Noise

The Kansai based noise band Hijokaidan, come with the first ever vinyl reissue of Modern, originally released on 1989 in CD format. Resting at a fascinating juncture between space-harsh progressive, impro and noise, it was years ahead of its time when it first appeared becoming one of the great holy grails of Japan noise. Creatively thrilling – filled with emotive highs and lows – it’s a crucial piece in the puzzle of Japan’s wild and wonderful history of noise music.

The core of the band revolves around the trio Jojo Hiroshighe, Junko and Toshiji Mikawa with sporadically the participation of various artists both for live performances and for studio recordings. On this vinyl shows up in the classic three-person line-up leading the way to one of the best reissues among offerings of their incredible discography.

Modern double vinyl LP, carving out uncharted territory between Faust and mid-70s Soft Machine, pushed improvisation into a near undefinable realm. The sound of Hijokaidan subverts and deconstructs; hits you, not like an avalanche, but like a prolonged electrical discharge on neuromuscular receptors: the most visceral and buried side of the noise is hidden in Jojo’s pick-ups, in Junko’s voice and in the extraordinary as well as exceptional object of Toshiji called ‘’the Mikawa’’.

Noise

Hijokaidan is a Japanese noise band with a turning lineup that has ranged from two members to as many as fourteen in its early days. The group is the project of guitarist Yoshiyuki ‘’JOJO’’ Hiroshige, its one constant member, who is owner of the legendary Osaka-based Alchemy Records. The ensemble began at the very end of the 70’s as a performance art-based unit whose anarchic shows would often involve destruction of venues and audio equipment, food and garbage being thrown around, and on-stage urination. As the group’s lineup changed over time, their focus became less performance-based and more musically based, fine-tuning their sound into a dense wall of white noise created by each member both for live performances and for studio recordings.

Superbly pressed with fully remastered for this 40th anniversary vinyl edition by Nobuki Nishiyama, that bring as well as possible on analogue format the stunning original audio master, and released with original iconic cover art with draw by Hideshi Hino, plus all the inserts that were on the original 1982 LP: live photo book (two A3 double face foldable), one Japanese sheet and a lucky triangle card with, exclusively for this edition, extensive liner notes by JOJO in Japanese and English and 40th anniversary adhesive.

Black Metal

It was but last year when HINSIDES burst from the void with a brazen split EP with comrades MONSTRAAT via SHADOW. Featuring a mere two tracks, HINSIDES’ half thoroughly convinced with its delirium-inducing madness and filth. However new this formation may’ve seemed here, HINSIDES is actually a new work of M.A. from the esteemed ULTRA SILVAM, where he gets to indulge in sensations that lurk below the melodic and magisterial.

Black Metal

Side A was recorded in 1997 and originally released as the Promo 1.666 cassette.

Side B was recorded in 1998 and originally released as The Call Of Thuringian Woods cassette.

Remastered in 2020.

RAC/Oi!

The Holstein boys followed up their second work with this release in 1997. The debut album “Back on the Streets” had already been released a year earlier, which received a lot of positive feedback. As is well known, the Holsteiner Jungs were another band of Freikorps frontman Kai Stüwe. The Holstein boys’ music sounded similar, but less melodic than Freikorps, but it came across as a bit harder and snottier. Compared to the main band, the lyrics were more street-oriented and socially critical. All in all, the rough lyrics are characterized by anger at the bourgeois world with a good dose of bite!

RAC/Oi!

The 1998 full-length available on LP.