experiment. Price: 55 Euro
40. HAINO KEIJI: “Beginning and End, Interwoven” (Streamline – 1002) (CD: Mint/ Insert: Mint/ Case: Mint). Price: 30 Euro
41. HAINO KEIJI & COA: “You Should Draw Out The Billion and First Prayer” (Horen – Mimi-010) (CD: Mint/ Booklet: Mint/ Obi: Mint). Price: 35 Euro
42. HAINO KEIJI & YOSHIDA TATSUYA: “Mizu ga Hono O Tsukamu Made” (Noise Asia – MAIM12) (CD: Mint/ Paper sleeve Jacket: Mint/ Obi: Mint). Until Water Grasps Flame” “We mentioned this exciting collaborative release in last list's review of the Knead CD, and now we do indeed have a bunch of 'em in stock. Tatsuya Yoshida you know as the drummer for Japan's amazing Ruins, while Keiji Haino has for many years been the dark musical shaman of Tokyo with his out-rock group Fushitsusha. (He's also the cover star of this month's issue of The Wire, by chance.) 
Unlike the Ruins + Haino summit known as Knead, "Until Water Grasps Flame" sees our heroes investigating a wider variety of sonic constructions, from spazzy jazz skronk to folkish improv. 
Knead, by contrast, was pretty much a full-on noise rock blast a la Fushitsusha. There's some of that here ("At The Instant That One Thinks To Oneself 'No Way', What Percent Is Nostalgia?"), but lots more besides. Like Knead, this is rather more Haino's thing than Yoshida's (you can tell Haino named the songs, not Yoshida!), though fans of the Ruins man won't fail to recognize his stamp on the proceedings as well. But actually the few, more Yoshida-esqe tracks with lotsa drum clatter and jagged guitar found here aren't our faves anyway. What we're really digging about this disc are the songs that get into a weird zone of shimmering drone, sparse and ambient, using an array of intriguing ethnic instrumentation. It's dark improvised folk psychedelia that almost sounds like it belongs on the Kemialliset Ystavat disc reviewed elsewhere this list, until out of Yoshida's rolling percussion ambience emerges Haino's unmistakable anguished vocals. 
Several of us here at AQ have been on what you might term a "Keiji Haino kick" of late, digging out our old PSF and Tokuma CD’s and re-acquainting our ears with his unique, deeply felt sounds. Sometimes harsh, sometimes gentle, always dark, emotive, and beautiful. The appearance of this CD has been but one of the many things to trigger our personal Haino renaissance. Perhaps hearing it will instill in you the same excitement. And Yoshida is of course another long-time AQ favorite, so it's cool that he and Haino have finally gotten together for these two full-length collaborations (this one, and Knead).” (Aquarius Records) Long gone and out of print. Price: 50 Euro
43. HARMONIA: “Musik Von” (Brain Japan ) (CD, Case, Obi: Mint). First Japanese edition CD of this all time krautrock masterpiece. Indispensable and after all those years still manages to sound extremely innovative and outward bound. Price: 15 Euro
44. HELDON: “Electric Guerilla” (Captain Trip) (Paper Sleeve Jacket/ Obi/ CD: Sealed). Limited edition Japan reissue of the 1st Heldon disc. Great beautiful packaging and even more brilliant music. New and unopened. Highly essential. Price: 20 Euro
45. HELDON: “Heldon Third” (Captain Trip) (Paper Sleeve Gatefold Jacket/ Obi/ 2 x CD: Sealed). Limited edition Japan reissue of the 3rd Heldon disc. Great beautiful packaging and even more brilliant music. New and unopened. Highly essential. Price: 30 Euro
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