Bardo Thödol - Feeble Voice (Japan)

Bardo Thödol "Feeble Voice" 7"EP (TRANS-27, 1988) Bardo Thödol were an interesting new wave trio from Japan. They appeared on the legendary Japanese noise/new wave label Trans Records, run by the industrious and tragically deceased Kitamura Masashi of YBO2 fame (as well as publisher of Japanese rock mag Fool's Mate). Bardo Thödol released a 7" EP and a 12" EP during the late 80s, and they also made several appearances on Trans compilations. Their sound is somewhat minimalist, and there are even slight hints of Medusa-era Clan Of Xymox flavor in the A-side of the Feeble Voice EP. A moody synth classic. Vocalist Yuki would later move on to her own solo project in the early 90s called False Love, though I haven't heard any of that music yet. download

SADIE SADS "Angora" (Japan)

SADIE SADS "Angora" 7" (1984) Following one of my all-time favorite Japanese singles is ...another one of my all-time favorite Japanese singles; namely Sadie Sads debut release "Angora"! This truly essential weirdo-classic was released in 1984 on the Wechselbalg label, a subdivision of Telegraph Records run by Genet of Auto-Mod fame which put out a great number of great releases by legendary post-punk and goth(y) bands such as G-Schmitt, Nubile and Sarasvati. I must confess that it did take a while (at least for me) to fully digest "Angora", causing infinite amounts of headscratching upon first encountering it on the "Revenge of Wechselbalg" compilation. Indeed, just the short intro is of such a monumental strangeness that hearing it is like encountering some kind of extraterrestial entity - confusing, intriguing, scary perhaps or possibly disgusting and/or delightful. Or all of the above! But at the heart of the tune is the hypnotic main riff. Propelled by a thunderous start/stop bass-line and a slightly muddled guitar dissonantly scratching away; "Angora" jerkily pummels its way forward, bizarrely enough managing to create a most peculiar Twilight Zone-groove of its very own. But the most singular thing about this song (and about this band) is of course the vocals of frontman Sad. Sounding like a bag-lady out of hell, Sad's voice waivers between ridiculously over-the-top theatralics and banshee-like screes - never has the fine line between genious and retardation been so beautifully blurred. Another highlight to take note of is the fabulous guitar solo courtesy of guitarist Igarashi - actually more of an anti-guitar solo, pushed far back in the mix and without any discernible notes being played. Just amazing! Contrasting against the focused riffage of "Angora" is the hodge-podge of B-side "i d". Essentially two not-really-finished songs combined into one, the tune intercuts between a metal-bashing percussive section (sounding like a free-form take on Zeitlich Vergelter) and a repetitive post-punk dirge tinged with gothic overtones. Although "i d" definitely has its moments, I can't shake the feeling that it was somewhat hastily thrown together to fill out the flipside of the record. Sadie Sads followed up this single with their equally brilliant record ARTefact "Box With Little Doll" in 1985. Not only one of the most intriguing and innovative records of its time (Japanese or otherwise) but also one of the most lavishly (and outlandishly) packaged ones. After a valiant but, in my opinion, failed attempt at remixing "Angora" into a tribal semi-dub for their "Angora.D" twelve-inch, the band disintegrated into Sads - more or less a solo vehicle for vocalist Sad to pursue a more dance-oriented sound (a path also wandered by labelmates Nubile and Sodom ...not to mention some of Genet's various post-Auto-Mod outfits). For those interested in learning more about Sadie Sads I can wholeheartedly recommend a visit to Junk Church - an official fanpage for the band. Although sadly no longer updated, it's jam-packed with information, pictures and history of the band. download

Pale Cocoon - 黄金時代 (Japan)

Pale Cocoon - 黄金時代 7" picture disc (Pafe, 1984) More gauzy, blurry melancholy from the great Pale Cocoon, this time on a pretty cool looking picture disc (sorry hi-fi fans). I think it's just as brilliant as the Secret Sounds 10" I posted earlier. 黄金時代 is a glittering, cosmic shoegazer with a weird sort of constant tinnitus effect to it as the song warps and swells. Side B's 街燈 ramps up the morose factor with a similarly warbling piano and synth piece. download

Ras Muhamad - Next Chapter (Indonesia)

