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Release date : June 30th

USURABI – Outside of the world
(Toshimitsu Akiko, Kawaguchi Masami & Morohashi Shigeki )
LP 12” black vinyl
Edition of 400, comes in a 2 colors (gold & black) silkscreened on heavy jacket with obi (black or patterned light
pink), with inserts and a postcard

Photograph : Akiyama Noriko

Special A3 (fold out) full color & duotone insert by Andrew Chalk
Printed by Alan Sherry
Liner notes by Jon Dale

Catalogue number : [An’38]

Outside of the world, the second album by Japanese trio Usurabi, is a rare pleasure – a guitar pop album that’s deep with spirit, bristling with energy, melodically rich and precious: full of life. It’s even more thrilling than its predecessor, 2021’s Remains of the Light, also released by An’archives, its eight songs falling together just perfectly. If you’ve ever swooned to the sound of rattling, humming organs on countless ‘60s garage rock sides, the wistful beauty of David Roback and Kendra Smith’s music as Opal, the brittle immediacy of those ‘80s EPs from New Zealand acts like The Clean and The Chills, you’ll find plenty to love here. The line-up’s still the same: the songs are written by Toshimitsu Akiko, previously a member of Doodles and Aminome; playing behind her is drummer Morohashi Shigeki and bass player Kawaguchi Masami, who’d previously played together in Kawaguchi’s legendary Broomdusters, where Kawaguchi really started to establish himself as one of Japan’s greatest rock guitarists. But Usurabi is very much Toshimitsu’s vehicle, a space for her to gift her gorgeous songs to the world, with Kawaguchi and Morohashi helping guide the songs into the light. Indeed, one thing that’s particularly noticeable about Outside of the world is the way all three musicians act in service to what the songs demand. So “Meet again, outside of the world” opens the album with a beautiful ‘60s garage sway, all buzzing organs and Toshimitsu’s beautifully clear voice. “Even if it’s a lie” bristles with energy and tension, its driving rhythms recalling groups like The Feelies, but with Toshimitsu’s surf rock guitar riding the waves. “Pura” is pensive and melancholy, its graceful slow motion dissolving into a free-form section where Kawaguchi and Morohashi drill down into the earth, a fiercely responsive rhythm duo, while waves of coruscating noise guitar soar out into the ether; “Waves” is a stately closer, crushing guitars cossetting a slow, martial rhythm. Recorded over 2021 and 2022, Outside of the world is a more than worthy follow-up to both Remains of the Light and the limited cassette, Further closer, released in 2022 on Kawaguchi’s Purifivia imprint. It has Usurabi stretching out, letting their songs breathe when they need, and tightening the screws on other songs so they become perfect pop statements. There’s plenty of joy and pleasure here, and a gentle but determined melancholy; inviting and beautifully sculpted, Outside of the world is a quiet masterpiece.

26€

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Juke/19 or Juke or 19 was a Japanese underground conceptual band, found in 1978 by the artist and painter Shinro Ohtake. An active phase of the project only lasted for about two years, with four LP albums released from December 1980 to September 1982. In a certain sense, Juke/19 pioneered and preceded the unique highly energetic (but sonically sophisticated) experimental/punk style, later developed by such bands like Boredoms. We only have a very few copies of each title.

Juke / 19 – Enban

Originally released in 1980 in response to “NO NEW YORK”, this work was performed and recorded by Shinro Otake, Takuji Nomoto, Toyama Toshiaki, and Yoko Ota in 1978-80 without having a meeting ! The strange sound that swallows noise, junk, rock, punk, etc. is just strange and unexpected . It also reminds Throbbing Gristle and LAFMS . The shortness of each song seems to make the raw and distorted sound and sometims with a light touch of pop. It contains 4 songs and includes liner notes by Manabu Yuasa. Mastered by Taku Unami. Comes in a special vinyl cover packaging.

$50 Red or Yellow jacket

Juke / 19 LP Ninety Seven Circles – Enban

$50

Juke / 19 LP Soundtrack – Enban

$50

Juke / 19 LP Pieces – Enban

Comes in a heavy special packaging

$50

Juke / 19 10’EP Untitled – Enban

$30

JohnKrausbauer + Alan Licht 7′ Superstizione / Lateral Tracer – Carbon records

Alan Licht (electric guitar) and John Krausbauer (amplified violin/oscillators) have created two compositions on their new 7” that seemingly reside on opposite ends of the experimental/free-noise spectrum.

