{"title":"180g","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 180g label is known for its high-quality vinyl records. They use the proprietary GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ system to ensure exceptional sound quality. Each record is pressed on 180 gram virgin vinyl, making them durable and long-lasting. Limited editions are available, adding a sense of exclusivity to their collection. Many of these records are cut from DSD copies of the original analogue masters, preserving the authenticity and richness of the music.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"wamono-a-to-z-presents-blow-up-trio-japanese-rare-groove-from-the-trio-records-vaults-1973-1981-selected-by-chintam-2","title":"Wamono A to Z presents: \"Blow Up\" Trio - Japanese Rare Groove from the Trio Records vaults 1973-1981 (Selected by Chintam)","description":"\u003cp\u003eFor this brand new chapter in the highly acclaimed \u003cem\u003eWamono\u003c\/em\u003e series, \u003cstrong\u003eDJ Chintam\u003c\/strong\u003e goes digging into the vaults of one of the most revered Japanese labels, Trio Records, and unearths some killer drum breaks, dope bass lines, and funky horns, for an essential selection of jazz funk fusion and rare groove vibes produced on Trio between 1973 and 1981!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e- 180g heavy vinyl pressing, reverse board jacket. - Fully licensed Trio Records masters. - Mastering and lacquer cut by Jukka Sarapää at Timmion Cutting Lab, Helsinki, Finland. - Signature artwork by Yoxxx.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAfter many years working as a buyer for several record stores, \u003cstrong\u003eDJ Chintam\u003c\/strong\u003e opened his own Blow Up shop in 2018 in Tokyo's Shibuya district. A member of the Dayjam Crew and a specialist of soul, funk, rare groove, and disco music, Chintam is also an expert of the home-brewed Wamono grooves. He supervised and wrote the legendary Wamono A to Z records guide book together with DJ Yoshizawa Dynamite.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor this brand new chapter in the highly acclaimed \u003cem\u003eWamono\u003c\/em\u003e series, our man \u003cstrong\u003eChintam\u003c\/strong\u003e goes digging into the vaults of one of the most revered Japanese labels: Trio Records. Established in 1969 by audio manufacturer Trio Electronics, now known as Kenwood, the label - and its subsidiaries such as Showboat and Trash - released high quality music spanning a large variety of genres including rock, jazz, fusion, soundtracks, and popular songs, until its end in 1984.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThrough the eight tracks selected here, \u003cstrong\u003eChintam\u003c\/strong\u003e unearths some dope drum breaks, heavy bass lines, and funky horns, for an essential selection of jazz funk fusion and rare groove vibes produced on Trio between 1973 and 1981. Put the needle on the record, turn up the volume, and dig right now into the \u003cem\u003eWamono\u003c\/em\u003e sound - the cream of the Japanese jazz, funk, soul, rare groove, and boogie music developed throughout the years since the sixties in Japan!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e180GWALP05 - Manufactured and distributed by 180g.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"180g","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50380081004875,"sku":"2209648","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_a5aac1ea_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726206407"},{"product_id":"wajazz-japanese-jazz-spectacle-vol-i-deep-heavy-and-beautiful-jazz-from-japan-1968-1984-the-nippon-columbia-masters-selected-by-yusuke-ogawa-universounds","title":"WaJazz: Japanese Jazz Spectacle Vol. I - Deep, Heavy and Beautiful Jazz from Japan 1968-1984 - The Nippon Columbia masters - Selected by Yusuke Ogawa (Universounds)","description":"\u003cp\u003eFrom blazing hard bop to free jazz, to introspective saxophone solos and massive big band sounds, renowned Japanese jazz expert \u003cstrong\u003eYusuke Ogawa\u003c\/strong\u003e presents an essential 14 track collection of WaJazz music taken from the Nippon Columbia vaults. Featuring \u003cstrong\u003eJiro Inagaki\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eMinoru Muraoka\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eHiroshi Suzuki\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eHozan Yamamoto\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eCount Buffalo\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eTakeshi Inomata\u003c\/strong\u003e, and much more!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJapanese jazz has been recognized and celebrated by music lovers worldwide for decades. The origins of this trend may be traced back to the rare groove movement that flourished in the 1990s, but its current deep and wide popularity seems to be connected to the fact that Japanese people have been reevaluating their own jazz since the mid-2000s, locally referred to as WaJazz (\"Wa\" meaning Japan but also the Shōwa emperor period, from 1926 to 1989).