1.URABE Masayoshi:“Urklang” (TILIQUA-001CD) CD.

Urabe’s first European release. Housed in a handmade mini-LP styled sturdy foldout jacket. The disc contains two solo improvisations respectively for alto saxophone (recorded on May 20, 2001 at SWAN, Niigata,Japan) and for soprano saxophone (recorded on May 18, 2001 at Kaeigura, Aizuwakamatsu, Japan). The CD was released in an edition of 500 copies. SOLD OUT

2. SPACE MACHINE: “3”. (TILIQUA-002LP) 2 LP set.

Yamazaki Maso’s first released Space Machine title on a foreign label. Housed in a beautifully designed fold out jacket, pressed on orange vinyl and released in an edition of 500 copies, the disc sold out in no time. The first disc is comprised of solo electronic excursions by Yamazaki at his home studio, there where the second disc is a recording taken from a live performance, an occasion at which he got flanked by AMT’s Kawabata Makoto and Nakaya Koichi. Deep space electronic escapades reminiscent of the early INA GRM days. SOLD OUT

3. ASO AI: “Umeromono Izen” (TILIQUA-003LP) Limited LP Set.

Released in collaboration with Pedal Records. Limited edition LP of 250 copies housed in a sturdy and heavy textured jacket. The music of this LP is comprised out of Aso’s first demo/home recordings dating back to 1999. The material predates her initial “Umeromono” CD’s contents. Unlike “Umeromono”, the music she slowly breathes into being through her slow-motion like ‘less is more aesthetic’ on this LP-set sounds even more fragile and desolate than her current recordings. This is partly due to the fact that Aso recorded the whole affair in her bedroom, deploying all the instruments herself and capturing the rudimentary gracefulness of her acid folk escapades directly to tape. The overall atmosphere has a strong ‘low-fi’ fragrance hovering over it without ever compromising the rich musical texture Aso succeeds in conveying out of her stripped-to-the-bare minimum textural approach. The general result is one of organic and sincere beauty, embodying fragility reminiscent to a dew-covered spider’s web. This quality gets even intensified by her soft-poetic angel-voiced whisperings and her fragile, fleeting like husky voice breathing out an erotic naiveté that is lyrical as well as introverted, making it in its own humble way nearly a thing of perfection. She is destined to be one of the unsung queens of the female acid folk pantheon and this recording will be one of its Holy Grails. The disc is housed in a beautiful, heavy textured jacket, doing the music justice. A beauty to behold and to hear. The record will be a one time only limited pressing and will not be reissued on CD or any other format. So acting quickly may be a keyword here. The total pressing quantity is 250 copies. Extremely XXX limited one time only deluxe edition. SOLD OUT

4. TOMOKAWA KAZUKI: “Satoru”(Tiliqua-004LP)

Limited LP set of 450 numbered copies & limited LP set of hand drawn copies by Tomokawa himself in an edition of 30 copies. “Satoru” is Tomokawa Kazuki’s first ever LP release in over 20 years time and Tiliqua Records is proud to be able to release this sonic gem. “Satoru” was previously only available as part of the 13 CD Box set that PSF Records put out some years ago and has never been available outside of the set. Now “Satoru” is finally available apart from the illustrious box and is been rebirthed as an LP, housed in sturdy and heavy jacket adorned with Tomokawa’s artwork. Coming with the LP is a two-paged insert printed on high quality glossy paper. It contains liner notes penned down by Alan Cummings and Johan Wellens, notes that shed some clarity on Tomokawa’s universe, historical background, poetic qualities and the position he takes in within a long line of historical Japanese poets. In order to get a glimpse of the aural regions this album will steer into, this is an as close a comparison one can have using plain words. “There is a raw immediacy to Tomokawa’s performances that effortlessly hurdles many linguistic barriers, speaking direct to the listener’s nerves and emotions…… Tomokawa’s voice constantly storms against the confines of his own vaguely symbolist words, harshly screaming or melodically moaning, the emotional voltage that courses through his delivery constantly threatening to melt their neural circuitry.” (AC) and “Tomokawa succeeds in triggering apocalyptic waves of emotionalism through the tiniest gestures exhorted from his guttural howls and fevered guitar strummings. Keeping a razor-sharp balance between self-tormenting pained gloominess and soul-searching poetic lyricism he manages to create a tense and innovative acoustic music, sounding simultaneously ancient and contemporaneously authentic. And it is here that his especial strength resides, a music fully drenched in the past, yet so attuned to the present moment. His snarling howl and single syllable guttural moans seem to bridge time and space, epoch and eras; hermetic yowls recalling Enka crooners, circus sideshow barkers, carnival callers, Nikkatsu movie gangsters and soft-hearted balladeers, all embodied in the persona of Tomokawa Kazuki” (JW) (From the liner notes) A truly exquisite release, housed in a heavy full color jacket. One time only press of 250 copies & artist designed edition of 30 copies. SOLD OUT

 

5. HASEGAWA SHIZUO: "Songs of an Umbilical Cord" (TILIQUA-005LP).

Ltd edition LP of their 2nd release following their debute on PSF. Killer release if I say so myself. Imagine La Monte Young crossbreeding with Takayanagi Masayuki. The disc is made up out of 2 sidelong tracks that entwine around a minimal music aesthetic junked up with an improvisational free jazz like exploratory approach. The panoramic sonic outcome floats somewhere between the controlled burn of a detuned jet engine and the boundless fury of nomadic hordes on a rampage through the open Mongolian plains. Sucking in influences as wide ranging as Takayanagi, La Monte Young, esoteric Buddhist ritualistic mantras, Gagaku and a free-form psychedelic aesthetic, Hasegawa Shizuo succeeds brilliantly in resonating out a Dionysian vibration of harmonical tones pregnant with a pulsating intensity. Without a doubt one of the most interesting and intuitive sounds graced with a shamanistic sense of poetry to emerge out of deep subteranean belly of Tokyo. Still undetected but sure to blow headz worldwide. One time only edition of 400 copies housed in thicker than life jacket and high quality Japan pressed vinyl. LP only. LTD EDITION of 400 COPIES ONLY. Comes with OBI!. SOLD OUT

