Bleep

EM Records is proud to present, following “Yumi Kagura” [EM1154CD/LP], the second edition of the Japanese folklore music series, directed by Riyo Mountains.

Japan has a long tradition of annual pre-harvest summer dance festivals, known as Bon-Odori, which continues to this day. One of the longest-running of these festivals is the Sakai Ishinage Odori festival, which takes place in Sakai town, Saitama, north of Tokyo. Unlike some festivals which function as tourist attractions for domestic and international visitors, this festival is resolutely local, with no professional performers, the music being passed down from generation to generation, played by local men and woman ranging in age from elementary school students to senior citizens.

With percussion, massed flutes and vocals, this is a vital, living music, a tribal sound born in the rice fields, agricultural “industrial” music, low-tech hard techno. This release features 1982 recordings, from a non-commercial release for educational use, plus 2017 versions of the same pieces, recorded and mixed by Sugai Ken.

Researched and assembled by minyo DJ masters Riyo Mountains, who have been mining recordings of minyo (Japanese folkloric music) for many years. Their club nights draw a fresh crowd, eager to tap into the lost groove of minyo rhythms.