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSince the beginning of the 2000s, there has been a growing trend to move away from the DJ-focused perspective and to appreciate jazz with a deeper understanding. Nowadays, there is more and more interest in the background and roots in which jazz has developed in Japan, with Japanese jazz as a whole now considered as its own distinctive genre.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOf course, even if we speak about \"WaJazz as one genre, there is a truly wide variety of styles within it. However, when Japanese musicians play, there is something uniquely Japanese flowing through that creates a kind of synergy. It may be the melody, the rhythm, or even something deeper, like an inexpressible flicker. I would be happy if some of its charms and secrets emerge from the fourteen tracks included in this collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYusuke Ogawa\u003c\/strong\u003e has been running the Universounds store in Tokyo since 2001, specializing in jazz and second-hand, rare, and collector records. He is also a reissue supervisor, label manager, DJ, and music writer. Known for his vast musical knowledge, eye for detail, and archival skills, Ogawa has worked on more than 250 reissues and compilations – including the highly praised Deep Jazz Reality and Project Re:Vinyl series. He is the co-author of the Wa-Jazz Disc Guide and the Independent Black Jazz of America books.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"180g","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50384379052363,"sku":"1144936","price":44.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/cover.ki_5_1394cb41_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726297344"},{"product_id":"thanatos-of-funk","title":"Thanatos Of Funk","description":"\u003cp\u003eMinoru “Hoodoo” Fushimi’s most wanted and impossible to find first album \u003ci\u003eThanatos Of Funk\u003c\/i\u003e is finally reissued for the first time ever, in collaboration with Fushimi himself. \u003ci\u003eThanatos Of Funk\u003c\/i\u003e is a milestone in Japan's underground music and electro funk\/early hip hop history. Entirely self-produced, designed and distributed in 1985 by Fushimi, a high-school teacher by day and music experimenter by night, \u003ci\u003eThanatos Of Funk\u003c\/i\u003e is a love-letter to counter-culture, DIY, drum machines and synthesizers blent with some killer shamisen and guitar playing. This is truly unique music. The LP, re-mastered and cut at the Timmion Cutting Lab, comes with the original hand-written comic by Fushimi, with English translations. 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When the Fatback Band topped the 1975 US charts with their infectious \"Do The Bus Stop\" hit, Japanese label Victor put out the following year the first Japan made Disco tune with \"Sexy Bus Stop\", released under the mysterious name Dr. Dragon \u0026amp; Oriental Express, a pseudonym for successful Japanese pop composer Kyohei Tsutsumi. \"Sexy Bus Stop\" became an instant hit in the country and, taking this opportunity, various Japanese record companies started releasing Disco music. From 1976 until the early 1980s the music was often recorded by skilled studio musicians, rather than by computer input, providing a really solid sound to the dancefloor. Disco music was also spreading into TV series, commercials and anime. From Godiego's monster hit \"The Birth Of The Odyssey - Monkey Magic\" to Pink Parachute's obscure (and excellent!) \"Disco Great Tokyo\" tune, this selection explores some of the finest Disco and Boogie music released on the legendary Nippon Columbia label in the late seventies and early eighties. Are you ready? Put your dance shoes on, and enjoy!\n\n---\n\n- All tracks selected and compiled by Greg Gouty and Maxime Brottes. This record has been inspired by the \"Disco Great Tokyo – Columbia Disco Fever 1977-1980 – selected by T-Groove\" compilation, available on CD format (Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd., COCP-40485).\n\n- All tracks licensed by Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd., Japan.\n\n- Mastering and lacquer cut by Jukka Sarapää at Timmion Cutting Lab, Helsinki, Finland.\n\n- Artwork by Nker.\n\n---\n\n180GWALP06 - Manufactured and distributed by 180g.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"180g","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50413853966667,"sku":"2167238","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_7e452f9c_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726678581"},{"product_id":"dala-toni","title":"Dala Toni","description":"\u003cp\u003eTokyo-based band and Afrobayashi pioneers \u003cstrong\u003eAjate\u003c\/strong\u003e are back with their third album: experience the explosive encounter of Afro groove and Japanese traditional Ohayashi music!