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2LP
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WRWTFWW 072LP
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$40.00
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 2/24/2023
Double LP version. WRWTFWW Records present a new full-length collaborative project by Japanese ambient/environmental legend Takashi Kokubo (Ion Series) and Italian/Swiss trombonist Andrea Esperti (Esperti Project): Music For A Cosmic Garden. Recorded during the heights of the pandemic and completed in February 2021, Kokubo and Esperti created a majestic eight-track ethereal/botanical soundscape. Takashi Kokubo, environmental music figure, celebrated sound designer, and founder of Studio Ion, has released over 20 albums, including the genre-defining and highly sought-after Ion Series. He's also played a major role in the sonic identity of Japan, creating the country's mobile phone earthquake alert sound, credit card payment validation jingles, and much more. In 2020, Takashi Kokubo received a Grammy nomination for his track "A Dream Sails Out to Sea, Scene 3" off Light in the Attic's Kankyō Ongaku compilation. He is known for recording "sound scenes from nature" around the world using a binaural CyberPhonic microphone of his own invention and for his very unique brand of healing music. Andrea Esperti is a Swiss trombonist and composer originally from Puglia (Italy). He plays in multiple genres (classical, pop, world, electro, jazz) with a globe-trotting approach: encounters with peers, rhythmic exchanges, and unplanned music projects; this is where lies the foundation of his work. Music For A Cosmic Garden is an ode to celestial botanics, a contemporary and hallucinogenic take on the soothing ambient genre immortalized by artists such as Midori Takada and Satoshi Ashikawa, a beautiful pairing of synthesizers and the mighty trombone, taking you to a meditative galaxy far, far away, where other-worldly is just another word for cozy. Recommended track for maximum pleasure: "Gaia's Love Theme". For fans of environmental, chill-out, ambient, Satoshi Ashikawa, Midori Takada, Hiroshi Yoshimura, the Ion Series, parallel universes, music for space traveling but also music for gardening, and music for gardening in space.
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CD
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WRWTFWW 072CD
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$16.00
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 2/24/2023
WRWTFWW Records present a new full-length collaborative project by Japanese ambient/environmental legend Takashi Kokubo (Ion Series) and Italian/Swiss trombonist Andrea Esperti (Esperti Project): Music For A Cosmic Garden. Recorded during the heights of the pandemic and completed in February 2021, Kokubo and Esperti created a majestic eight-track ethereal/botanical soundscape. Takashi Kokubo, environmental music figure, celebrated sound designer, and founder of Studio Ion, has released over 20 albums, including the genre-defining and highly sought-after Ion Series. He's also played a major role in the sonic identity of Japan, creating the country's mobile phone earthquake alert sound, credit card payment validation jingles, and much more. In 2020, Takashi Kokubo received a Grammy nomination for his track "A Dream Sails Out to Sea, Scene 3" off Light in the Attic's Kankyō Ongaku compilation. He is known for recording "sound scenes from nature" around the world using a binaural CyberPhonic microphone of his own invention and for his very unique brand of healing music. Andrea Esperti is a Swiss trombonist and composer originally from Puglia (Italy). He plays in multiple genres (classical, pop, world, electro, jazz) with a globe-trotting approach: encounters with peers, rhythmic exchanges, and unplanned music projects; this is where lies the foundation of his work. Music For A Cosmic Garden is an ode to celestial botanics, a contemporary and hallucinogenic take on the soothing ambient genre immortalized by artists such as Midori Takada and Satoshi Ashikawa, a beautiful pairing of synthesizers and the mighty trombone, taking you to a meditative galaxy far, far away, where other-worldly is just another word for cozy. Recommended track for maximum pleasure: "Gaia's Love Theme". For fans of environmental, chill-out, ambient, Satoshi Ashikawa, Midori Takada, Hiroshi Yoshimura, the Ion Series, parallel universes, music for space traveling but also music for gardening, and music for gardening in space.
