Bleep

Japan has a storied history of offering some of the world’s first ever religious, traditional and ritualistic musical recordings, but if this compilation from the always-brilliant Death Is Not The End shows anything, it’s that the Japanese music industry was about as diverse as it is today. Largely insulated from the domination of Western pop — which would prove enormous after WWII — Longing for the Shadow: Ryūkōka Recordings, 1921-1939 nonetheless showcases the fascinating nascent cultural merging via jazz, blues and classical selections.