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDuring a stay in West Africa in the late 2000s, Japanese musician Junichiro \"John\" Imaeda was taken aback by the similarities he felt between the Afrobeat that resonated in the streets of Accra, and the sounds of the \"\u003cem\u003eOhayashi\u003c\/em\u003e\", the music played during ancestral Japanese festivals, in which John had participated since his childhood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOn his return to the archipelago in 2009, Imaeda created \u003cstrong\u003eAjate\u003c\/strong\u003e, a collective of ten passionate musicians. 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The release on French label 180g of their \"\u003cem\u003eAbrada\u003c\/em\u003e\" and \"\u003cem\u003eAlo\u003c\/em\u003e\" albums, in 2017 and 2020 respectively, opened the doors to Europe, with memorable shows at the Transmusicales de Rennes festival - followed by a session on KEXP (Seattle, USA) - at Jazz a Vienne, and at WOMAD UK, among many others.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith their brand new album \"\u003cem\u003eDala Toni\u003c\/em\u003e\", \u003cstrong\u003eAjate\u003c\/strong\u003e prove once again that they are at the forefront of global music \"made in Japan\".\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"180g","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50417099440459,"sku":"2192971","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_eadfe35c_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726716698"},{"product_id":"thanatos-of-funk-2","title":"Thanatos Of Funk","description":"\u003cp\u003e\n● 180g Red Gold vinyl LP, limited edition.\n● Killer and cult shamisen electro funk from 1985 Japan!\n● Minoru \"Hoodoo\" Fushimi's impossible to find first album finally reissued for the first time ever.\n● Sound restoration, mastering and lacquer cut by Timmion Cutting Lab.\n● Comes with a 4p insert including the original hand-written insert\/comic by Minoru Fushimi, with English translations.\n---\nMinoru \"Hoodoo\" Fushimi's most wanted and impossible to find first album Thanatos Of Funk is finally reissued for the first time ever, in collaboration with Fushimi himself. Thanatos Of Funk is a milestone in Japan's underground music and electro funk\/early hip hop history. Entirely self-produced, designed and distributed in 1985 by Fushimi, a high-school teacher by day and music experimenter by night, Thanatos Of Funk is a love-letter to counter-culture, DIY, drum machines and synthesizers blent with some killer shamisen and guitar playing. This is truly unique music. The LP, re-mastered and cut at the Timmion Cutting Lab, comes with the original hand-written comic by Fushimi, with English translations. Essential!\n---\nSound restoration, mastering and lacquer cut by Jukka Sarapää at Timmion Cutting Lab, Helsinki, Finland. B3 additional sound restoration by Lick-G at Zenknow Studio.\nOriginal artwork and insert by Minoru Fushimi.\nArtwork restoration and additional design by Nicolas Kerembellec (Nker.fr).\nInsert translation by Minoru Fushimi.\nProofreading by Brian Durr, Diskotopia.\nLP reissue production by Greg Gouty, 180g.\n180GRELP02 - Manufactured and distributed by 180g, under license from Minoru Fushimi.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"180g","offers":[{"title":"Gold LP","offer_id":50432328958283,"sku":"2170718","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_971cacf3_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726867323"},{"product_id":"wajazz-legends-jiro-inagaki-selected-by-yusuke-ogawa-universounds","title":"WaJazz Legends: Jiro Inagaki - Selected by Yusuke Ogawa (Universounds)","description":"\u003cp\u003e- JIRO INAGAKI 90TH BIRTHDAY GOLD VINYL EDITION, releasing on Mr. Inagaki's birthday: October 3rd, 2023.\n- The ultimate collection of music from Japanese legendary saxophone player Jiro Inagaki and his Soul Media band, covering their 1968-1980 golden age.\n- Gatefold 180g heavy double vinyl LP, Gold vinyl edition, reverse board print. Comes with extensive track-by-track liner notes by Yusuke Ogawa (Universounds), comments by Jiro Inagaki, and exclusive pics.\n- Includes an unreleased version of the track \"Express\" — first time on vinyl!\n- All tracks licensed by Nippon Columbia, Tokyo, Japan.\n- Mastering and lacquer cut by Jukka Sarapää at Timmion Cutting Lab, Helsinki, Finland.\n- Artwork by Nker.