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LP
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WRWTFWW 074LP
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WRWTFWW Records announce the first ever release of the soundtrack for the sci-fi Amiga demoscene wonder Odyssey by the Alcatraz group, with music from Greg. Possibly the first ever vinyl release for an Amiga demoscene soundtrack, if not the first ever vinyl release for a demoscene soundtrack whatsoever! Wikipedia says: "The demoscene is an international computer art subculture focused on producing demos: self-contained, sometimes extremely small, computer programs that produce audiovisual presentations. The purpose of a demo is to show off programming, visual art, and musical skills. Demos and other demoscene productions (graphics, music, videos, games) are shared at festivals known as demoparties, voted on by those who attend and released online." In the demoscene galaxy, one era was particularly exciting: the Amiga years during which the demos were created for the Commodore Amiga home computer -- a time of intense rivalry between programmers, graphics artists, and computer musicians, testing the limits of the (fixed) Amiga hardware. The Odyssey demo was one of the largest productions ever released by an Amiga group, a real sci-fi movie on five floppy disks made with 3D sequences. It was presented at a demoscene party in 1991 and won the competition, setting a new standard for Amiga demo possibilities. One of the highlights of the demo was the funky cosmic music from Swiss composer Greg, a true space opera, the '90s galactic soundscape you didn't know was missing from your life. And so here it is, available for the first time, ten tracks of pure video game music joy, adventurous computer pop, pixelated techno-trance, Star Wars gone floppy disk, and interstellar beats for days. Features the complete soundtrack of the demo sourced from the original masters as well as printed innersleeve, a 24x24 inch double-sided poster with extensive liner notes on the fascinating history of the Amiga demoscene on one side and a floppy disk print on the other, and a WRWTFWW sticker sheet.
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WRWTFWW 069LP
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WRWTFWW Records announce a brand new album by Irish producer Gareth Quinn Redmond, following his amazing Satoshi Ashikawa-inspired Laistigh den Ghleo released in 2019 (WRWTFWW 039CD/LP). Umcheol, his ambient-meets-Irish-traditional-music soundscape comes in a 350gsm gatefold sleeve with a superb triptych of paintings by Irish artist Conor Campbell. A splendid pairing of Irish folk instruments (harp, tin whistle, fiddle, harmonium) with synthesizers, Umcheol tells the tragic yet beautiful tale of two legendary figures of Irish mythology, Cú Chulainn and Ferdiad. The 40+ minute ambient narrative is a subtle and touching alliance of past and present, tradition re-contextualized and retold with a modern approach. Gareth Quinn Redmond explains: "For the longest time, I have desired to blend elements of both ambient and Irish traditional music. Umcheol -- Cú Chulainn agus Ferdiad, is the first in a series of works that seeks to coalesce these two palettes of sound. The primary focus of this album was to begin using traditional instruments such as the harp, tin whistle, fiddle and even the harmonium, which in recent times has become commonly used in Irish folk music. By pairing these instruments with synthesizers, I hope to create a soundscape that gives new agency for the stories of my culture to be realized and retold." Very personal and delicately visceral, Umcheol is a contemplative journey that will resonate with fans of Japanese environmental music, minimalism, folk experimentations, and mythological soundtracks. For fans of ambient, Irish folk music and history, minimalism, synth, Satoshi Ashikawa, Midori Takada, Brian Eno, beautiful paintings, single LPs in gatefold sleeves, well hidden treasures. Edition of 500.
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WRWTFWW 077LP
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$29.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 1/27/2023
WRWTFWW Records present Home Decor, the sixth full-length album from New York born, Los Angeles based ambient/jazz/downtempo musician Danny Scott Lane. Danny Scott Lane's heartwarming ten-track affair is its very own kind of nostalgia-tinted modern chill out music, a silky cocktail of '80s synths and exotica seduction gently carried by Matt Elliot Gooden's sensuous saxophone. Dare you say ambient smooth jazz? Add hints of Italo, minimalism, and fusion, and you there you have it: Home Decor, a perfect soundtrack for cozy situations, one last drink on the balcony, strolls by the beach, relaxing, thinking back, possibly even gardening and cooking something delicious. Highlights such as "Champagne Spill", "Baby's First Balcony", and "Twin Bed" are not to be missed and should allow for a bit of (well-deserved) breathing in the tumultuous times the world is going through. Home Decor, indeed a rare gem to soothe the mind, body, and soul. Housed in a heavy 350gsm sleeve with an artwork from 3D virtual designer Lucas Barbuzzi.
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WRWTFWW 070LP
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WRWTFWW Records announce the release of Chu Ishikawa and Der Eisenrost's soundtrack for experimental action-drama Tokyo Fist, released in 1995 and directed by legendary director/producer/writer Shin'ya Tsukamoto (Tetsuo: The Iron Man and its sequels, Bullet Ballet, Hiroki The Goblin, Nightmare Detective). Previously only published on CD in Japan, the cult movie soundtrack is available on vinyl for the first time ever. The Tokyo Fist soundtrack gorgeously blends explosive industrial music, heavy percussion, martial rhythms, and noise experimentations with contemplative ambient and emotion-filled synth soundscapes, perfectly encapsulating the nihilistic pain felt by the characters of the movie and the brutally visceral rebirth they go through. Ishikawa and Der Eisenrost's compositions hit hard, sometimes truly terrorizing, sometimes heart-gripping in gloomy and bewitching ways. This is no holds barred music, a venture into the darkest yet most strangely beautiful corners of the human mind (and heart). The late great Chu Ishikawa was one of the innovators of the industrial and experimental scene in Japan and has collaborated with Shin'ya Tsukamoto on numerous movies. He also worked extensively with Takashi Miike, another visionary filmmaker from his home country. Ishikawa was the leader of groundbreaking industrial-metal-percussion unit Der Eisenrost whose live performances around Japan left an indelible mark on the genre's history. Housed in a heavy 350gsm sleeve.
