Japanese Progressive Rock presented by DamoX

Do hope Kazuo Ogino, the keyboard player, can check this thread ...

Laya (2004) - POCHAKAITE MALKO

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DamoXt7942 Special Collaborator Psych/Space & ZART Team

Look at their album sleeve, how do you feel? I've been very amazed (and shocked) at the kinky world. Honest to say I've not known about Bulgarian music previously (as you may know, "Pochakaite Malko" is a Bulgarian phrase, that means "wait a minute" in English) and tried quick listening. Bulgarian melodies, ways of singing, tuning, voicing up-and-down ... something of affinity for me is here. Do not know the truth they have named themselves for Bulgarian stuffs (in near future they will mention about the origin of their outfit signboard, surely), but feeling close to them as Eastern people should be one of important issues I imagine. This was my first POCHAKAITE MALKO's album, that could at first fascinate me by Akihisa TSUBOY's violin solos. And furthermore, here is a flood of music fruits ... Junzo TATEIWA's stateless percussion (with tabla), Shigekazu KUWAHARA's deep bass phantasmagoria, and Kazuo OGINO's beautiful, and somewhat cynical keyboard fantasista ... all of them can twine around together, absorb all listeners in front of them, and sublimate themselves without breathing. POCHAKAITE MALKO world cannot exist even if here's not one of four keen creators, methinks. Terrifically complex and delightful music front line and rhythm nation are around them. Amazingly, these four-piece talented gang can play such an eccentric and complex kaleidoscope as if they could do naturally, without any hard effort. Actually Japanese likes, and tries to get "Technique", but we can be immersed in their unaffected skill and power surely. DamoXt7942 | 4/5 | 2010-11-25

snobb wrote: I have this album, and it's really great! One of most interesting modern Japanese avant band for me

Thanks Slava, I'm gonna let Kazuo know your appreciation of them.

Damo - I tried sake years ago, when I went to Japan as an 18 year old (1983). Also attended a tea ceremony, and visited places like Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, visiting some of the high-tech factories like Sony and Matsush*ta Electric etc. Was a great trip. Little did I know at the time that Japan had such an interesting music scene!

A bit renowned avantgarde pioneer in Japan ... via Epic Sony.


KILLING TIME, a Japanese experimental rock band

KILLING TIME, a Japanese experimental jam band, gave their first cry in 1982 by three session artists - Bun ITAKURA (guitar), Kazuto SHIMIZU (keyboard, piano), and MA*TO (keyboard, tabla) - previously belonging to a Japanese techno / new wave outfit Chakra. Around the three founders, the band formation had got changed flexibly and frequently for stages or events in their early years. In 1986, they released their first album 'BOB' via inviting Neko SAITOH (violin), MECKKEN (bass), and WHACHO (percussion) as formal players.

With Jun AOYAMA (drums) recruited as a member soon after that, KILLING TIME had appeared on stage or released five albums (including one compilation) via a Japanese label Epic Sony as a seven- or eight-piece band. In 1988, they joined the soundtrack 'Kaisha Monogatari - Memories Of You'.

Since 2004 they sometimes appear on stage despite of long suspension in mid 1990s or in early 2000s.


SKIP (1987) - KILLING TIME

This album "SKIP" is the second one of KILLING TIME, a Japanese bizarre experimental jam outfit formed in 1982 by three Chakran guys. They have introduced various worldwide music scenes, brought various instruments, and played skillfully for every situation under their imaginary tale. In this story (album) "SKIP", each of them acted a part or two of the stage play named SKIP ... so interesting situation I feel.

Highly energetic blaster has come from the beginning track "SKIP". The percussive starter like raindrops can splash killing attacks all around. Not only drums and percussion but also guitar, bass, electric piano, or violin ... all can be completely percussive and scattered for this song. As if we join a riot goin' on, all around us can be broken into pieces. And for us rioters this messy ground (including some ethnic percussion solo in the middle part) can be very impressive regardless of achy breaky loudness. This strategy sounded upon "SKIP" is even now very novel ... although it was released over twenty years ago. Let me say, absolutely one of the masterpieces in Japanese avantgarde progressive rock scene.

As one and only exception, the second track "Hearing Without A Break While Not Hearing A Break" is something of comfort. Very pleasant and delightful tabla flow and massively relaxing xylophone knocks ... based on ethnic impressing djembe-like percussion ... can absorb us into fantasy scene. On the contrary, Discipline Crimson-ish sounds (wow) can be heard in the third "One For Each Sentiment", along by this violin-based (might Neko be a follower of David Cross huh?) whacked-out soundroad. The last "Sunset" might be featured in Japanese traditional music Gagaku methinks. Eccentric horn, wind, and string sections can twine and squeeze together, then eerie structure can be born in this termination.

Surprising that KILLING TIME could make a formal contract with a Japanese major label Epic Sony. Might there be a manager who could understand them and their bizarre style?


The back sleeve of SKIP ... let's go weird & mysterious sightseeing.


Thank you for reading this blog. ٩(̾●̮̮̃̾•̃̾)۶

Hello, I'm new to this forum but i hope you can help me..
Many years ago i had this song from an japanese prog band that i don't remember the name of.

So I lost the song and I've been looking for it since then basically.

The things i remember is:

The song builds up with some really nice soulful Horns and Strings.

The lyrics was in english and the words i remember was: "This is what I'm.... Going  to do"

"When I think of you..."(not sure about this one though)

And then some la la la la



So that's what i remember, i guess this might be a long shot,
but i found this forum and thought it was a good chance to find this band/song again.





Edited by inhabit - December 21 2010 at 08:19

A belated happy new progressive year!

Sorry for my belated update but I have a big problem upon my internet circumstance now ... very hard also to update here ...

Please let me take time fellows.

And finally Black Page have been added as a Neo-Prog outfit. Again thanks Bogdan (b_olariu).

http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=6126

Rivertree wrote: this looks like a new challenge, Keishiro   HAPPY NEW YEAR

DamoXt7942 wrote: Mitsugi (Esoteric Rituals) (2010) - MAMMAL MACHINE

Hmm...somehow that looks familiar.

I noticed that in your description above.  Does the Soft Machine resemblance go farther than the album art and band name?