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Cause And Effect Compilation 001: Best Text Of Japan

by various artists

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about

Originally released on cassette on the Cause And Effect label in 1986.

Download the album to view Debbie Jaffe's original booklet layouts in the zip file.

Japanese audio artist compilation with tracks by Toshifumi Kawase, The Joke Project, Tetsuya Fukui, Satoshi Hashimoto, Merzbow, Ice 9, Takahashi Numazawa Hashimoto, O’Nancy in French, Monomagnon, Masaki Eguti. A wide variety of styles from guitar pop instrumentals, to tape collage, electroacoustic, improvisation, vocal solos, lots more.

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Review of Best Text Of Japan by The Electrician (Chris Johnston), November 28, 2015:
rateyourmusic.com/release/album/various_artists_f2/best_text_of_japan/

Over the last few weeks I've been exploring Bandcamp a lot more and I'm beginning to realise what a fantastic source of rare and out-of-print material it can be. Take this gem for instance, a long lost cassette compilation from 1986 now lovingly restored in digital format by the seemingly indefatigable Hal McGee. I was drawn to it initially by the presence of three Merzbow tracks but as with many other compilations that Masami Akita appears on, it is the opportunity to discover a number of other new artists where the real appeal lies.

Best Text of Japan blends musique concrète, improvised noise and Krautrock elements, throwing up a few surprises along the way. It opens with "Sex" by Toshifumi Kawase and where you might expect an immediate assault on the ear drums you are presented instead with a delightful instrumental piece pairing acoustic guitar with low-key electronics. The Merzbow tracks are interesting enough and the Krautrock rhythms of Takahashi Numawaza Hashimoto are strangely appealing. However, top billing must go to the wonderfully named O'Nancy in French. Their three noise tracks are by turns hypnotic, atmospheric and utterly compelling.

Like many good archival releases this download album allows you to peek inside what seems like a lost sound-world. It's a great advert for the Japanoise scene of the mid 1980s and an equally good advert for the work of Hal McGee in continuing to document this kind of material and make it available to intrepid Bandcamp explorers. I'm the first person to bemoan the death of physical records but albums like this show that downloads too can be a thing of wonder.

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Please note that "Venoayasama" by Merzbow is not listed as a track in the audio files. It is indeed included in the listening material, but I am not sure if it is at the end of "Smichion" or the beginning of "small motor-byke...".

credits

released October 1, 1986

compiled and produced by Hal McGee
layout by Debbie Jaffe
original artwork contributions by Masaki Eguti

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