\n---\nUniversounds, HMV Record Shop and 180g team up for an exceptional release in their highly acclaimed WaJazz series, to be out on Jiro Inagaki's 90th birthday, October 3rd, 2023, celebrating the life and music of one of the most iconic Japanese jazz musicians of the last 60+ years. This is the ultimate collection of music from legendary saxophone player Jiro Inagaki and his Soul Media band, covering their 1968-1980 golden age, releasing as a spectacular gold vinyl double LP with extensive and detailed liner notes by Universounds' Yusuke Ogawa, comments by Jiro Inagaki, and exclusive pics. 16 tracks of pure gold music spanning jazz, jazz-funk and jazz-rock, including an unreleased version of the track \"Express\" — first time on vinyl!\nYusuke Ogawa has been running the Universounds store in Tokyo since 2001, specializing in jazz and second-hand, rare, and collector records. He is also a reissue supervisor, label manager, DJ, and music writer. Known for his vast musical knowledge, eye for detail, and archival skills, Ogawa has worked on more than 250 reissues and compilations – including the highly praised Deep Jazz Reality and Project Re:Vinyl series. He is the co-author of the Wa-Jazz Disc Guide and the Independent Black Jazz of America books.\n---\nManufactured and distributed by 180g, in collaboration with HMV Record Shop and Universounds.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"180g","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50434710864203,"sku":"2049384","price":44.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_822e5a3b_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726893471"},{"product_id":"wajazz-japanese-jazz-spectacle-volii-deep-heavy-and-beautiful-jazz-from-japan-1962-1985-the-king-records-masters-selected-by-yusuke-ogawa-universounds","title":"WaJazz: Japanese Jazz Spectacle Vol.II - Deep, Heavy and Beautiful Jazz from Japan 1962-1985 - The King Records Masters - Selected by Yusuke Ogawa (Universounds)","description":"\u003cp\u003eFollowing the highly acclaimed first volume in the series, Japanese jazz expert Yusuke Ogawa continues the WaJazz exploration with another essential collection of music that contains something uniquely Japanese — focusing this time on the King Records catalog. Featuring timeless music by Isao Suzuki, Toshiaki Yokota, Akira Miyazawa, Takeru Muraoka, Yasuaki Shimizu, Masahiko Togashi, George Otsuka, and more!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"It is my great pleasure to introduce you to the second volume of the \"Japanese Jazz Spectacle\" series. Following the first compilation which focused on recordings from the Nippon Columbia catalogue, this time we are digging into the King Records archives. It is almost impossible to capture the whole picture of Wa-Jazz in a couple of compilation albums since it is such a broad and deep genre, however, by extracting tracks from the Nippon Columbia and King Records collections - both labels having an extensive archive of jazz music - we may be able to glimpse a part of its allure and essence. This time again, I have made the music selection with this idea in mind. The music in this compilation was recorded between 1962 and 1985 and is a brief history of Japanese jazz on King Records. Listening is believing, so I hope these tracks will capture your heart and that you will enjoy the charms of Japanese jazz.\" - Yusuke Ogawa\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"180g","offers":[{"title":"Clear LPx2","offer_id":50466782871883,"sku":"2003581","price":44.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/cover.ki_6_d24fc5a4_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727321652"},{"product_id":"eleki-bushi-1966-1974","title":"Eleki Bushi 1966-1974","description":"\u003cp\u003eTerauchi was born January 1939 in the prefecture of Tochigi, north of Tokyo. His mother taught music and played the shamisen – a traditional Japanese stringed instrument – while his father ran, among other things, an electronics shop. Their respective professions were to be decisive in the path that Terauchi would later take. Serendipitously, at the age of five, Takeshi was given his first instrument – a guitar. His destiny sealed, he quickly began experimenting with different tools from his father's shop to give his instrument a stronger sound. The technological approach came from his father, the technique from his mother. Terauchi's signature playing style owes a lot to his mother's instrument of choice, as he attacks the notes on his guitar as one plucks the strings of a shamisen. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e This exceptional compilation you are holding in your hands explores some of the best works by Takeshi Terauchi, recorded between 1966 and 1974, where the guitar hero looks inwards to Japan for inspiration. A meeting between traditional folk songs and the unique way Terauchi and his band play: the content is explosive, inspired, and highly addictive! The 60s and 70s were undoubtedly Terauchi's finest hours, and in the late 60s, one Japanese critic said that Terauchi was not only the best guitarist in Japan, but also in the world. 