First played in Blip Festival Tokyo @ KOENJI HIGH, October 21, 2012.
(tokyo.blipfestival.org/2012/)
This originally was the result of a rather heated debate with a friend that despite all of its limited audio featureset… a NES can actually make bass-heavy growls without the need of samples (even something as dirty as a distorted reese bass is perfectly doable in just 2A03 pulse channels!) And what is more fitting than to pair such a sinister technique… than with the absolutely adorable phrases that maids & idols in cosplay cafes all over Akiba recite in glee in order to pamper their clientele?
Sound source:
Nintendo Famicom / NES (Ricoh RP2A03 APU + Konami VRC6 PSG)
Sequenced in Famitracker v0.4.1. (www.famitracker.com)
Apart from mixing/mastering, no external creative post-processing effects are used; all sounds are done only within RP2A03+VRC6.
Limited Edition Char 3DS
It didn’t take long for the Red Comet to get his own version of Nintendo’s latest handheld. It comes in a limited edition bundle along with an SD Gundam game and two Gundam AR cards. Classy!
mudy on the 昨晩 // PERSON!PERSON!!
Got some fantastic Japanese math rock here for you today! mudy on the 昨晩 is a 4 member band out of Nagoya, and if you’re even the slightest bit of a Jesu fan, you might have heard their name before. They were part of their backing band while Jesu was touring in Japan back in 2007. They’ve also appeared on compilation albums put out by Asian Kung-Fu Generation and Tsutaya Records.
These guys have been around since 2006, but their first official debut was in ‘08 with the release of their VOI EP. In 2011 they have a second EP under their belts, along with two full length album releases. Today’s track, PERSON!PERSON!!, is a single off of their latest release, the 2011 album mudy in squall.
What I can’t get enough of in this track is the chanting going on in between the weird guitar time signatures and bright blips going in the background. After my first listen I’ve gotten in the habit of humming those sweet chants in my head and even shouting them out, hoping no one in the house would hear me or take offense. For the regular math rock junkie, you’ll love this track as much as I do. Are you reading this and don’t even know what the fuck math rock is? You’ll still love it. I can guarantee it!
math rock fans get on this
0.8秒と衝撃 // Brian Eno
0.8秒と衝撃 (aka “0.8byou to shougeki” or “0.8Syooogeki”) is a Japanese rock band hailing from Shibuya, Tokyo. They formed back in 2008 but didn’t formally enter the music world until nearly a year later with the release of their first single POSTMAN JOHN. Three years later they have two EPs and two albums under their belt, and they may as well be one of the best groups to come out of the Japanese indie rock scene ever.
The levels of awesomeness this band possesses can’t even be properly put into words. I fell in love with them after viewing their music videos for both this featured track Brian Eno, and their other single called Machizo.Machiko.Hakai, both appearing on their latest album 1 Bo 2 Bo 3 Bo 4 Bo 5 Bo 6 Bo, Toyo Techno.
0.8Syooogeki’s music is incredibly bipolar in nature. Often pacing back and forth through sweet, melodic choruses and heavy as fuck guitar riffs that rip and tear at your soul leaving you with the most amazing eargasm you’ve ever had in your life. It’s hard to peg them down into one genre, and I’d dare not pigeon hole this band and demean the sheer brilliance of their output. I can’t recommend this group highly enough. Honestly, just listen to Brian Eno above, fall in love with them like I did, and go get some more fucking 0.8秒と衝撃 in your life.
seriously listen to this band now
0.8秒と衝撃。
I want to walk around in painted flu masks with a cute Japanese girl.
Is that a PocketStation in your pocket?
One thing I really wanted as a kid was a PocketStation. Whenever I went to a game store, I’d ask about a release date, which kept getting pushed back over and over. Almost ten years later, I finally bought a brand new one on eBay. And it was glorious.
The PocketStation is a “mini PDA” with a 32x32 pixel LCD screen. Games like Final Fantasy VIII came with PocketStation games that could be transferred via the memory card slot. It never came out in the West because Sony couldn’t keep up with the demand from its Japanese customers.
Check out this shot of all four PocketStation variants taken by Flickr member, X-eON. The white and clear ones are standard colors, while the black one came bundled in a limited edition Yu-Gi-Oh game and the pink with a limited edition Tokimeki Memorial game. The PlayStation branded battery (which comes with any new PocketStation) is pretty awesome, too.
You can find the white and clear PocketStations on eBay for under $40, but the limited editions can go for $100 and up, depending on if they’re loose or come with their limited edition bundles.
These Creepy McDonald’s Ads Could Only Come from Japan
Since Burger King retired their King mascot, it’s time for McDonald’s to get in on the creepy commercial scene. I have no idea if these are official, but they’re definitely spooky. The last of the three is definitely the best.
Also, anybody know what’s being said at the end? Let us know in the comments.
(via WTF Japan Seriously)