Although born into a Muslim family, Jakarta-born reggae star Ras Muhamad embraces a broader concept of spirituality. “We don’t believe in segmentation,” said Ras, whose real name is Muhamad Egar. “We all have the same God, so we don’t need to differentiate between religions.” He is also a big believer in urging his listeners to bring about change. In “Crisis,” a song from “Next Chapter,” Ras’s sophomore album, he sings: “The youth can’t get no food to eat, the youth can’t get no place to sleep. Do you really care?” Dressed in a green cotton shirt and matching knit cap covering his dreadlocks, Ras Muhamad exuded a zen-like calm during his interview at the Taman Ismail Marzuki arts complex in Central Jakarta last week. “There’s a responsibility in music, art and culture to help and educate the poor,” said Ras, who was born in 1982. His album, “Next Chapter,” is built on the concepts of equal rights and justice. Out of the 17 songs on the album released by independent label Jah Star Management in August, there’s only one romantic tune. The rest is heavier fare. “Make Way” tells the youth not to rely heavily on deceitful leaders. “The System” depicts dirty politics, which, as the lyrics suggest, is a system that “destroys,” “kills” and “oppresses.” “I’m not a political expert and I don’t do politics,” said the bearded singer. “But as a musician, we have to be aware about what’s going on in the world of politics.” Ras collaborated with musicians from Senegal, Kenya and Norway on the album, which is influenced by the genre’s top acts: Peter Tosh and Bob Marley. His professional debut album, “Reggae Ambassador, ” released in 2007, was more influenced by fast-paced dancehall reggae, which is set apart by its digital instrumentation, upbeat tempo and aggressive vocals, according to Ras. “The tempo [of ‘Next Chapter’] is much slower, but the vocals are much more aggressive, condensed and faster,” Ras said. In 2008, Rolling Stone magazine Indonesia rated Ras as Best New Reggae Artist. His song, “Musik Reggae Ini” (This Reggae Music), was nominated for an AMI Award — the country’s equivalent of the Grammys — the same year. “I’m grateful that people are recognizing my struggle,” Ras said. “But what I want is for the struggle to become a concrete thing. Not something temporary, but a movement that lasts forever.” Ras’s journey to recognition as an Indonesian reggae artist in fact began in the United States in the early ’90s, after his mother, a diplomat, was assigned to work in New York. Ras remembers being introduced to the music of the dancehall reggae singer, Buju Banton, when he heard it blasting from the stereo speakers of his older cousin’s tape deck. His cousin had migrated to the United States before he did. Ras developed an immediate liking for the music. But the thick, unfamiliar Jamaican accent — which today he adopts when he sings — initially made it difficult for him to understand the lyrics. He said it wasn’t until he started his arts degree at the Borough of Manhattan Community College that he really got to know reggae culture through his friendship with African and Caribbean students. He had also started writing and singing reggae songs at college and, during his senior year, Ras’s friends encouraged him to make a recording. The result was a 10-song demo album, titled “Declarations of Truths,” which was distributed independently throughout New York’s underground community. In those years, Ras said he went to a lot of “sound system” parties in lofts and abandoned warehouses, where DJs would play back-to-back reggae from 9 p.m. until six in the morning. Ras also hung out at restaurants that were popular with the reggae crowd, thriving on the immediacy of reggae’s social and religious commentary. “In New York, I’m usually the listener,” he said. “Hanging out with the community there really expands your knowledge.” When he returned home to Jakarta four years ago after 12 years in the US, he found the local reggae community disappointing. He frequented reggae joints in Menteng, Central Jakarta, and Rawamangun, East Jakarta, hoping they’d become places where he could share his thoughts, but found that many — but not all — of the people there were “unenthusiastic about having meaningful conversations.” Ras views this as an unfortunate condition, especially given the potential for important discussions on the social injustices and other problems in Jakarta. “Jakarta is a metropolis, but there’s still a huge social gap here,” he said. Instead of using reggae as a harbinger of change, Ras said, a lot of the genre’s followers in Jakarta were inadvertently perpetuating the stigma surrounding the music. “They only know Bob Marley,” Ras said. “They hang out on the streets with no aim, drinking and smoking weed. “They keep saying peace, peace and [more] peace. But there’s no struggle.” download

Orgatanatos "Between November and February" (Uzbekistan)

Experimental laptop music from Tashkent!

Orgatanatos "Between November and February" (2012) - IDM / Downtempo

Tunay Akdeniz and Cigrisim (Turkey)

Tunay Akdeniz and Cigrisim - Garagepunk from Turkey 1978 About single "Punk Rock" : "Mesela Mesele" / "Disi Denen Canli" (= "Let's Say a Problem" / "Creature Called Female") - is one of the rarest and powerful samples of Turkish punk - rock music. There were very few musicians that did this kind of music in Turkey. Grup Cigrisim and the early works of Mazhar-Fuat were the most succesful ones. Funny lyrics and hard rhythms." download

rashit / ask it why - kadıköy'den hareketler split 7" (Turkey)

rashit w/Ask it why? Kadıkoy'den hareketler split 7" Rashit and ask it why both bands were pioneers of the Turkish punk movement. This are split 7" vinyl released in 1996 from a french label called Darbouka records who also released Rashit's "Kapak Güzelleri" vinyl Lp in 2003. download

V.A. "Steppe-Punks" (Kazakhstan)

with DOBROVOL'TSY PONYEVOLYE / 12 PODVIGOV NURKYENA / NEMTSOV & NEMTSY / FIMA & MIFICHYESKIYE DB / ALDAR KOSE & NADUVNYYE BAURSAKI / B'RNAY KARABASOV & SAMOZVANTSY (all from Karaganda) Released May 2000, sky blue vinyl. Mail contacts in 1998 with Edgars Embergs in Latvia and Syeva Oplachko in Omsk, Siberia, established from our temporary base in Northern Uganda ended up in a package of 3 Kazakhstan tapes arriving in our Kitgum post office box. Bands play different styles of punk, from fast Soviet style to garage surf to folk and industrial-influenced. Discover the Central Asian underground! The record covers the period from late 80's to mid-90's. download

Iknayt - "Pogruzjennye v obman" (Uzbekistan)

Mid-tempo pop-punk from Tashkent link for downloads

V.A. - "Davai-Davai" (Uzbekistan)

First Cd-r compilation with Uzbekistan pop-punk! link for downloads

ANKYLYM (St.Petersburg, Russia)