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2LP
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WRWTFWW 067LP
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$37.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 1/13/2023
Double LP version. Includes printed inner sleeves. WRWTFWW Records announce the 18-track ZENTSUU: Collected Works 2001-2019, the first ever best-of compilation of Soichi Terada's amazing project OMODAKA. Initiated in 2001 while trying to create a "boat racing song", the OMODAKA project features sublime music by veteran electronic/house/jungle/video game music producer/DJ Soichi Terada and the vocals of Japanese folk min'yo and enka singer Akiko Kanazawa for a never-heard-before colorful blend of retro game 8-bit/chiptune sounds and traditional Japanese music with wet electro rhythms, joyful '90s house grooves, and slick downtempo vibes. Feel-good, sexy, and fun, Terada's project brings forth one of the most unique sounds in recent memory. The smile-inducing sonic adventure is packed with irresistible hits and a good dose of dancefloor-ready gems: a well-deserved delivery of good times for 2022 and beyond.
Tokyo born genius, Soichi Terada has built an impressive career in different music genres. He co-founded respected label Far East Recording with Shinchiro Yokata, composed the soundtrack for cult video game series Ape Escape, released tons of amazing house music records (some included in the beautiful compilation Sounds from the Far East released by Rush Hour in 2015), and has been a celebrated world-touring DJ.
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WRWTFWW 067CD
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WRWTFWW Records announce the 18-track ZENTSUU: Collected Works 2001-2019, the first ever best-of compilation of Soichi Terada's amazing project OMODAKA. Initiated in 2001 while trying to create a "boat racing song", the OMODAKA project features sublime music by veteran electronic/house/jungle/video game music producer/DJ Soichi Terada and the vocals of Japanese folk min'yo and enka singer Akiko Kanazawa for a never-heard-before colorful blend of retro game 8-bit/chiptune sounds and traditional Japanese music with wet electro rhythms, joyful '90s house grooves, and slick downtempo vibes. Feel-good, sexy, and fun, Terada's project brings forth one of the most unique sounds in recent memory. The smile-inducing sonic adventure is packed with irresistible hits and a good dose of dancefloor-ready gems: a well-deserved delivery of good times for 2022 and beyond.
Tokyo born genius, Soichi Terada has built an impressive career in different music genres. He co-founded respected label Far East Recording with Shinchiro Yokata, composed the soundtrack for cult video game series Ape Escape, released tons of amazing house music records (some included in the beautiful compilation Sounds from the Far East released by Rush Hour in 2015), and has been a celebrated world-touring DJ.
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LP
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WRWTFWW 057LP
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LP version. 180 gram vinyl; half-speed-mastered. WRWTFWW Records present the worldwide reissue of Midori Takada's solo album from 1999, Tree of Life. Originally recorded in September 1998 at legendary Ginza (Tokyo) studio Onkio Haus (founded in 1974 and where Ryuichi Sakamoto's "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" and many more were recorded) and released on CD only for the Japan market in 1999, Tree of Life is Midori Takada's best kept secret, a lost gem of minimalism and percussive ambient. The album is separated in two parts, the first one finds Takada exploring her trademark environmental soundscapes with precise mastery of marimba, drums, and bells, notably on the magnificent fan-favorite "Love Song Of Urfa". The second half is a collaboration with Chinese virtuoso Erhu player Jiang Jian Hua, allowing Midori Takada to unveil new layers of her artistic mind with a slightly more theatrical approach and a beautiful crystallization of complex simplicity. The entire album was given a fresh new audiophile mix by Midori Takada herself and was mastered at Emil Berliner Studios. This Tree of Life reissue follows two newly recorded Midori Takada albums, Cutting Branches For A Temporary Shelter (WRWTFWW 060CD/LP) and You Who Are Leaving To Nirvana (WRWTFWW 061CD/LP), both available on WRWTFWW Records, along with her 1983 masterpiece, Through The Looking Glass (WRWTFWW 018LP). Design by Kohei Sugiura.
