A rather excellent modern song performed on some very traditional Japanese instruments by some highly skilled and respected japanese musicians.
Shamisen1: Nami Kineie [http://www.kineienami.jp]
Shamisen2: Sakurako Satoh
Koto: Nahoko Ohata [http://music.geocities.jp/mizukawatoshiya/profile1.html]
Shakuhachi1: Makoto Takei [http://www.takeimakoto.com]
Shakuhachi2: Toshiya Mizukawa [http://music.geocities.jp/mizukawatoshiya]
Drums: Keiko Tada [http://blog.livedoor.jp/tara8/]
Brothers Ryoichiro and Kenichi Yoshida are a two very accomplished shamisen players. Check them out in the video above and at their website here.
A Monome is a step-sequencer contolled by an array of buttons that you can use to control any manner of software applications. The most common use is for realtime music creation/performance using the buttons to trigger samples and sequences of samples that are played back by (often free) software applications.
Whilst the Monome itself is a beautifully crafted, and expensive, piece of kit desgined and sold by the Monome company, many people create their own.
As with any musical instrument the magic comes from the artist themselves, and the best music I have heard comes from edison, whose grungy homebuilt lunchbox Monome belies the stunning performances it is used to create.
Here is one such performance.
failure of the year from edison on Vimeo.
Now there are Daft Punk helmet replica’s and then there are those created by 27 year old prop maker Harrison Krix.
This guy can turn his hand to so many different aspects of fabrication and with such an eye for perfection that I would probably prefer his replicas to the real thing.
To call his creations props, and in particular this helmet, just does not do justice to the skill, love and all round awesomeness that he pulls together and harnesses with such perfection.
I know I can’t have one. But it doesn’t stop me wanting one.
Watch this video to catch a glimpse of what is involved.
Can’t say much more than check out this fine example of creating something new and excellent out of elements which is already great in their own right.
DJ Moule and Money for the Queen
DJ Moule – Money For The Queen from alternative boris on Vimeo.
Here is an example of how one work of art can lead to a string of others.
The above is a stop motion video incorporating a cracking silhouette animation that is in turn inspired by a mind blowing song. And in turn that song has it’s own history of inspirations.
rarely, just rarely, does such a trail of creation result in something so downright marvelous.
Enjoy.
Bad Apple!!
Arrange= Masayoshi Minoshima Lyrics= Haruka Vocal= nomico
This electronically modified didgeridoo produces a quite amazing sound that combines the natural sound of the instrument with computer audio synthesis and manipulation.
Play the video and then follow the link below to learn more.
Something rather above average from the J-Rock world. A trio of 20 something Japanese girls making some very fine music. Swirling vocals swept along by a tight bass and drums and contained by a wall of rhythm guitar decorated with strong guitar melodies.
Unfortunately the live show I originally linked to has been removed. But here is their excellent song Daidai.
A very very good discography can be found here.