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Put the needle on the record, turn up the volume and dig right now into the Wamono sound - the cream of the Japanese jazz, funk, soul, rare groove and disco music developed throughout the years since the end of the sixties in Japan!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eActive as a professional DJ in Japan since the late eighties, DJ \u003cstrong\u003eYoshizawa Dynamite\u003c\/strong\u003e is also a renowned remixer, compiler and producer. An avid record collector and an expert of the Wamono style, \u003cstrong\u003eYoshizawa\u003c\/strong\u003e published the Wamono A to Z records guide book in 2015 which instantly sold out. The book unveiled a myriad of beautiful and rare records from a highly prolific, but still then unknown, Japanese groove scene.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAfter many years working as a record buyer for several stores, DJ \u003cstrong\u003eChintam\u003c\/strong\u003e opened his own Blow Up shop in 2018 in Tokyo's Shibuya district. A member of the Dayjam Crew and a specialist of soul, funk, rare groove and disco music, \u003cstrong\u003eChintam\u003c\/strong\u003e is also an expert of the home-brewed Wamono grooves. 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Fully licensed Nippon Columbia and Victor Japan masters available for the first time outside of Japan, featuring rarities from Hitomi Tohyama, Jadoes, Yumi Sato, Tetsuo Sakurai and more! Tracks selection by Japanese super diggers and Wamono specialists DJ Yoshizawa Dynamite and Chintam. Artwork by Yoxxx (Tokyo).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eActive as a professional DJ in Japan since the late eighties, DJ Yoshizawa Dynamite is also a renowned remixer, compiler and producer. An avid record collector and an expert of the Wamono style, Yoshizawa published the Wamono A to Z records guide book in 2015 which instantly sold-out. The book unveiled a myriad of beautiful and rare records from a highly prolific, but still then unknown, Japanese groove scene.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter many years working as a record buyer for several stores, DJ Chintam opened his own Blow Up shop in 2018 in Tokyo's Shibuya district. A member of the Dayjam Crew and a specialist of soul, funk, rare groove and disco music, Chintam is also an expert of the home-brewed Wamono grooves. He supervised and wrote the Wamono A to Z records guide book together with Yoshizawa.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor this third chapter of the acclaimed Wamono series, Yoshizawa and Chintam unheart some of the best and rarest light mellow funk tunes and disco boogie bangers produced in Japan between 1978 and 1988. Put the needle on the record, turn up the volume and dig right now into the Wamono sound - the cream of the Japanese jazz, funk, soul, rare groove and disco music developed throughout the years since the end of the sixties in Japan!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"180g","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50466945663307,"sku":"1129062","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/cover.ki_3_c0448931_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727332340"},{"product_id":"wamono-a-to-z-vol-i-japanese-jazz-funk-and-rare-groove-1968-1980-selected-by-dj-yoshizawa-dynamite-chintam","title":"Wamono A to Z Vol. I - Japanese Jazz Funk and Rare Groove 1968-1980 (Selected by DJ Yoshizawa Dynamite \u0026 Chintam)","description":"\u003cp\u003eDig right now into the Wamono sound - the cream of the Japanese jazz, funk, soul, rare groove and disco music developed throughout the years since the end of the sixties in Japan! Fully licensed Nippon Columbia and Victor Japan masters available for the first time outside of Japan, featuring Akira Ishikawa, Jiro Inagaki, Chikara Ueda, Kifu Mitsuhashi, Toshiko Yonekawa and more! Tracks selection by Japanese super diggers and Wamono specialists DJ Yoshizawa Dynamite and Chintam (Blow Up).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith this first volume of the Wamono series, the two DJs here guide you through some of the best and rarest jazz funk and rare groove tunes produced in Japan between 1968 and 1980. Put the needle on the record, turn up the volume and dig right now into the Wamono sound - the cream of the Japanese funk, soul, rare groove and disco music developed throughout the years since the end of the sixties in Japan!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"180g","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50468195107147,"sku":"1095592","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/cover.ki_1_c650ca1c_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727345913"},{"product_id":"mammamelie-with-regularity","title":"Mammamelie \/ With Regularity","description":"\u003cp\u003eFeatured in The Vinyl Factory's 10 best new vinyl releases of the week (May 24th. 2019): https:\/\/thevinylfactory.com\/features\/the-10-best-new-vinyl-releases-this-week-24th-may\/\nFeatured in the Bandcamp Weekly show: https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/?show=322\nNippon Afro-Groovers AJATE are back with two dancefloor bombs teaming up with French Garage Funk providers NY.KO!