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CD
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WRWTFWW 057CD
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WRWTFWW Records present the worldwide reissue of Midori Takada's solo album from 1999, Tree of Life. Originally recorded in September 1998 at legendary Ginza (Tokyo) studio Onkio Haus (founded in 1974 and where Ryuichi Sakamoto's "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" and many more were recorded) and released on CD only for the Japan market in 1999, Tree of Life is Midori Takada's best kept secret, a lost gem of minimalism and percussive ambient. The album is separated in two parts, the first one finds Takada exploring her trademark environmental soundscapes with precise mastery of marimba, drums, and bells, notably on the magnificent fan-favorite "Love Song Of Urfa". The second half is a collaboration with Chinese virtuoso Erhu player Jiang Jian Hua, allowing Midori Takada to unveil new layers of her artistic mind with a slightly more theatrical approach and a beautiful crystallization of complex simplicity. The entire album was given a fresh new audiophile mix by Midori Takada herself and was mastered at Emil Berliner Studios. This Tree of Life reissue follows two newly recorded Midori Takada albums, Cutting Branches For A Temporary Shelter (WRWTFWW 060CD/LP) and You Who Are Leaving To Nirvana (WRWTFWW 061CD/LP), both available on WRWTFWW Records, along with her 1983 masterpiece, Through The Looking Glass (WRWTFWW 018LP). Design by Kohei Sugiura.
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WRWTFWW 058LP
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WRWTFWW Records announce Poly-Time Soundscapes / Forest Of The Shrine, a brand new release by Japanese producer Taro Nohara (Yakenohara). Eight tracks of pure environmental ambient bliss. Based in Tokyo, Taro Nohara is a producer, beatmaker, DJ, and music activist who made a mark with his electronic/ambient unit Unknown Me (of Not Not Fun Records fame). His new solo project, Poly-Time Soundscapes / Forest Of The Shrine, is a unique and modern take on Japanese environmental music, a free-floating re-interpretation of the sub-genre made famous by Midori Takada, Hiroshi Yoshimura, or Satoshi Ashikawa (and more) fused with subtle nuances of various origins: downtempo, hip-hop, sound design, chill-out, experimental. Conceived as a two-part adventure of contemplative peace, Taro Nohara's organic soundscape takes you on a mind-soothing walk-through time (or memories) and the beautiful mysteries of luscious forests -- don't resist, let yourself go, explore. Heavy 350gsm sleeve.
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2CD
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WRWTFWW 066CD
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WRWTFWW Records announce the release of Yutaka Hirose's never-heard before 11-track collection Trace: Sound Design Works 1986-1989, with liner notes from the artist. Trace is a collection of 11 unreleased tracks produced by Yutaka Hirose between 1986 and 1989, during the Sound Process Design sessions, right after the release of his classic Soundscape series album Nova. Sound Process Design was Satoshi Ashikawa's label, home of the Wave Notation trilogy (Hiroshi Yoshimura's Music For Nine Postcards, Satsuki Shibano's Erik Satie 1866-1925, and Satoshi Ashikawa's Still Way). Following Wave Notation, Sound Process Design worked with museums, cafes, and bars to create site-specific soundscapes, starting with the sound design of the Kushiro Museum. Yutaka Hirose was called to work on these projects. Rather than simply providing pre-recorded compositions, Hirose sought to create a "sound scenery". To achieve this, he participated in the conception of the space and paid particular attention to the accidental combination of sounds by placing the speakers, using a multi-sound source, and following the concept of "sculpturing time through sound". The composer explains: "sculpturing time through sound means that time, the space itself, the sound played in it, and the audience all become one sculpture. It is close to the idea of a Japanese tea ceremony where you use all of your five (or six) senses to taste the tea." Trace: Sound Design Works 1986-1989 is divided into two parts. The Reflection segment is based on an ambient soundscape. It narrates "a sleep that starts with the sound of water droplets at dawn and slowly disappears into darkness" and feels like a natural and soothing progression of Nova. It was played in entrance halls, at events, in cafes and bars. The "Voice From Past Technology" segment expresses the dream world born out of that sleep and is based on what Yukata Hirose calls hardcore ambient, environmental music with a noise approach. It was played in museums and science centers. All in all, Trace is a crucial addition to every Japanese environmental music fan's collection, alongside Midori Takada's Through The Looking Glass (WRWTFWW 019CD/LP), Hiroshi Yoshimura's Green, Satoshi Ashikawa's Still Way (WRWTFWW 030CD/LP), Motohiko Hamase's Notes of Forestry (WRWTFWW 034CD/LP), Inoyamaland's Danzindan-Pojidon (WRWTFWW 040LP), and Yutaka Hirose's very own Nova (WRWTFWW 028CD/LTD).
