Time Capsule レコード& CD

Review: Choice Cuts 1978-1983 gathers eight tracks from four of Mimi's early albums-Sea Flight (1978), Coconuts High (1981), Nuts Nuts Nuts (1982), and Tropicana (1983). Opening with a funky, syncopated take on Sergio Mendes' 'Mas Que Nada' and the crisp techno-pop of 'Coffee Rumba,' all of which mean the compilation showcases Mimi's eclectic style. It also features the synth jam 'Quiet Explosion' and the piano samba 'Espresso.' Two standout tracks from Coconuts High-the sultry 'Crazy Love' and the lively 'Palm Sr'-highlight her playful Latin-tinged jazz fusion. Released on Takanaka's Kitty Records, this collection reveals Mimi's vibrant and innovative artistry.

Review: Niningashi's elusive 1974 debut Heavy Way emerged as a Japanese acid folk treasure that showcased Kazuhisa Okubo's musical prowess amidst his pharmaceutical studies. This album marked a pivotal moment in Okubo's life and Japanese society, blending pastoral nostalgia with urban allure. Immersed in Tokyo's acid folk scene, Okubo and his band craft a unique sound across nine tracks, from the Neil Young-esque 'Ameagari' to the whimsical 'Semai Boku No Heyade.' Despite subsequent success with bands like Neko and Kaze, Heavy Way remains shrouded in mystery, its soft allure drawing a dedicated online following. It has in part previously featured in Time Capsule's Nippon Acid Folk collection and is a prized relic of Japan's musical past that now gets a full reissue.

Review: London-based Tokyo Riddim Band is a fusion of cultures, uniting three generations of Japanese female musicians with London's eclectic soundscape. Their vibrant performances merge reggae drums, funky basslines, and City Pop guitar, all live and dubbed-out on stage, creating a cultural phenomenon in the reggae scene. Following their debut single's success, "Denshi Lenzi," Tokyo Riddim Band presents "Canoe Boy," a hypnotic Japanese new wave reggae track. Originally penned by Japanese punk rock pioneer PANTA in 1980 for Tomoko Kuwae's album, this gem makes its single debut now. Dubby and funky, Tokyo Riddim Band's rendition, enhanced by Prince Fatty's dubwise touch, features siren machines, extended solos, and a groovy outro.

Review: Time Capsule exposes a few of the myriad pathways in Japan's 70s psychedelic soul wormhole, when a bountiful crop of music emerged from musicians inspired by homespun hero Haruomi Hosono's Happy End project, as well as the meandering ballads emerging from the dissolution of the 1960s protest movements. From the charming, Hosono-esque Francophile lounge funk of Hiroshi Kamayatsu's 'Have You Smoked Gauloise?' to the Tadashi Goino Group's strikingly sparse drum machine n' synth incantation 'Jikan Wo Koero Go Beyond Time', almost sounding like Goino is flanked by Vega and Rev at times, to the theatrical, almost duul-esque closing ballad 'Heya No Naka In The Room', the heads at Time Capsule assemble a compelling and kaleidoscopic anthology of forgotten Japanese gems.

Review: Tokyo Riddim Vol. 2 looks into the eclectic fusion of reggae and Japanese pop, uncovering a unique musical journey that began when Ryuichi Sakamoto traveled to Kingston in 1978. Collaborating with Jamaican icons like Neville Hinds and Rita Marley, Sakamoto's experience set the stage for a burgeoning connection between Japanese artists and Jamaican reggae. This compilation showcases tracks like Teresa Noda's 'Tropical Love' and 'Yellow Moon', highlighting the innovative blend of dub, electronic, and new wave that emerged in Japan during the late 70s and early 80s. The album features genre-bending contributions from key figures such as Yosui Inoue, Kay Ishiguro, and Tomoko Aran, who reimagined reggae with bold, unconventional styles. Tokyo Riddim Vol. 2 explores the hybridisation of these sounds, demonstrating how the exchange between Tokyo and Kingston birthed a fresh, boundary-defying genre. This collection shows Japan's experimental spirit, weaving together reggae's rhythms with the era's cosmopolitan influences, carving out a place beyond Western musical conventions.