ANKYLYM [chukcha's language - the meaning unknown] Art-chaos alco-folk band from Russia. The band was formed in St Petersburg, Russia in 1997, playing art-punk with some ethnic sounds. Some elements of progressive hardcore and post-punk were also evident. ANKYLYM have recorded and self-released two albums and EP (“U Volod’ki”(MC, 1998), “9 1/2 minutes (EP, 2000)”, “Instruments (MC, 2003)”) and has been playing concerts in most of the St Petersburg clubs and cities of Russia (Novgorod, Valday, Moscow, Vyborg). Releases got quite a good response in independent media. In 2004 band turned acoustic and experimental. Instead of guitars drums there were used traditional Russian instruments – balalaika and bayan (Russian accordion). New material was defined as “folk-slaughter” and “art-chaos folk” – songs are ranging from acoustic grindcore to freestyle performance. Among the band’s own songs the weird cover versions on NIRVANA, MINISTRY, DEAD KENNEDYS, SHOCKING BLUE are being performed. The band is touring a lot in Russia (St Petersburg, Moscow, Volodga, Cherepovets, Novgorod, Vyborg, Samara, Togliatti, Volgograd), France, Germany, Finland, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, takes part in international music festivals – Puntala rock (2005), Bloodnok (2006) and S.K.I.F. (2007). There also happens “open concerts” – live performances on the streets. ANKYLYM used to play with the bands of different genres and countries – hardcore, punk, noise, metal, jazz, ethno. Among them: NERVENKLINIK, ENGAGE AT WILL, WHEEL OF DHARMA, MONOPOLKA, LENIVEC, KING KONGS, x_O.C.A._x, DISTRESS, KOMATOZ, VIR’, MORE & RELSY, HERO DISHONEST, NOMEANSNO (at S.K.I.F. 2007) etc. The full-length album “Otsy Myasa” (“Fatrhers of Meat”) was released in 2007. There are also exist some recordings from the live performances, some songs were released in compilations – “Food Not Bombs (2005)”, “Golden Shower of idiots” (2005), “Rockets From Russia (An indie winter in Saint-Petersburg)” (2005), “Total Jazz. Tribute to Chimera” (MC 2006, CD 2008). You can see a familiar face from far away… The fact of cooperation between Fil Volokitin (zines “Slonoboy”, “V moyom Supe Pechenya v Forme Zverushek”(“I’ve Got Animal-Shaped Cookies in My Soup”) and some more actual stuff) – the adept of the most fucked up things on the contemporary scene and the most fucked up band of Saint Petersburg – ‘Ankylym’ made me really exited. Finally! Down with guitars and drums, enough of pick-ups in the asses and micro-tapes recorded – the Japanese should relax! The ideas was as it seems on the surface – to record bands through the telephone! (!!!Fuck me, read the last sentence one more time and think!) Defects of the sound recording is shit in comparison with the mental drive of Ankylym (and no phone can hide this drive!). And by the way, the programme is new, its nor Instruments or Ketchup, it resembles some music coming from a psychiatristic department… And according to the musicians, Fil recorded a dozen of bands in the same manner…

download album "Volk" 2011

THE STEPS IN HONG KONG - NON-STOP SOUL (Hong Kong)

Excellent album by THE STEPS with singers SANDRA SANGER & MARINI. There are 6 medley's and 1 song on this album, great stuff, sounds like a good LEX BAXTER album or a cool 60's movie-score... download

Sadato Group - s/t 7" flexi (Japan)

Sadato Group - s/t 7" flexi (Kang-Gung, 1984) Rather odd cosmic free-rock nuttiness from this mostly-Japanese group led by Swiss-born-Iranian-living-then-in-Tokyo-but-now-in-New-York multi-instrumentalist Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi (Sadato seems to have been his Japanese name). Zappa and free-jazz seem to be the major touchstones here. Wild stuff! download

Sakata Orchestra - 4 O'Clock LP (Japan)

Sakata Orchestra - 4 O'Clock LP (Better Days, 1981) Fantastic LP from this Wha-Ha-Ha member and mainstay of the Japanese avant-jazz scene. Features a little bit of the goofy computer electronics and crazed vocals of Wha-Ha-Ha, but mostly this is all about the free-wheelin' jazz! I believe someone had requested this LP in the comments... sorry for the wait. download

Pablo Picasso (Japan)

Pablo Picasso - s/t 7" (Telegraph Records, 1981) Tangled no-wave groove from the rather reliable Telegraph label. If you like the skritch-skratch guitar of DNA, Mars, et al, this one's for you! download

Pablo Picasso - Soft Type LP (Telegraph Records, 1983) Following the 7" I posted earlier, here's the brilliant and only LP from this cacophonous Tokyo no-wave trio. Super dubbed out and effects-laden scrawl somewhere between The Pop Group's Y and PiL's Metal Box. The production on this one is so 'out there' at times, it had me checking the insert to see if it was produced by Kaoru Sato (it wasn't). Amazing stuff! download

C. Memi - Heavenly Peace (Japan)

C. Memi - Heavenly Peace (Fairy Records, 1982) "Heavenly Peace" is the whimsical sophomore release of C. Memi. Following her shared debut with Neo Matisse (described as "that famous 'No Chocolate'-single" in "The Hijokaidan story"), we are presented with five pretty darn disparate tracks held together by some kind of magical antimatter. Opening track "Ishin-Denshin" is perhaps the weirdest of the bunch. The ticking of a drum machine coupled with somewhat ham-fisted post-punk/DIY style drumming forms the foundation of the song; sounding at least slightly reminiscent of a cat coughing up a hairball. Add a reverb-soaked flute playing a hazy melody through a fairytale forest and astonishingly dry and unemotional vocals and this stew of singular confusion is complete. Two transitional tracks follow - "C'est un Chanson" is a chanson-ey (who whould've guessed?) and unfortunately pretty snooze-worthy affair. The cute piano and music box bagatelle "For Monster of Dr. Frankenstein" fares better, though perhaps mainly because of its brevity. The weirdness resumes with the jingle-like "Hitokichi". Sounding like a commercial for an extraterrestial soda or something, "Hitokichi" is a strange melange of ultra-processed vocals, droning basswork and white noise drum snares. Memi leaves us with the magnificent title track and it's soothening swathes of synth pads punctuated by sparkles of cosmic sound-shrapnel. A perfectly serene way to close off the EP, with just a slight sentimental touch. Real nice. download