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2LP
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WRWTFWW 066LP
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Double LP version. WRWTFWW Records announce the release of Yutaka Hirose's never-heard before 11-track collection Trace: Sound Design Works 1986-1989, with liner notes from the artist. Trace is a collection of 11 unreleased tracks produced by Yutaka Hirose between 1986 and 1989, during the Sound Process Design sessions, right after the release of his classic Soundscape series album Nova. Sound Process Design was Satoshi Ashikawa's label, home of the Wave Notation trilogy (Hiroshi Yoshimura's Music For Nine Postcards, Satsuki Shibano's Erik Satie 1866-1925, and Satoshi Ashikawa's Still Way). Following Wave Notation, Sound Process Design worked with museums, cafes, and bars to create site-specific soundscapes, starting with the sound design of the Kushiro Museum. Yutaka Hirose was called to work on these projects. Rather than simply providing pre-recorded compositions, Hirose sought to create a "sound scenery". To achieve this, he participated in the conception of the space and paid particular attention to the accidental combination of sounds by placing the speakers, using a multi-sound source, and following the concept of "sculpturing time through sound". The composer explains: "sculpturing time through sound means that time, the space itself, the sound played in it, and the audience all become one sculpture. It is close to the idea of a Japanese tea ceremony where you use all of your five (or six) senses to taste the tea." Trace: Sound Design Works 1986-1989 is divided into two parts. The Reflection segment is based on an ambient soundscape. It narrates "a sleep that starts with the sound of water droplets at dawn and slowly disappears into darkness" and feels like a natural and soothing progression of Nova. It was played in entrance halls, at events, in cafes and bars. The "Voice From Past Technology" segment expresses the dream world born out of that sleep and is based on what Yukata Hirose calls hardcore ambient, environmental music with a noise approach. It was played in museums and science centers. All in all, Trace is a crucial addition to every Japanese environmental music fan's collection, alongside Midori Takada's Through The Looking Glass (WRWTFWW 019CD/LP), Hiroshi Yoshimura's Green, Satoshi Ashikawa's Still Way (WRWTFWW 030CD/LP), Motohiko Hamase's Notes of Forestry (WRWTFWW 034CD/LP), Inoyamaland's Danzindan-Pojidon (WRWTFWW 040LP), and Yutaka Hirose's very own Nova (WRWTFWW 028CD/LTD).
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WRWTFWW 063LP
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WRWTFWW Records announce the official vinyl reissue of the highly sought-after Haruomi Hosono-produced Interior self-titled debut, originally released in 1982 on legendary label Yen Records. Interior is Daisuke Hinata, Eiki Nonaka, Mitsuru Sawamura, and Tsukasa Betto. Their classic 1982 debut, produced by Yellow Magic Orchestra's Haruomi Hosono, is one of a kind -- a very rare breed of feel-good ambient music blending instrumental synth-pop, soft electronic minimalism, and cozy sound design in the most heartwarming ways. It evokes the intimate pleasures of daydreaming in a hotel lobby, holding hands in a museum, or napping by the pool. It depicts the urban landscape as a caring environment, where simplicity and repetition is mind-soothing and smile-inducing. Interior takes you into an alternate reality, where nostalgic modernism makes the present time feel like the fondest memories. The unique sound of Interior caught the attention of William Ackerman and Anne Robinson who rereleased the album in 1985 on their famed label Windham Hill Records (with a slightly different track listing) and then proceeded to put out their follow-up, Design, in 1987. After that, members of the group continued their careers separately, Daisuke Hinata notably recording an overlooked but absolutely amazing solo album, Tarzanland, in 1988.
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PIC. DISC
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WRWTFWW 050LP
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WRWTFWW Records announce the first ever vinyl release for the soundtrack of 1988 Japanese horror cult movie Evil Dead Trap, available as a super limited edition double-sided picture disc LP. What you are about to hear cannot be unheard! At last! The scariest soundtrack ever released on vinyl. Fans of horror movies, rejoice, here is the never-released before Evil Dead Trap original soundtrack by Tomohiko Kira, a gruesome ride of spooky synths and devilish soundscapes, in the pure tradition of '80s terror. It's minimalistic John Carpenter with a Tokyo underground twist, it's basement giallo vibes with buckets of slasher blood, it's Evil Dead Trap, the scariest soundtrack ever released!
