Japanese Progressive Rock presented by DamoX

Tapfret wrote: I have also researched Salle Gaveau a bit and may purchase.

All 3 albums of Salle Gaveau are good. But they are closer to tango-oriented chamber-prog with light avant-jazz touches and very far from Bondage Fruit style.

daydreamer wrote: I would say that clear progressive tendencies appears in Zeni Geva works only since the album "Freedom Bondage" (1995). All earlier albums are closer to sophisticated grindcore, imho. I think that the most progressive is their album "10,000 Light Years" (2001).  This last CD "Alive & Rising" is just new performance of old compositions, very good indeed.

I've listened to "10,000 Light Years" - it's a good album too indeed, but basically in the same vein of their other albums, namely progressive hardcore, or progressive / hardcore (dunno which phrase can be better for them) ... a bit more of complex structure it may have, though.

A "promising" Japanese Neo-Prog project have come!


YUKA & CHRONOSHIP (left to right; Shun TAGUCHI, Yuka FUNAKOSHI, Takashi MIYAZAWA, and Ikko TANAKA)

YUKA & CHRONOSHIP were founded in 2009 as a Japanese Neo-Prog quartet by a female keyboardist / vocalist / composer Yuka FUNAKOSHI, already active as a solo artist for over a decade. Supported with three session musicians - Shun TAGUCHI (bass), Takashi MIYAZAWA (guitar), and Ikko TANAKA (drums, percussion), her gracious ship got launched in the vein of late-70s progressive rock and released their debut voyage "Water Reincarnation" via Musea Records in 2011.


Water Reincarnation (2011) - YUKA & CHRONOSHIP

Terrific playing skills, great composition, and fine songs created by YUKA & CHRONOSHIP - where will they go since now?

Three supportive session musicians (Shun a bassist, Takeshi a guitarist, and Ikko a drummer) - they have obviously excellent technique though - are veiled in black clothes and strictly give support to Yuka the keyboard heroine. However we can realize apparently their magnificent sound-earth produced by their strict playing.

The first track has kicked me completely out - Yuka’s graceful electric piano solo has cleaned my mind, and suddenly their Chronoship tries to go on a voyage for a new trip, with the engines growling, soon after this gracious moment. Yes absolutely suitable for such a fantastic voyage, Yuka’s keyboard solo, full of hope, goes ahead with not only enthusiastic aggressiveness but fragile beauty, over heavy and deep riffs, created by the three powerful gems. Contrary to this mixture of beauty and power, the following track “Pilgrim Ocean” shows vast and quiet ocean, with Takeshi’s sharp-edged guitar diamonds and strict rhythm basis by Ikko and Shun. Yuka travels gracefully around upon her clear keyboard boat. Enough atmosphere of cool, cool water and clean ocean we can feel in these two songs.



Upon flat surface of the water, calm and sound fishes can swim without corruption - in the “Archaic Aquarium”. We can feel the novel texture in untouchable and addictive bubbling tones and chords. a bit difficult archaism for us, but we cannot help being grabbed into the sound aquarium. Like this, the last “Kiribati” is filled with Oriental flavour - just as if an ethnic dancer kept dancing in altered state of mind. There’s a grace as well as mystery, and just the collaboration is their character methinks.

It’s a pity for me that their progressive dimension co-exists with another one, named pop essence, easy to understand for everyone. Each song can be splendid, well-composed, without any suspicion. However, I’m afraid that simply an enumeration of good songs may cancel out goodness in every song. Wish this album could be more-structured minutely by all splendid tracks. Their aim or respect, whether for a concept album or for every song’s personality, I cannot feel enough via this album.

In conclusion, let me send them my impression “promising” - hope they can do more and more wonderful explosion under the progressive scene. In this sense, we will lose nothing by checking their debut gem.


Handbill by Omp Company (Japan)


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Merzbow has created a bunch of creative stuffs indeed. 

If you love noise corruption, would you please be blown by Hanatarash (check this page with a terrible videoclip).

EDIT: Oh, anyway next time gonna introduce South Saturn Delta, another Maso Yamazaki's project (pure noise).


Edited by DamoXt7942 - July 31 2011 at 08:07

Hey Truthie, here comes another one ... let’s listen to and enjoy Japanoise (not progressive though).