Superstizione (Italian for “superstition”) is a maximalist free-noise blast, seemingly chaotic, but with an intentional forward movement and flow. Licht’s guitar playing starts off with a low end, thick fuzz, but quickly moves to an over-blown, frenetic pattern, all while Krausbauer’s amplified violin proves the instrument can fit, and compete comfortably, in the mix of wild amp’d riffage. You can try to discern the notes, examine the interplay, or you can just let yourself be enveloped by the combined waterfall of tones and power.

On the other side of the coin (and record), Lateral Tracer utilizes guitar (Licht) and oscillators (Krausbauer) to create drones and moiré-like patterns with interweaving signals, which elicits difference tones and interference beats, mesmerizing the listener with a soothing heartbeat. Similar to the use of the contrasting red and blue in the cover artwork, creating a chromostereopsis effect, the two sources of sound trade places back and forth, per the listener’s focus, one sound (or color) retreating, while the other advances, and vice-versa.

only a few, ltd ed $13

John Krausbauer + Patrick Shiroishi 7′ High Life – Carbon records

High Life is like a mini-album, a short journey or guide. The perfect use of the 7″ format, showcasing the range of this inventive duo with each playing their core instruments of violin (Krausbauer) and saxophone (Shiroishi), along with some organ drones and singing.

On the a-side, Bird’s Song starts things off with John’s beautiful pulsing organ swells, while Patrick comes in blustering and quick with a cacophony of notes. The world is waking up. They then set off traversing the dynamic range of the free-improv landscape on the title track High Life, with sharp interplay between the droning and soaring violin and skipping free-sax melodies.

On the b-side, the trek continues with Swing Low, as John’s grinding Conrad-esque violin drones lay a base for Patrick’s track-long skronking sax solo. They finish off the trip, and the 7″, with the raga meditations of Tuning In & Turning On, all chanting voices and organ drone; the world lays its head down.

Ltd ed, only a few $13

Kaoganai CDR [sample] – Veltz Produkt

A very special and noise project active in the Tokyo scene, with sirens, wood and some dying motors rythms. Mysterious and a name to discover & follow. Comes in a grey box with insert.

$18

Veltz CDR protype – Veltz Produkt

All sounds created using broken analog TV. No sampling sound, No rythym machine, all recorded in reali time. Comes in a grey box with insert

$18

The Door into summer CDR July 24 Veltz Produkt

Ambiant project by Akira Matsuoka / veltz, drony with a light touch of pop with field recordings, bass, radio and magneto recorded around 2007. Comes in a grey cardboard box & insert

$18

Eddie Marcon EP 7 ‘ ひまわり絶叫/明るい未来を – Pong Kong records 2022

$16 only a few

Eddie Marcon CDR EP あまぐもとほし – Pong Kong records 2023

With Ikuro Takahashi

Only a very few, sold out at source

SOLD OUT

Eddie Marcon CD Kura kura kurage – Pong Kong records 2018

$28

Eddie Marcon CD aoi ashioto  Zashokku 2005

SOLD OUT

UP-TIGHT LP Sweet Sister – Cardinal Fuzz / Feeding Tubes records

“Tokyo psych monsters Up-Tight come out of the classically wasted/drug-damaged school of excessive fuzz and reverb, giving the nod to the endless jam style of Les Rallizes Denudes while spiking their sound with dark downer ballads that owe as much to The Jacks as they do to The Velvet Underground. If you can picture Spacemen 3 circa “The Perfect Prescription” produced by Ghost circa “Temple Stone” then you’re close to the outrageous levels of psychedelic excess captured here. Tomoyuki’s guitar tone has to be heard to be believed, with tactile garage punk crunch put to the service of endlessly euphoric orbits of three droning chords. Up-Tight have been responsible for a buncha the most memorable releases to come out of the post-PSF underground but this has to be their recorded pinnacle, the perfect balance of two chord Velvet downers and strung-out post-Rallizes string violence. One of our records of the year so far- You need to hear this, Highly recommended!” (Volcanic Tongue)

$SOLD OUT

UP-TIGHT & Makoto Kawabata 2LP Cardinal / Feeding Tubes records

Two LPs in single wide-spine sleeve, recorded in Summer 2004 & previously released on CD in 2005

$SOLD OUT