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CD
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WRWTFWW 060CD
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WRWTFWW Records and MEG Museum (Geneva) present the first new solo album by renowned Japanese percussionist Midori Takada in 23 years, Cutting Branches For A Temporary Shelter. Recorded in a live setting and played with instruments conserved in the collections of the MEG Museum, Cutting Branches For A Temporary Shelter is Midori Takada's very own rendition of "Nhemamusasa", a traditional work emblematic of the musical repertoire for mbira of the Shona of Zimbabwe, well known worldwide, thanks notably to its version by Paul F. Berliner included on the famed 1973 album The Soul of Mbira. The choice of this title by Midori Takada evokes the links between traditional African and contemporary music which are the foundation of this work, and it also translates the resolutely multicultural vision of the artist. Midori Takada explains: "African music is remarkable for its polyrhythms. Not only are there simultaneously several rhythmic motifs, sometimes as many as ten, but furthermore it may be that the part played by each musician has its own starting point and its own pace, all combining to form a cycle. All the cycles progress at the same time according to a single metrical structure which functions as a reference point, but which is not played by any one person from beginning to end. The structure emerges out of the multi-level parts, all different. With the Shona, the musical system is based on the polymelody: one performs simultaneously several melodic lines which are superimposed, each having its own rhythmic organization. It is truly captivating. In Western classical music, one four-beat rhythm induces some precise temporal framework and regular reference points, which come on the strong beats 1 and 3. But in the logic of the Shona musical system, and in other African music, the melody can begin in the very middle of the cycle and be continued up to some other place in an autonomous manner, as if it had its own personality. It's very rich." Includes in-depth liner notes that include an interview with Midori Takada, a point of view by Zimbabwean scholar, musician and activist Forward Mazuruse, and background information on the project by Isabel Garcia Gomez and Madeleine Leclair from MEG Museum. Artwork by celebrated Zimbabwean painter Portia Zvavahera.
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WRWTFWW 061CD
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WRWTFWW Records and MEG Museum (Geneva) announce a new full-length album by celebrated Japanese percussionist Midori Takada, in collaboration with Buddhist monks belonging to the Samgha group of the Shingon school of Koya-san, led by Reverend Syuukoh Ikawa. Recorded at The Premises Studio (London) and in Tokyo in 2019, You Who Are Leaving To Nirvana is a majestic work combining a suite of six Buddhist liturgical chants and a musical creation by Midori Takada. The Buddhist chants come from three types of repertoires: shomyo ("Teisan", "Unga-Bai", "Sange", "Taiyo"), but also goeika ("Kannon-Daiji") and mantra ("Hannya-Singyo"). After supervising the recording of the Buddhist chants, Midori Takada added her own compositions, with subtle layers of percussion and the melodies of her beloved marimba, giving full life to the sacred texts. Reverend Syuukoh Ikawa explains: "Shomyo is a form of declamation of sacred esoteric texts, inherited over many generations. The power of words goes far beyond their mere pronunciation. I think there is something that words alone cannot really convey. If I recite prayers in a musical way, the feeling transmitted will be even stronger than if I say it normally, in everyday language. I think that the musicality of a work carries a hidden power that cannot be expressed in words alone. The setting of the music has an additional power for you and for those around you who listen to it. The words of a song are not just words set to music. They carry an additional hidden power that cannot be expressed in any other way. Listening to Midori Takada's musical performance, the words truly seem to come alive." Original recordings of the Buddhist chants are held in the International Archives of Folk Music (IAFM) at the MEG Museum in Geneva. The album sleeve features an artwork by famed Japanese sculptor Katsura Funakoshi selected by Midori Takada.