SOUTH SATURN DELTA, one of Japanoise units

Takushi "Maso" YAMAZAKI, Born in Kyoto, Japan on November 16th, 1966, is considered as one of pioneers in Japanese Noise Rock (aka Japanoise) scene. He started his music activity in 1987 as Masonna, with aggressive actions and crazy shouts for several minutes per a live performance. As known already, he's been renowned also for his space electronic / psychedelic projects like Christine 23 Onna / Acid Eater (with Fusao Toda), Space Machine, or Andromelos (with Makoto Kawabata and Futoshi Okano). In 2000, sadly Masonna was suspended owing to his getting out of condition by aggressive performances on stage.

In 2003, Maso formed SOUTH SATURN DELTA, a kinda improvisational Japanoise project, with Hiroshi HASEGAWA (synthesizer, voices) and Nobuko EMI (drums), and in 2007, via a UK label Cold Spring Records, released a live album "Experience The Concreteness", that had been recorded upon three live stages in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan from 2003 until 2005.


Experience The Concreteness (2007) - SOUTH SATURN DELTA

Wow, please laugh out loudly - exactly this is Japanoise with cold cold drivin’.

It’s said Maso YAMAZAKI had got unhealthy in 2000 because of his radical actions upon Masonna’s stage. But wait, he seems to have completely grabbed his health for music back in SOUTH SATURN DELTA’s gigs from 2003 until 2005. Absolutely chicken-chilling noise shower can be heard around us, created by three noise crashers, especially Maso’s loud guitar solo. We cannot help being flabbergasted with the opening of "Captain Beefstake Plant" (you know what this title means definitely), by Nobuko’s drumming psychedelia, a very exciting moment. Soon Maso’s guitar volcanic explosion and Hiroshi’s electronic party with their crazy voices makes an violent assault against us - we cannot realize where the noise garbage will go, but only their transonic plays and rampant atmosphere upon a stage drenched in psychedelic orgasmic condition.



The following track "Decadence Cultivation" may be a development of noise smash. As the title says, various decadent noise collections are here and there, leaning toward his previous collaborations like Merzbow. Only noise freaks can bear such a dreadful electro-psych-noise launcher for twenty minutes, methinks. "Banishment Snake" is more spacey and tricky stuff, that might be Maso’s personality itself. At least for me, it’s no way to listen to this brain-damaging one on a drive (kidding).

Only the track I’ve felt something warm is the last one "Rocket Incantation", that reminds me kinda Acid Mothers Temple’s improvisations seasoned with pop elements. Yes of course, they might not have thought anything hearty, and played just as the instruments wanted to shoot. In conclusion, I cannot recommend this horribly noisy album to technical noise rock freaks but only one who can give oneself up to noise trance.


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What do you think about the Japanese grindcore band 324?

Yea, I am a big fan of the Jap metal/noise/wtf scene. 324 is one of my current favorite grindcore bands.

Petit-interview for Masaharu NAKAKITA (DJAMRA)

Social Network Services can be remarkably useful for me too. Even though we always give some help to progressive rock artists for promoting their music creation, it's really my pleasure to meet them personally.

Yeah I've enjoyed a dinner under Osakan dark sky with Masaharu NAKAKITA (bass; DJAMRA) upon September 10th, 2011 ... he introduced me his usual restaurant / bar, that always serves us good meals of fresh tuna.

He'd already got there and waited for me (with drinking beer :P) when I arrived after losing my way and wandering around there (sorry Masaharu). Full of optimistic, easygoing atmosphere around us, we toasted up for our reunion, for progressive rock, and for Djamra's development.

Obviously he's very serious for music and has no room for compromise upon his soundscape. So do the other members I consider.


Keishiro; "Circle Of Circus" (2010) is a good album indeed, but "Kamihitoe" (2006) is the most aggressive and addictive one I consider. What's the difference?

Masaharu; For releasing "Circle Of Circus", we asked professional studios for almost all works e.g. recording, mixing, mastering ... we've felt the sounds of the end product could be good indeed, but simultaneously that something aggressive and original was missing. Contrary to that, as for "Kamihitoe" we did all works except mastering the CD at the end of our recording, and you know, that album has less balance but more originality and roughness like horseplay. We love this atmosphere much that we’ll do the whole work for creation, back to the amateur-ish enthusiasm.

Keishiro; Sounds fantastic, and as regards the roughness or your originality, which artist(s) has your playing method been modeled after? Or something of mimicking you have?