\n\n\n180g heavy vinyl\n\n\nLimited edition of 500 copies\n\n\nFresh from their highly acclaimed KEXP live session!\n\n\nIncludes two remixes by beatmaster Deheb\n\n\nNew Ajate album to be out late 2019!\n\n\nFormed in 2011 by band leader Junichiro \"John\" Imaeda, Ajate consists of 10 Japanese musicians who play a unique blend of afro-groove dance music mixed with Japanese traditional festival music called \"Ohayashi\". Their album Abrada is out in 2017 on the 180g label, selling out immediately and being followed by two highly acclaimed European tours. Teaming up this time with French groovers Ny.Ko, Mammamelie and With Regularity are two dancefloor destroyers announcing Ajate's brand new album to be out late 2019!\n---\nWatch Ajate's KEXP full live performance at https:\/\/youtu.be\/eN7_2Qkf7Uo\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"180g","offers":[{"title":"12\"","offer_id":50521312821579,"sku":"2055988","price":15.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_eac6121a_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727990487"},{"product_id":"kenka-oyaji","title":"Kenka Oyaji","description":"\u003cp\u003eKiller and cult electro funk hip hop musical U.F.O. from 1987 Japan. This highly sought-after record reissued for the first time since its original release with sound restoration, mastering and lacquer cut by Timmion Cutting Lab. 180g heavy vinyl pressing, reverse board print and comes with a 4 page insert including the original Japanese one, an interview with Hoodoo Fushimi (in English and Japanese), exclusive pictures and the album's lyrics translated in English.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1987, Kanagawa, not so far from Tokyo, Japan. Minoru Fushimi teaches his high-school classes during the day. Back from work, he transforms into \"Hoodoo\" Fushimi, turns on the drum machines, the synthesizers and the sequencers, blends them with his own shamisen playing and builds a cult album: \u003ci\u003eKenka Oyaji\u003c\/i\u003e is born and becomes a milestone in Japan's early hip hop and electro-funk history, now reissued for the first time since its original release, in collaboration with Hoodoo Fushimi himself. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"180g","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50525948281163,"sku":"1118343","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/7d5243b3-d5a1-4bd2-ab2f-7e1398d4a502_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1732973655"},{"product_id":"akasaka-soul-funk-1969-1977","title":"Akasaka Soul Funk 1969-1977","description":"\u003cp\u003e- For all fans of the Wamono series!\n- Rare and killer Japanese soul funk tunes.\n- 180g heavy vinyl pressing, reverse board jacket.\n- Mastering and lacquer cut by Jukka Sarapää at Timmion Cutting Lab, Helsinki, Finland.\n- Fully licensed Nippon Columbia masters.\n- Text and track-by-track liner notes by Kazunori Harada.\n---\nAt the start of the 60s, a new wave of gospel-influenced jazz started to emerge, with hits such as Art Blakey \u0026amp; The Jazz Messengers' \"Moanin'\" and Cannonball Adderley's \"Work Song\" epitomizing this evolution in the genre. The terms \"soul jazz\" and \"funky jazz\" were coined as a way to describe this new sound that was making an impact in the US and also on the other sides of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.\nIn 1964, Ray Charles made his first visit to Japan. Then, in 1968, Martha \u0026amp; The Vandellas and Stevie Wonder set foot in the country, followed by Sam \u0026amp; Dave in 1969, Ike \u0026amp; Tina Turner in 1970, and B.B. King in 1971. The TV show \"Soul Train\" also began airing in Japan in the early 1970s. A watershed moment happened in 1973 when Sammy Davis Jr. was cast in a TV commercial for Suntory whisky — and the influence of the US Black entertainment world had really landed, with soul, jazz, and funk artists becoming household names.\nNippon Columbia played a pivotal role during this turning point. The company had contracts with Buddah Records and Blue Thumb Records, releasing notable works by artists such as Gladys Knight \u0026amp; The Pips, Curtis Mayfield, The Crusaders, and The Pointer Sisters. At the same time, the label was also releasing several Japanese soul, jazz, and funk projects under the lead of music director Jiro Inagaki. Inagaki, a saxophonist who began his professional career in the early 1950s, honed his skills at U.S. military camps, where he shared his love of music with the Black servicemen. In the 1960s, he played with drummer Hideo Shiraki's band, which was widely considered to be Japan's representative group of the funky jazz movement. Later, Inagaki went on to pursue more cutting-edge sounds with his Soul Media project, including being a pioneering figure in the \"jazz rock\" genre. By working closely with Inagaki and his various musical projects, Nippon Columbia really placed the company at the center of an exciting and important period in Japanese music.