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WRWTFWW 060LP
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LP version. WRWTFWW Records and MEG Museum (Geneva) present the first new solo album by renowned Japanese percussionist Midori Takada in 23 years, Cutting Branches For A Temporary Shelter. Recorded in a live setting and played with instruments conserved in the collections of the MEG Museum, Cutting Branches For A Temporary Shelter is Midori Takada's very own rendition of "Nhemamusasa", a traditional work emblematic of the musical repertoire for mbira of the Shona of Zimbabwe, well known worldwide, thanks notably to its version by Paul F. Berliner included on the famed 1973 album The Soul of Mbira. The choice of this title by Midori Takada evokes the links between traditional African and contemporary music which are the foundation of this work, and it also translates the resolutely multicultural vision of the artist. Midori Takada explains: "African music is remarkable for its polyrhythms. Not only are there simultaneously several rhythmic motifs, sometimes as many as ten, but furthermore it may be that the part played by each musician has its own starting point and its own pace, all combining to form a cycle. All the cycles progress at the same time according to a single metrical structure which functions as a reference point, but which is not played by any one person from beginning to end. The structure emerges out of the multi-level parts, all different. With the Shona, the musical system is based on the polymelody: one performs simultaneously several melodic lines which are superimposed, each having its own rhythmic organization. It is truly captivating. In Western classical music, one four-beat rhythm induces some precise temporal framework and regular reference points, which come on the strong beats 1 and 3. But in the logic of the Shona musical system, and in other African music, the melody can begin in the very middle of the cycle and be continued up to some other place in an autonomous manner, as if it had its own personality. It's very rich." Includes in-depth liner notes that include an interview with Midori Takada, a point of view by Zimbabwean scholar, musician and activist Forward Mazuruse, and background information on the project by Isabel Garcia Gomez and Madeleine Leclair from MEG Museum. Artwork by celebrated Zimbabwean painter Portia Zvavahera.
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WRWTFWW 061LP
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LP version. WRWTFWW Records and MEG Museum (Geneva) announce a new full-length album by celebrated Japanese percussionist Midori Takada, in collaboration with Buddhist monks belonging to the Samgha group of the Shingon school of Koya-san, led by Reverend Syuukoh Ikawa. Recorded at The Premises Studio (London) and in Tokyo in 2019, You Who Are Leaving To Nirvana is a majestic work combining a suite of six Buddhist liturgical chants and a musical creation by Midori Takada. The Buddhist chants come from three types of repertoires: shomyo ("Teisan", "Unga-Bai", "Sange", "Taiyo"), but also goeika ("Kannon-Daiji") and mantra ("Hannya-Singyo"). After supervising the recording of the Buddhist chants, Midori Takada added her own compositions, with subtle layers of percussion and the melodies of her beloved marimba, giving full life to the sacred texts. Reverend Syuukoh Ikawa explains: "Shomyo is a form of declamation of sacred esoteric texts, inherited over many generations. The power of words goes far beyond their mere pronunciation. I think there is something that words alone cannot really convey. If I recite prayers in a musical way, the feeling transmitted will be even stronger than if I say it normally, in everyday language. I think that the musicality of a work carries a hidden power that cannot be expressed in words alone. The setting of the music has an additional power for you and for those around you who listen to it. The words of a song are not just words set to music. They carry an additional hidden power that cannot be expressed in any other way. Listening to Midori Takada's musical performance, the words truly seem to come alive." Original recordings of the Buddhist chants are held in the International Archives of Folk Music (IAFM) at the MEG Museum in Geneva. The album sleeve features an artwork by famed Japanese sculptor Katsura Funakoshi selected by Midori Takada. LP version comes on half speed mastered vinyl.
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WRWTFWW 048YRLP
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WRWTFWW Records announce the release of Kenji Kawai's complete soundtrack to Mamoru Oshii's 1993 superb political thriller science-fiction mecha anime Patlabor 2: The Movie. Includes liner notes by the great Masaaki Hara. A true soundtrack maestro, Kenji Kawai is behind the legendary soundscapes of cult anime and movies such as Ghost in the Shell, Avalon, Ring, Ip Man, and Seven Swords among numerous others. Patlabor 2: The Movie (Original Soundtrack) is one of his most experimental offerings, an outstanding palette of emotion-filled ambient atmospherics and percussion mastery breathing beautifully through Kawai's minimalism meets modern classical approach. His symphony of moods paints a delicate picture of urban isolation, a central theme in the movie, but doesn't hide hints of hope for a joyful future. Patlabor 2: The Movie (Original Soundtrack) is an ideal companion to Kenji Kawai's Ghost In The Shell soundtrack (WRWTFWW 017LP/LTD, 2017). Points of interests - For fans of electronic, soundtracks, ambient, experimental, minimalism, synth, Kenji Kawai, Geinoh Yamashirogumi, Ghost In The Shell, Akira, anime music, Japan, robots, urban isolation, hope for the future. Yellow and red ink spot colored vinyl; gatefold heavy sleeve with obi and liner notes.