Geil - I'm 7" (Japan)

Geil - I'm 7" (Taiyo, 1986) Strangely (for me at least) quite enjoyable goth-rock with androgynous vocals (courtesy of "Alice") that remind me of a drunk woman named Stephanie that used to come in my shop and tell me about all her Sex Pistols posters. This, coupled with the fact that Stay sounds like what I've always thought pretend-English would sound like, makes for a fun listen. Oh, and what kind of title is I'm?? download

Quasimode - 真昼 [Jeux De Vertige] LP (Japan)

Quasimode - 真昼 [Jeux De Vertige] LP (Di-Stance, 1986) Brilliant avant-chamber stumble and stomp from this mysterious group. A fascinating album that seems to combine the cosmic whisper of Takami's Tenshi-Kou and the decadent europhilia of Kumiko Suyama and Sonoko, resulting in a creepy and markedly Duppi-like brew. Fitting, considering that the two were compilation-mates on Yuzuru Agi's notoriously unobtainable Ego 02 / Critical Species - Individual Music Osaka 1985 cassette. download

+Alpha - s/t 7" (Japan)

+Alpha - s/t 7" (self-released, 198?) Plunky, bass-heavy post-punky stuff from this rather mysterious group. It's becoming interesting to me just how "default" this sorta sound seems to have been in Japan in the early 80s. Did Japan have the highest concentration of bands with groovy basslines and constantly discordant guitar in the world? The almost punkish and sing-songy vocals set this one apart from the pack, and track 2 features the return of crazy vocal modulation! download

Commune - Will/I Can't Believe 7" (Japan)

Commune - Will/I Can't Believe 7" (Autonomy, 1979) Skritch-scratchy post-punk trio from Osaka, 2 members of which would later form Aunt Sally with vocalist Phew. Pretty fun single with punk-funk rhythms and constipated vocals (thanks to nattliga_toner for that apt description). download

Various Artists - "Green Tape" cassette (Japan)

Various Artists - "Green Tape" cassette (Caligari, 198?) Fantastically odd little tape here on the ultra-obscure Caligari cassette label. Kakera, by Shimizu Akemi, would fit right in on the Vanity Music box set... sounds a bit like Tolerance. Takahiro Yamazaki's track sounds like casio drums being played with a TV in the background. Isan Sozokunin (who are also on the Paris Tokyo cassette) play a little stumbling punk song. Tolcaderro (who are on Red Tape, a Swiss cassette released in conjunction with Caligari) play a harmonica and broken machine duet. Kumio Kurachi's track is a real stand out, sounding also very Vanity-esque. This might be the same Kumio Kurachi that appears on the Lost Vow CD compilation. Sugar Wire Flesh... where to begin? This is probably the most brain-damaged track I have on any album. Without beans?? UMO follows up with a pleasant piano number before the tape is ended with a nice industrial noise track from international tape scene contributor 40318. Quite possibly the most baffling and obscure item in my collection. Enjoy!! download

P.T.A's - Young Vernacular 10" (Japan)

Here's P.T.A's 3rd release on Cragale from 1984. Far more similar to the mid-80's new-wave rock sound on Tiger / Fukumen Toshi than the brittle krautpunk of their first 7", but still pretty fun. I promised I'd post this for a reader... ages ago! Hope it's everything you dreamed. download

NON baNd - s/t 10" (Japan)

Fun and funky new-wave/no-wave duo. They're still around if I'm not mistaken! download

Abrasive Relations (Philippines)

Abrasive Relations - Self Titled 7''ep - Astral Anarchy Records - 2001 Abrasive Relations was a Philippine all-girl punk band active during the 90s. They had a chance to have their song released on vinyl by the Dutch label Astral Anarchy, who produced mostly electro-punk bands. No techno beats here, Abrasive Relations played straight forward punk-rock. download

Putang-I-Nas - Sweet Sixteen (Philippines)

2007 CDr album from the punk / Oi band Putang-I-Nas ( which could be roughly translated as Sons-of-a-Bitches or Motherfuckers... ), i guess this is their first effort, don't know if they had demos or compilation appearances within their 16 year-old musical carreer, they started playing in 1992 if i'm correct. download

URBAN BANDITS - Independance Day (Philippines)

Urban Bandit's sound draws its influence from U.K. bands rather than U.S. ones. They had a definite impact on Manila's new breed of street-punk and Oi combos. The frontman Arnold Morales went to form the band Music Front at the end of the eighties, and eventually made a break in the music business during the 90's with the ska outfit Put3ska. The ska version of the song "Manila Girl" had been a hit and its video clip got some international exposure on MTV Asia. The song n°7 - "No Future sa Pader" is missing, sorry, but you can still listen to that great punk album... download

What Do You Want For Christmas ? (Philippines)

What Do You Want For Christmas? (Middle Finger production, 1996) Here's a Christmas themed Middle Finger compilation issued in 1996 if i'm not mistaken. Ten Manila bands are featured here, Most songs are Punk Rock except a Psychobilly tune from Camote Chunks, and ska / 2-tone by Crazy Beat. Gen. Luna is my favorite band here, delivering a strong and catchy punk-rock song, buried under layers and layers of fuzzed-out guitars. It seems to be one of the last appearance from the veterans G.I. & The Idiots. Again with the Middle Finger guys, the quality is there, all bands have a professional studio recording, and the artwork is quite funny while being nicely done. download