\nIn 1965, Nippon Columbia opened a recording studio in Tokyo's Akasaka neighborhood. Akasaka was also home to the first ever discotheque in Japan, the legendary MUGEN, which ran from 1968 to 1987 and where many acts performed, including Con Funk Shun, the Bar-Kays, Ike \u0026amp; Tina Turner, B.B. King, Sam \u0026amp; Dave, Three Degrees, and Edwin Starr, as well as many local Japanese singers and musicians. This melting pot of creativity in the area led to the recording of many singles and albums by Japanese artists that were infused with the sounds of soul and funk. Most of these recordings were not available outside of Japan and remain rare and unknown musical gems. The selection you are holding in your hands is an explosive collection of 10 essential tracks released by the legendary Nippon Columbia label between 1969 and 1977, capturing the raw, unapparelled energy that was flowing through the air of the Akasaka streets at this electrifying time. Enjoy!\n---\n180GWALP07 - Manufactured and distributed by 180g.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"180g","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":51103395283275,"sku":"2239561","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_b1411dd4_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1736949900"},{"product_id":"far-east-new-rock-invention-1969-1975","title":"Far East New Rock Invention 1969-1975","description":"\u003cp\u003eJapan was in the midst of the peak GS (Group Sounds) boom – a sound that fused Japanese kayōkyoku music and Western rock music. But possessing a rare sense of foresight, singer and record producer Yuya Uchida encountered this revolutionary new wave of rock firsthand during his travels through Europe beginning in the spring of 1967. After returning to Japan, he formed Yuya Uchida \u0026amp; The Flowers. Their freaked-out sound — steel guitar driven through wah pedals and fuzz — marked them as something entirely different, standing apart from conventional GS acts. Other groups also added British and American rock numbers to their repertoires, but because their shows and releases were fundamentally bound to the structures of the Japanese entertainment industry, most had few options once the GS boom faded: they either shifted toward a strictly kayōkyoku-style path or disbanded altogether.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven so, in 1970, The Flowers, now joined by Joe Yamanaka, formerly of 4.9.1, and Hideki Ishima, formerly of The Beavers, renamed themselves Flower Travellin' Band and went on to make their mark overseas. At the same time, other key musicians from the GS generation — including Shigeru Narumo of The Fingers and Hiro Yanagida of The Floral — fought to establish a distinctly Japanese form of rock music. Meanwhile, folk music driven by young anti-establishment artists began to rise out of the underground scene, gradually influencing the mainstream. As a result, record companies one after another launched dedicated rock and folk labels, signaling a major shift in the industry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1972, Nippon Columbia launched its first dedicated rock and folk label, Propeller, releasing a steady stream of forward-looking titles by artists such as Hiroshi Segawa (formerly of The Dynamites) and Tetsu Yamauchi, who, up until then, was a prolific session musician in the scene. Influenced by late-'60s acts like Blood, Sweat \u0026amp; Tears and Chicago, Japanese jazz musicians also began boldly incorporating rock elements into their work. As a result, many records from this period have since become prized classics in the rare groove scene.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbove all, this compilation was selected to let you experience the free, innovative, and deeply experimental sounds created by Japanese musicians whose passion rivaled that of their British and American counterparts. Even more than fifty years later, the music on this album still feels remarkably fresh, hitting with the same sense of surprise and impact it did when it was first released!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"180g","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":56763658764619,"sku":"R9059-8941","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/cover.ki-2_6e35ee5b-402b-4417-b008-d83b59037615.jpg?v=1773155489"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/collections\/test_68985bba_thumbnail_4096_27dda933-e0ef-4886-b85f-a88488672158.jpg?v=1726206389","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/de\/collections\/180g.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}