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WRWTFWW 064LP
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WRWTFWW Records announce the release of the new album from legendary Deee-Lite member Towa Tei, celebrating the 30th year of his career. Available on (orange) vinyl for the first time outside of Japan. The album, simply titled LP features Japanese music icons Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi (Yellow Magic Orchestra), Yasuaki Shimizu (Kakashi), fellow METAFIVE colleagues Tomohiko Gondo and Yoshinori Sunahara, HANA, Wataru Iga, Shunji Mori, Hidefumi Ino, and more. It was mixed by famed engineer Goh Hotoda and the artwork comes from painter Tomoo Gokita. Poppy, catchy, dance-y, and very funky, Towa Tei's tenth solo album is 100% delirious ride and a testament to the Deee-Lite member's ever-expanding creativity, combining simplicity and experimentalism in the most feel-good ways. Indoor, outdoor, and every day of the year, this one will make you dance and smile! This release is a collaboration between legendary Japanese label Nippon Columbia/Better Days and WRWTFWW Records.
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WRWTFWW 048CD
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WRWTFWW Records announce the release of Kenji Kawai's complete soundtrack to Mamoru Oshii's 1993 superb political thriller science-fiction mecha anime Patlabor 2: The Movie. Includes liner notes by the great Masaaki Hara. A true soundtrack maestro, Kenji Kawai is behind the legendary soundscapes of cult anime and movies such as Ghost in the Shell, Avalon, Ring, Ip Man, and Seven Swords among numerous others. Patlabor 2: The Movie (Original Soundtrack) is one of his most experimental offerings, an outstanding palette of emotion-filled ambient atmospherics and percussion mastery breathing beautifully through Kawai's minimalism meets modern classical approach. His symphony of moods paints a delicate picture of urban isolation, a central theme in the movie, but doesn't hide hints of hope for a joyful future. Patlabor 2: The Movie (Original Soundtrack) is an ideal companion to Kenji Kawai's Ghost In The Shell soundtrack (WRWTFWW 017LP/LTD, 2017).
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WRWTFWW 048LTD
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LP version. 180 gram vinyl; gatefold sleeve. WRWTFWW Records announce the release of Kenji Kawai's complete soundtrack to Mamoru Oshii's 1993 superb political thriller science-fiction mecha anime Patlabor 2: The Movie. Includes liner notes by the great Masaaki Hara. A true soundtrack maestro, Kenji Kawai is behind the legendary soundscapes of cult anime and movies such as Ghost in the Shell, Avalon, Ring, Ip Man, and Seven Swords among numerous others. Patlabor 2: The Movie (Original Soundtrack) is one of his most experimental offerings, an outstanding palette of emotion-filled ambient atmospherics and percussion mastery breathing beautifully through Kawai's minimalism meets modern classical approach. His symphony of moods paints a delicate picture of urban isolation, a central theme in the movie, but doesn't hide hints of hope for a joyful future. Patlabor 2: The Movie (Original Soundtrack) is an ideal companion to Kenji Kawai's Ghost In The Shell soundtrack (WRWTFWW 017LP/LTD, 2017).
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WRWTFWW 053CD
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WRWTFWW Records announce the official reissue of Roland Bocquet's highly sought-after solo album, Paradia. Originally released in 1977 on the legendary Cobra label, Paradia is the first solo album by Roland Bocquet, keyboard player for cult French band Catharsis. The (mostly) instrumental album is a wonderful oddball adventure blending cozy ambient, euro-folk, synth escapades, Latin fusion with a French touch, gentle bossa, a tiny bit of minimalist chanson, and a heavy dose of je-ne sais-quoi. The result is soothing, mysterious in the sweetest ways, and fully atmospheric: a must have for fans of Pascal Comelade, Mort Garson, Dominique Guiot, ZNR, Vladimir Cosma, movie soundtracks, library music, and unclassifiable gems. It's hard to describe, but it's lovely to experience! Paradia, Paradia, Paradiaaaaaaaa... Sourced from the original masters. CD comes as a digipack.
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WRWTFWW 053LP
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Limited restock; LP version. Housed in heavy 350gsm sleeve with holographic sticker. WRWTFWW Records announce the official reissue of Roland Bocquet's highly sought-after solo album, Paradia. Originally released in 1977 on the legendary Cobra label, Paradia is the first solo album by Roland Bocquet, keyboard player for cult French band Catharsis. The (mostly) instrumental album is a wonderful oddball adventure blending cozy ambient, euro-folk, synth escapades, Latin fusion with a French touch, gentle bossa, a tiny bit of minimalist chanson, and a heavy dose of je-ne sais-quoi. The result is soothing, mysterious in the sweetest ways, and fully atmospheric: a must have for fans of Pascal Comelade, Mort Garson, Dominique Guiot, ZNR, Vladimir Cosma, movie soundtracks, library music, and unclassifiable gems. It's hard to describe, but it's lovely to experience! Paradia, Paradia, Paradiaaaaaaaa... Sourced from the original masters.
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