Turkish punk covers compilation

01. Rashit & Hanin Elias - Bang Bang (Nancy Sinatra Cover) 02. Spinners - Maggie (Exploited Cover) 03. Athena - Breed (Nirvana Cover) 04. Leş - If the Kids Are United (Sham 69 Cover) 05. Allahsız Tospaalar - These Boots Are Made For Walkin' (Nancy Sinatra Cover) 06. Pentagram - Some Kinda Hate (Misfits Cover) 07. Posterity - City Baby Attacked By Rats (G.B.H Cover) 08. Rashit - i wanna be your dog (Stooges Cover) 09. The Nuppies - Last Caress (Misfits Cover) 10. Pentagram - Holidays In The Sun (Sex Pistols Cover) 11. The Nuppies - Pet Cemetary (Ramones Cover) 12. Rashit - Ring of fire (Johnny Cash cover) 13. Posterity - Police Oppression (Angelic Upstarts Cover) 14. Pentagram - Anarchy In The UK (Sex Pistols Cover) 15. The Nuppies - Pet Cemetary (Ramones Cover) 16. Rashit - Paint it black (Rolling Stones Cover) download

Roots of Turkish Underground Compilation

01. Ali Rıza Binboa - Yarınlar bizim 02. Altan Erbulak - Keklik 03. Öztürk Serengil - Unuttun Bizi Süleyman 04. Vahi Öz - Bedia 05. KDV Şaban - Hello Papa 06. Figen Han - Pisi Pisi 07. Öztürk Serengil - Abidik Gubidik Twist 08. Cem Karaca - Bindik Bir Alamete Gidiyoz Kıyamete 09. Timur Selçuk - Ekonomi Tıkırında 10. KDV Şaban - Gel Yanıma Yat Yanıma download

Asian HC Compilation Cracked by 23 Asian bands - All Systems Fail

This Cd documents the rise of the Asian and South-East Asian DIY punk scene during the 90s. That was the first opportunity for me to listen to bands from Korea, China or Indonesia. That coincides with the troubled context of the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis. I suppose the access to cable TV in the early 90s, with shows like MTV's Alternative Nation, Mall Punk bands like Green Day & The Offspring, MTV S.E. Asia, Channel [V] did have a non-negligible influence on the birth of the local alternative and underground music scenes. Most of the bands featured on this compilation started during the mid-nineties... Meaning that for most Young Asians back then, the first encounter with different kinds of music was due to the mainstream media, and less by fanzines and tape trading circles, in some ways, places like Korea, Indonesia or Malaysia were quite culturally isolated from the outside world, living under authoritarian regimes during the 80's... This compilation present a wide diversity of bands and styles of music, covering Straightforward H/C punk, Street Punk, Melodic stuff, Crust/grind... The bands featured here are: Tokyo Sex Wale From China, All Stupid, Closeminded, Jeruji, Puppen, Runtah, Savor of Filth & Turtles Jr. from Indonesia, Charm, Disco Scratch Coke Avoid, Disc'O Kicks from Japan, Kitsch, Weeper, RUX, No Brain and Samchung from South Korea, La Haine from Macau, Ladybug, all-girl-band from Taiwan, Enslaved Chaos, and Parkinson from Malaysia, Demisor, Desecrate and Protest from Singapore

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V.A. - Sevdasiz Hayat Ölümdür / Underground Turkey 7''ep - 1994

That seven inch was the first record documenting the burgeoning DIY punk scene in Turkey of the early nineties. When listening to a recent Turkish band like Ultimate Blowup, i realise those punks came from a long way. "Headbangers was the first Turkish punk band (live recording from 1989, in Turkish). Spinners was the first all-girl punk band in Ankara. The 3 other bands were the precursors of HC Turkish style. Most have disbanded now, except for Radical Noise who has 3 CD's out." These are pretty lo-fi recordings gathered on this record, and the pressing quality's quite bad, i tried my best to reduce the cracks and pops and general surface noise on this slab of vinyl. Crappy music maybe, but the interest here lies elsewhere... Tian an Men 89 record label has an interesting mission about revealing and exposing the unknown and exotic pioneering punk scenes around the world. download

"Anthology of Myanmar Punk-Rock vol.1" (Myanmar/Burma)

With THE ANTS (Taunggyi) / GHOST RIDER (Yangon. Released May 2000, on jungle green vinyl. Meeting the punks of Yangon was one of the highlights of the year 1998! The Ants play fast pop-punk, while Ghost Rider pogoes on Ramones-influenced punk-rock. All songs in Myanmar language. download

ZUBY / VITAMIN ROSTA (Kabardino-Balkaria / Tatarstan)

The first record in our new series "Pank Federatsiya", presenting bands from the different republics of the Russian Federation! Released October 2001, on mouse-grey vinyl. Zuby is thrashy punk from Nalchik in Kabardino-Balkaria and Vitamin Rosta energetic punk from Tatarstan. Thanks to our friend Sharapov in St Petersburg, our temporary base in the Moluccas islands (Indonesia) could be linked with North Caucasus and Tatarstan and this project become a reality! download

V/A "Dushanbe Punkers and Rockers" LP (Tajikistan)

Mind-blasting comp from the forgotten land of the Pamirs! With Zlo, Ragnarock, Zapadny Kvartal, Zvukovaya Artyel, Trush-Oba, Khorog Rock Band, Kide & the JC, Noch', Ieroglif. Released July 2006. download

