東日本大震災 / The Tohoku Disaster

Now in Japan it is 11th March, 2012. One year to the day of the tsunami and earthquake that killed and injured thousands and left many more homeless. I believe the thing that can be learnt, or rather understood, from the tragedy in tohoku is that when people are united, they can do incredible things. A prayer is a just a hope and nothing is achieved unless we apply ourselves actively.

To all of the volunteers, fund-raisers and people living in the Tohoku area that worked and are continuing to work away at the problems, I respect you immensely and feel honoured to be counted amongst you.

To all those who lost their homes, loved ones and livehood, my heart goes out to you. Since a year ago, things have gotten better and in a year's time, things will be better still.

And finally, to all of those living outside of Japan and who are unaware of the current situation, people are still left in refuges, people are still trying to rebuild their lives, just because a story is no longer a headline for the BBCs or CNN, it doesn't mean it's over.

Keep fighting.
頑張れニッポン。

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日本語でもこの書いた事をちゃんと伝いたいけど、残念ながら出来ませんが、出来るだけ、翻訳してみたいと思います。間違いがあったらごめんなさい。それはただ、英語を理解できない日本人のためのですから、僕の気持ちを伝えられるなら満足です。

今日は３月１１日で、何千人も亡くなった東日本大震災の日からちょうど一年前です。その日から学ぶべきことは、人が互いに助けると、何でも出来るのことです。

僕は東日本大震災のことを考えると、悲しく悪いことだけと思いません。ボランティアをやってる人も献金した人も見ると凄く感動した。

去年から今まで達成したことが結構多くて、よく頑張りましたね。それで、同じように今日から一年後ももっと良くなるかもしれません。

capture release repeat

"capture release repeat" is the first extended release by endote and a compilation of previously submitted and unreleased tracks to date. Limited to a release of 50 editions the CD-R is cased in a hand made, individually stamped textured paper sleeve, complete with handwritten track-listings and a mini-sized polaroid image of a place I frequent in the Tokyo and Yokohama area.

In each case of the release, one of fifty photographs will be inserted, making it a unique piece, where no two copies are the same and can never be reproduced.

"capture release repeat"
19m23s.
release: March 17th

Live Schedule

March 
Tuesday, 20th March, 2012.
"Next Sunday" @ Asagaya, Tokyo. http://nextsunday.jp
w/ gargle, kanina & dabit.
INFO

Releases

2012
- 17th March
 "capture release repeat" CD-R self release limited to 50 copies. More info here.
500JPY
- 3rd March
 "lovest" featured on "SEQUENCE3", a free download compilation on future sequence. More info here.
Free download

2011
- 24th April
"Oldham" featured on "Hope For Japan", a Post-Rock/Ambient music compilation aimed towards fund raising for Japan.
http://hopeforjapanmusic.blogspot.com
http://hopeforjapanmusic.bandcamp.com/album/hope-for-japan
- 25th March
"For As Long As I Need You" featured on "Various Artists - Sounds For The Subconscious" on AreW Recordings (RW-035), 2011 - FREE NET RELEASE
- 15th March
"Bottling Cities" featured on "ATPR Mixtape vol II", a two disc mix CD from alternative music forum, After The Post-Rock. CDs available here.
£4.50/5.00EUR/$7.50/500JPY

2010
- 1st November
"Bottling Cities" on heat death records (DEATH002) - SOLD OUT

Kashiwa Daisuke / 88

Review posted on beardrock.com
link
I've just submitted my interview with World's End Girlfriend, so it seems fitting that I continue the theme in reviewing another modernclassicalelectronicawithpost-rockinfluenceblahblah Japanese musician. But the fact that Kashiwa Daisuke's music is also hard to classify is not the only thing that ties the two musicians together. Kashiwa is signed to Katsuhiko Maeda's (WEG) label, Virgin Babylon Records.

I was quite interested to hear this, I have been following Kashiwa Daisuke's releases for some years now and had read reviews of others throwing, nonsensical adjectives here there and everywhere in praise, so it looked like something of interest. And when I heard that it was going to be a piano album (the title is based on the 88 keys of a full size piano), I was even more excited to hear where it would take me. So, upon listening the first reaction to this release was that indeed, it is a solo piano affair. The second is that unfortunately, it's not a very interesting one.

I'm not saying he's not an accomplished pianist, I'm not saying it was badly recorded, I just felt like I could well have been listening to a musician in a hotel bar. The fact that included it the “good ol' classic” from The Sound Of Music, “Favourite Things” merely cemented that image in my mind. By the fourth track, the aptly named “Swan Song”, I was resisting the urge to hit the skip button.

One track that really stood out for me though was “The Night of the Kentaurus Festival”. Clocking in at a just over seven minutes, the track takes you on a journey and for a brief period, you can really feel the emotion in what is being played. Finally, after 23 minutes, a track to get your blood pumping.

The album continues with some sporadic gems. The following track “Albireo” has some promising moments and is really quite a touching composition, “Good-bye” is a sentimental sounding piece with a melody that ticks over quite pleasantly, and the last two minutes of final track “In the Lake” really finish off the album well. Yet overall, despite these redeeming features, there is still something lacking and I got the feeling it was all too little, too late. Although I'm setting myself up against a legion of people who do/will enjoy '88', the fact is this; With so many musicians sitting at the piano, all vying for top dog, you have to pull something better out of the hat than an album that Ryuichi Sakamoto surpassed decades ago.

Writer: endote