Masaharu; Good point Keishiro. For me Mr. Bungle is God. Their music and play can amaze me always, with their thrilling speed killa and strict rhythm launcha. Oh anyway, I love Naked City too, that have released "Torture Garden" featuring Yamatsuka EYE as a voice machinegun (Masaharu had a copy in his iPod and gave me a listen).

Keishiro; Well I consider Naked City as an industrial / hardcore project like Anal c**t (not as an avantgarde progressive), well done methinks (and the sleeve too … quoted the front pic from a Japanese porno movie) … by the way, you love beer? Or how ‘bout other alcoholic stuffs?

Masaharu; Beer is my love of course, but basically at home I drink red wine, because red wine has no purine body, a causar of gout. Whisky or shochu is not my favourite, keen medicine-flavoured ones for me. Hey, this boiled tuna tastes great. Please try.

Keishiro; Excellent!


… With such an easygoing and enjoyable chatter (including Japanese Professional Baseball or Osakan foods), the Osakan night was far advanced.

Here comes the solo debut album of Yumi Hara CAWKWELL. Splendid one!
Today let me introduce her to you, please.



Yumi Hara CAWKWELL, born in Tokyo, is a versatile musician living in London. Upon graduation from School of Medicine in The University of Tsukuba, she’d worked as a psychiatrist for a while. However she immigrated into London suddenly in 1993 for her dream of mastering music and graduated School of Arts (Music) in City University London. Via learning composition, piano, or ethnic music, she started playing in improvised, flexible and eclectic style, with lots of renowned artists (e.g. David Cross, Hugh Hopper, Geoff Leigh, Akira Sakata, Yoshihide Otomo, Tatsuya Yoshida, Hoppy Kamiyama, Kazutoki Umezu, etc.etc.). Already known as a founder of Humi (a short-lived project with Hugh), Geoff Leigh & Yumi Hara, or Mammal Machine.

Yumi released her official solo work in 2011 - titled "Statement Heels".


Statement Heels (2011) - Yumi Hara CAWKWELL

Yumi Hara CAWKWELL plays the piano like a "bohemian cat" travelling all around the world.

This album (it’s surprising this is Yumi’s official solo debut album) can be said as a compilation of her splendid works for New Age and Classic music scene. Furthermore,  with the collaboration of a renowned Japanese drummer Tatsuya YOSHIDA, she’s seasoned her previous creations with matured rock essence and structure easy to grasp for rock music freaks. No more expression needed I think but she’s played with lots of brilliant musicians in Canterbury Scene or avantgarde jazz rock world like Hugh Hopper or Geoff Leigh enough to let us enjoy over the sea eccentrically waved … that means that we cannot foresee what will happen upon her play namely.


Tatsuya Yoshida and Yumi Hara Cawkwell

Tatsuya YOSHIDA’s drumming is superb, and amazingly, he completely supports Yumi from behind, without standing in front of her. And of course, Yumi’s keyboard play reminds me something like a cool creek streaming quietly and naturally (like "The Milky Way" with a flood of stardust and brilliant star-gems), and sometimes like a hot spring gushing out from between rocks (the fourth track "Cosmos Massive No. 901", in which she plays the piano as percussion, is short but very impressive!), and it’s so mysterious all of her play can satisfy us "naturally". Her voices (especially in the third track "Walk On The Middle Of The Road", maybe associated with some Japanese fairy tales) are so unique and weird, like an incantation by a magician, that we can be immersed into her inner mind (exactly step by step).



Let me say,she can show herself at her best in the last three tracks that push their avantgarde weirdness in the facade with her magic voices and psychedelic electric piano sounds (on the contrary, her easy-listening tunes sound a bit strange for me sorry). As previously mentioned, we can hear in the tenth track "Archaeopteryx" something of Bernard Vitet, a French avant-jazz pioneer around 1970, with her intentional Zeuhl-ish paranoid voices and Tatsuya’s Zeuhl-ish drumming. Guess her eclectic talent can be found when we finish listening to this album thoroughly. Recommended for both avantgarde progressive fans and jazz / new age ones.




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Edited by DamoXt7942 - September 27 2011 at 21:28

Awesome! I usually go through periodic phases where I try to find new Japanese jazz-fusion that I haven't heard. I especially like the guitar-synth sound, so I'll have to check out this album.