 1/9 Terrence, American Buddhist, reviews Cat Power, weed, and nothingness. 5/13 Clarence Baxter around the world with Cornelius, etc. 5/20 Phillippe Coullette interviews Johan of CLUB 8 4/19 DJ Henrik X reviews tracks by the Roots and Outkast |
 8.24.1998
Fantastic Plastic Machine, Sushi 4004 (bungalow) Run by the DJ's Le Hammond Inferno out of Berlin, Bungalow records' release of Sushi 3003 and the new Sushi 4004 marked the first time a western indie label delved into the cutting edge Japanese club-pop scene. Virtually every track on this disc comes from Shibuya, making this one of the preeminent Western Shibuya comps. Sushi4004 is essentially an update on last year's Sushi3003, and showcases the best in Japanese club-pop. The artists on this CD are somewhat varied in their approach, but all of them understand the fundamental concepts of a good beat, catchy lyrics (or synth hooks) and an intricate mix of too many music styles to name. The songs range from samba-tinged 60's cheese-funk ("Si Vous Plait", Fantastic Plastic Machine) to 80's/90's decade bending Japano-pop ("You are My Music" by Hi Posi, "Fantastic Cat", by Takako Minekawa) and includes tracks from relatively well-known Japanese artists Pizzicato Five and Yukari Fresh. Neil and Irazia have a track called "Tragedy of the Softrocker" which gets my vote for song title of the year. Like about 80% of Sushi4004, it's also a marvelous song.
Fantastic Plastic Machine, AKA Tomoyuki Tanaka, has decided that the Samba beat is the salvation for international ultra-pop. The veneer on these recordings is so slick that not even bubble-gum can stick for long... Inside the song lies musical invention by the truck-load, as Tanaka, a sampling and turntable wizard, moves seamlessly through a world populated Le 60's French sexkittens to the kitschiest kitsch America has ever produced. Occasionally the latter becomes a little annoying. I bet it's a lot funnier in Japan. This is the kind of album that transports you to another place, a place called "the fantastic plastic world" where drum'n'bass clubs serve shiny cocktails and nymphs croon simple words over changing rhythmic patters. The fantastic plastic world was first imagined in America's booming '50s, but it took decades for someone to create the perfect soundtrack for it, which Tanaka has done with splendor and the right touch of irony-free comedy. USOUNDS 8|24 |
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