NATO.- Russian rock bottled in Armenia 1993

NATO - Ռոլսավան Ռոք: Շիշավոիվաժ Է Հայաստանում (Russian Rock Bottled In Armenia)
Armenian punk band hailing from Yerevan.
Released December 1994, clear orange vinyl, Sold out.
A stay in economically war-damaged Armenia in the Summer of 1993 and the
meeting of those dedicated Yerevan engineer punks and underground
musicians, struggling under unbelievable harsh conditions, compelled us to
release this wonderful Soviet-styled punk record. All musicians are now living
in exile in Moscow. The band later released a split 7" with Roh Dae Woo
(another Yerevan punk band) on Beer City in the US.
Contact Aram at: aram7s@moon.yerphi.am

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Various – Java-Java Indonesia Screaming Fuzz Vol. 1

"NoSmoke Records attacks again... Now looking back to the Indonesian legacy of garage and rock'n'roll. Those bands wrote some history by theirselves during the 60's and confronted the Indonesian regime with music. Some of these bands migrated to Europe, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong and helped out creating a new musical movement called Indo-Rock. Bands like The Peels, Swallows, Tielmann Brothers or Rolling Beats have been part of that movement. Lots of fuzz and rock'n'roll, making their own revolution trough the fuzz pedal. Among these, other bands confronted the regime inside Indonesia, like Dara Puspita or Koes, among others. Don't look for protest ballads or even traditional songs here, there's only room for garage, raw beat and indo-rock at its best." (NoSmoke)

Just like it says- raw Indonesian & Indo-Rock garage stompers. Hadn't heard The Swallows (Singapore) before. I keep thinking "La Ngomber", their riff on the Kinks' "You Really Got Me Now" sounds a little like a sped-up version of The Magic Bands' "Dropout Boogie" (Minus those Beefheart vocals, of course). Good stuff. 320 vinyl rip by yours truly.

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October Cherries-Dreamseller

1972 Singapore Psychedelic Pop @320 kbits (Vinyl Rip?)
This one was requested some time ago decent Beatelesque psych pop,this album is quite rare. This is the only vinyl rip i could find, and one track is damaged
my fav. tracks are Dreamseller and Bad Trip. Overall a good addition to the collection of psych pop freaks. The album was recorded in Belgium. And got released there by EMI Europe,Baal Records did the asian release.
some info:
NCREDIBLE Beatles-inspired pop psych masterpiece by the October Cherries, "Dreamseller" and subtitled "A Work of Magic by the October Cherries". Now it may take quite a bit of nerve and confidence to subtitle your album "a work of magic", but in this case, the Cherries knew what they were talking about. This MONUMENTAL album is indeed magical - a long-lost Malaysian Magical Mystery Tour that so few people have ever heard - and anyone who loves the tuneful orchestrated UK popsike sounds of bands like the Bee Gees, Idle Race, Beatles and all the Rubble comp bands will LOVE this album too. Granted, it didn't get released until 1972, long after their particular sound was way out of style in England, but in Signapore, they were superstars.

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死逗乐 (Si Du Le)- A dream in our heart 7" (China)

I know what you are thinking: Chinese punk? no way, this must be a joke! Japan needs no comment, Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines have numerous bands but China? Well, its true: Honestly, these guys come from the city of Wuhan, China and this is their 7" released on a German label...
i know absolutely nothing about 死逗乐 (Si Du Le, thats how these ideograms are pronounced), here's some things from
Rock in China: A dream in our heart came out in 2004 on Deprived & Devilish Records in 500 copies. This is their only release, in 2003 they appeared in Travel in Desert cd comp,released by the Wuhan based label Wuhan New Stone Culture, members were involved with 400 Blows and SMZB
This was the 3rd record ever released by a Chinese band. The url that is printed inside the cover must be their site but the link is dead, (freedom of speech is still unknown to some places), there are only a few things written inside the cover about the band (they started around 1998) and personal thoughts about their ideals, about punk and how it influenced their way of thinking. Nice words indeed. In 2005 they toured in central Europe (Germany,Italy,France, Austria etc) with Vialka (France/Canada), they called it quits a few years later
Check wiki about Wuhan location, if you know anything about Chinese scene just drop a line, the only thing i know is Area Death Productions the label that released Sore Throat's-Death to Capitalist Halmshaw cd
Now about the music: There are two tracks here delivering punk tunes much better than what you expect, lyrics are personal and included,sound quality is very good. are you curious about it? go get it!

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Daunakarma – Sensations Of Words (Uzbekistan)

The first debut release for Umbrella Noize Collective (UMB073) , the edition of 2004. Collected from noises dross a collage, with presence of toys, mantras and a hopelessness. Field recordings.
Who has told, that it is impossible to play on a mail box.

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Deficit – Scalecube'soffice (Uzbekistan)

Re-release of Deficit's first album. Broken beats, glitch, noise against melodies.
Anxiety, aggression against subtle emotions. Welcome to Scalenube'sofice
Deficit is a project of Vyacheslav ismagilov from Uzbekistan. It is a real treat for all fans of Aphex Twin, Autechre or what WARP sound used to be before they become just another alternative label.

Free download @ elektrobankmusik site / net releases

"10,000 Years Punk" (People's Republic of China)

with ANARCHY BOYS / BRAIN FAILURE / 69 / REFLECTOR (all from Beijing) Released December 1998 under the label's division "Xiandai Gongren Changpian", fading red vinyl, SOLD OUT now..
Oi, ska-punk and HC punk united on one slab of vinyl. Let the Chinese punk scene blossom and prosper for the next 10,000 years! All bands joined on the double CD compilation "Wuliao Contingent" released early 2000 in Beijing. In 2001, Brain Failure released its first CD "Fairytale Of Beijing".
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V/A - 1970s Algerian Proto-Rai Underground

Great collection of 70s Algerian rock and pop rarities from the excellent Sublime Frequencies label. Fills an important gap in the history of North African music for Western listeners. Featuring Bellemou & Benfissa, Groupe El Azhar, Boutaiba S'ghir and Cheb Zergui, whose wah-wah guitar-driven work is highly recommended for fans of Turkish psych. Songs titles like Mazal Nesker Mazal (I'm Still Getting Drunk... Still) and Dayha Oulabes (I'll Marry Her Whether They Like It or Not...) demonstrate the rebelliousness of these young musicians in 1970s Algeria.
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Erkin Koray - Elektronik Türküler

Essential 'Oriental' acid rock. The equal of Amon Düül II at their best and any other classic from that period, for those who don't already know this. The earliest fusion of Middle Eastern music and rock. Melechesh's sound has its precedent in tracks such as the one below.
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DEMOKHRATIA "Bled El Petrole..." 7" (Algeria)

Powerful thrashcore/powerviolence from Algeria. If you are a fan of Infest or Los Crudos, this is for you. Top quality DIY hardcore. 'Khra' means shit in Algerian arabic dialect. A quick look into Algeria's recent history and politics and you would understand the sentiment.
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V.A. – 1382 The Persian New Waves

The very first Iranian punk compilation ever, first LP on TAM89! With: Oolanbator, Divane, Alookal, Mud, Superman & amp; the Joe Ordinaries, Black Blooms, Dark Earth, Fat
Rats!! Released June 2004
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V/A "Bishkek is Burning!" Comp. 7" (Kyrgyzstan)

A totally great last-minute addition to our 2004 programme: the first Kyrgyzstan punk comp ever! With: Milk Vokydas, Shugar, Garik Mityaev, Halligani i Ra and Ya Ves' Zelyonyi(all from Bishkek)Released June 2004, horse eye-black vinyl.
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Various – Paxta-Core Underground Uzbekistan

For those who aren't familiar, Tian An Men 89 Records;have been releasing music from the far corners of the earth for well over a decade, and it's through this label that I first heard about punk scenes in Nepal, Algeria, Korea, Iran and the list goes on. Many of these bands destroy the boundaries of what we might consider "punk," but the bastardization of musical genres in these faraway lands often results in songs that are far more interesting than just another rehash of those same three chords that we all love. Several of TAM89's vinyl releases were put to cassette a few years back, and here's the Underground Uzbekistannbsp;comp LP for your Friday. The mellow bedroom minimalist track from BGMOLSTY I GROBOVYERZHSTY is my favorite, while HARDCORE OPA are probably the punkest thing on the tape. Other styles range from classic 1-2-1-2 punk rock to more commercial sounding alternative (though delivered in a raw and interesting enough fashion that it ceases to sound even remotely "commercial") to more indie numbers like those from SKIZZERZ. nbsp;This label cannot be commended enough for exposing these bands to the world (and and exposing the world to these bands). 8 bands, 15 songs

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Tears of the Sun/ Uzbekistan Rock Band

1. Could you introduce yourself? Who is in the band and what are you doing in your normal lives? What kind of people are you?

“Tears of the Sun” are a group of people trying to make positive music and unite all optimistic people, also people with fresh brains, who support experiments, eclectics, ethnic music, and old school traditions of rock’n’roll.
Our main weapon is eclectics, and our fundament is funk.
Tashkent is a modern Babylon, mix party of many cultures and nationalities.
BTW our band is the most multinational music group in the city. We have Armenian singer – her name is Zlata Lepeshkina, two Russians: bass-guitarist Evgeniy Bodyan, keyboard player Anton Kudryavtsev, and a half German / half Korean drummer Edgard Pak. The trumpet player Sergey Ryabchenkov has Jewish roots, sax player Sukhrob Nazimov is an ethnic Tajik, and me, the guitar player Nikita Makarenko, my family is old Cossack family from northern Caucasus.
What do you mean when you say “normal life”? Music is the most important thing in our life. But it is very difficult to keep rocking in Uzbekistan without another financial income. Everybody in “Tears of the Sun” have another job. I’m working as guitar player in modern avant-garde theater “Ilkhom” and also I’m professional RJ and journalist. Zlata is a student of National High School of music arts. Edgard plays drums in night clubs, and works as sales manager. Anton is a programmer. Sukhrob is producer of an ensemble called “Omnibus”, it’s modern-avant-garde music ensemble. Evgeniy is a student, and Sergey is a specialist of repair of flats. Some of us participate to side projects related to music.
We are between 20 and 30. Everybody except Evgeniy has a music education.

2. What forces you to make music? Why did you become musicians?

I don’t know how to describe it. I think music chose us one time, and will keep till the end. I don’t know what I will do if I have to stop playing music one day. I cannot imagine that. Music lives inside me, and forces me to play it. Maybe everybody has different reasons to be musician. But one thing that we can say exactly – musician is the best profession in the world!

3. Can you describe us, how you create songs?

Oh, if I knew the exact recipe of how we do songs, everything would be much easier.
The most often, some ideas come to me. I write the music and text, and then show this material to our band. Everybody listens and gives ideas what they want to hear from this song. Mostly, the end result doesn’t resemble at all to the initial version. Sometimes I have a detailed plan of song and we just put all my ideas into reality in music. Many good melodies come from our jams and improvisations.

4. Why have you changed your style so much, from a more alternative to a more Pop band? Your sound now remembers me on 60ies/ 70ies Russian Rock/ Pop/ Big Beat. Is this how you want to sound?

It is an excellent question, to define what pop sound is. In our city, 70% of rock fans are metal-heads or hard sound fans. And 80% of rock-groups are metal groups. This means that hard sound is the real “pop” sound. One day we had enough to play the same style of music that everyone else around us. We sort of grew up and looked at music in a different way, wider and deeper than before. I can’t say that we became a pop group. Contrariwise, we are an « alternative » compared to what is happening around on Tashkent rock scene.
Wow, what’s the link with Russian pop of the years 60-70 and Russian rock? What groups do you have in mind? Russian rock, or at least what we mean by this expression, started to take shape in the 80-ies, with groups such as «Akvarium», «Mashina Vremeni», etc. I don’t quite understand what you mean. Our sound is quite far even from regular Russian rock. You are probably the first to compare us to that.
We want to sound like “Tears of the Sun”. We don’t have a plan for the sound of group as a whole. We make sound for each song separately – one song we want to make like black funk, one like reggae, one like old blues. And have a good mix after this.

5. Many bands from other 3rd world countries sing in English. Why are you singing in Russian? What are your lyrics about?

There are some reasons to make Russian lyrics. Russian poetry has great traditions. I would say that poetry and literature are very important for Russians. In USSR, poets could make big performances on stadiums like rock-stars. Also we have a saying «Poet v Rossii bolwe chem Poet» which means «Poet in Russia is more than simple poet». And I like Russian poetry more than any other. My favorite poets are Esenin, Mayakovski, Grebenshikov, Vasil’ev. Only in Russian language I can explain my feelings in the fairest way.
And we want that people think about our lyrics, understand our messages. Everyone around us knows Russian, but not all know English, it’s the second reason. BTW we have some new songs on English, but it’s just an experiment.

Our lyrics are about very different problems or issues. It’s hard to find line or impression that unites all our songs. What I can only say is that my entire lyrics are ironic and post-modernist, maybe sarcastic. As an example, let’s take our last disc «Central-Asian sufferings». The first song «Mandela Boy» is about impressions of young Nelson Mandela, second «Childhood» – about childhood memories that permanently come back in our grown-un life, «Soundtrack for a Dream» - is an ironical Buddhist lullaby, «Almost Motherland» - about us, which have two Motherlands – historical and actual. The main track, «Central Asian sufferings», is about drug trafficking, and the lyrics are stylized as Russian popular song.

6. Uzbekistan is far away from Western Europe and I can‘t remember just a few Rock/ Underground bands from there. What can you tell us about this kind of music in Uzbekistan? Is there a bigger scene, also in other cities than Tashkent? Where can you play? What are your worst problems, what is good?

Rock-music in Uzbekistan has tendency to develope quite fast right now. But we have to remember that this development has a certain limit. I’ll try to explain. For example, in Germany you can play rock with English or German lyrics, and your potential audience is the whole country. But in Uzbekistan people of Uzbek ethnic origin have no interest in rock-music. At all. In no way. None plays rock or listens to it. And all rock-music is roughly a music made by representatives of other ethnic groups for their own audience. As if we existed inside the country in some independent way, without crossing the ways of the main ethnic group which is the Uzbeks. This explains our problems. And the worst thing is that this Diaspora is getting smaller. Everybody wants to go to other countries, mainly to Russia. All good musicians want to make a carrier and they have to leave. There are no perspectives for us, and only thing that we can do – make music and dream about the day when we can go to live in another country.

But now we have a good rock scene. The level of our bands is not worse than in Russia. Many styles are represented in Tashkent: alternative, rock’n’roll, punk, lounge, brit-pop and others. But the majority of groups are playing different styles of metal: modern metal, trash, death and another.
All rock life is concentrated in Tashkent. There are some local bands in other cities, but they can play only in Tashkent, where the most rock fans are.
We can play in night-clubs, special rock-clubs, we have four(!) rock-festivals – big open air “Iosis Fest”, small “Uz-Fest”, more academic «Ilkhom RockFest» and “Maximum RockFest” especially for young groups.
The worst problem is the permanent feeling that the things you are doing are not needed to anyone in the country, and that you have to choose another place to live. It is not easy for one person, and incredibly difficult for seven people. We have problems with instruments, almost all the equipment we have to bring from abroad.
What’s good in this situation? Really, I can’t say… Probably only the fact that we are doing rock-n-roll in the conditions it shouldn’t exist, so we feel like heroes. In any other country it couldn’t go that way. That’s a joke.

7. When I looked at the photos on your side your audience seems to be very young. Am I right and is this typical for your band or for Uzbekistan Music in general? What connects the audience with your music?

It’s not typical for us at all. Most of our fans are from 20 to 30, around same age than us, which think beyond clichés. We don’t do entertainment, and very young people don’t always understand us, ‘cause you have to grow to get some of our ideas. We are very happy when everybody says that like our music and come to our concert. But I think in general they are not teenagers who like emo-music and metal more than funk and rock’n’roll.

8. How strong are you connected to Russian music? What else influences your music?

I think, we don’t have a strong connection to Russian music. We have more influences from black music – funk, jazz and blues, especially in new songs, after «Central Asian Sufferings», our last album. There’s also some ska and reggae rhythms. Only the tradition of good poetry we took from Russian music. We like to experiment with ethnic music. Each person in our band has favorite groups. And each member tries to influence the general sound and bring in the music each of us likes the most.

9. What future do you dream of?

We have only one dream. If this dream is become real, we can say that we become a real happy people. We just want to go all of us together to other country, and play, play, play music.
That’s we want - make music and nothing more than that.


interview done by Gunter

Slezy Solnca “Sredneaziatskie stradaniya” CD:
http://sunband.uz/wp-content/music/cas2008.rar