 

1. TAKAYANAGI MASAYUKI “ACTION DIRECT” - ‘Live at Zojoji Hall 1985” (Tiliqua Records TILAR-5001 CD/LP)

Tiliqua Records is immensely proud to be able to announce the launch of its Archival Series; a side-venture dedicating itself to releasing and restoring long lost historical recordings by obscure and legendary artists. From the time I began toying with the idea of staring up this side project, I had already set my mind on Takayanagi Masayuki as possible spearhead for the series and especially his much overlooked masterpiece “Action Direct” that screamed out to be officially re-released one day. The record has never been reissued in whatever format and apart from being rumored as a legendary and transitional Takayanagi recording, very few people had the chance to lend their ear to its mind peeling beauty. Still, trying to re-release this historical recording by one of my all time favorite musical heroes didn’t come easy and involved careful consideration, artist related research, legal footwork, awaiting approval of Takayanagi’s widow who guards his legacy, digging up the master tapes out of oblivion, lots of patience and an unrelenting love for the music. Lots of water has flowed under the bridge since the wheels for this project were set in motion but finally Tiliqua is able to birth out the final results, the premier official & legal reissue worldwide of this staggering sonic document. “Action Direct” was first released by Kojima ALM Records in 1985 in a tiny run and has been elusive ever since. Now, twenty years later, Tiliqua restores it to its former glory in the form of an identical limited LP edition (of 250 copies) and a first time ever limited CD edition (of 800 copies). The CD version is carefully crafted and housed in a deluxe fold out sturdy carton mini-LP styled record sleeve (hand numbered) complete with fully detailed and extensive liner notes by Alan Licht and Johan Wellens.“Action Direct is his final extension of his Mass Projection/cool mode - the spaces in his playing now filled in with tapes and effects instead of reeds, bass, cello and drums, the sustain now applied to a wall of sound rather than simple guitar feedback, the spare gestures now appearing against a self-created backdrop of noise.” And “…show a progression similar to Miles Davis’ pre-fusion mid-60’s albums, whose increasing use of pulse suggested rock without directly referencing it; Action Direct could be seen as Takayanagi’s Bitches Brew” (AL) “Action Direct embodies a certain duality, a dichotomy between musician and instrument, machine and man and between science and art. While bestowing his concept with the character of music (or musical collage), Takayanagi set out to transcend and empower the physical identity, reality and significance of the individual sound atoms that lay at the core of this conceptual piece. By unleashing a vast array of demonic sonic clusters and fragmentation bombs, he created a new sonic language that vibrates through our present-day existence” (JW). This is a one time only edition and since Tiliqua Records has acquired the legal rights to this work, we can assure you that no reprints will be done of this ear-shattering recording within the next decade. SOLD OUT

2. TAKAYANAGI MASAYUKI: “INDEPENDENCE - Tread On Sure Ground” (Tiliqua Records - TILAR-5008)

New release in Tiliqua Records' ongoing Archival Series is this quintessential album by Takayanagi Masayuki. It was his debut recording as a leader with his newly erected unit The New Directions, a trio consisting out of bassist Yoshizawa and drummer Toyozumi ‘Sabu' Yoshisaburô. Recorded at the Teichiku Kaikan studios on 18 September 1969 (released in 1970), Independence – Tread on Sure Ground, is largely regarded as the first true classic of Japanese free jazz. The group thrashes out an entirely new Japanese methodology for improvisation based on Takayanagi's theories about progressive art. As Alan Cummings explains in his liner notes, the group's sonic outburst is pregnant with an urgent intensity similar to a violent rotating windstorm.“An electric guitar string is pinged with a sour and markedly unlovely resonance. It is left to fade away naturally, its dying whisper replaced with a wavering feedback tone that grows steadily in volume and thickness. Against the slow feedback wave, a sudden loud percussive crash, urgent staccato rolls across the toms, and the dry rasp of a rattle. A choppy, non-sequential series of chords from the guitar, still mouth-puckeringly bitter is set against the warmer resonance of an alternately bowed and plucked double bass. Each instrument sounds self-contained, like lunar bodies spinning on their own axes at different tempos, but locked together by unfathomably complex rules of motion. Additional percussive rattles and scrapes have been overdubbed to fill in the blank space. Tendrils of feedback snake in and out, like cosmic dust from some cataclysmic celestial event. The playing is exploratory and deliberate, technically adept and keenly judged, easily sustaining interest and motion across the track's eleven minutes. Its sense of focused concentration is more akin to the European free improvisation of AMM or The Spontaneous Music Ensemble than the violent ecstasies of American fire music.” (AC – from the liner notes). The CD reissue includes also the bonus track “Mass Projection” which was originally issued on the compilation album Guitar Workshop (Teichiku, 1970). This CD is housed in a high quality mini-LP styled gatefold sleeve, completed with obi and extensive 4-paged illuminating liner notes by Alan Cummings. Original artwork is faithfully reproduced. One time only limited pressing. Price: 22 Euro. RUNNING LOW

 

1. IKE REIKO: "Kôkotsu no Sekai" (Tiliqua Records - TILAR-5002CD)

Tiliqua Records continues its quest of digging up lost and forgotten sonic gems out of the bowels of oblivion. This time Tiliqua Records is more than thrilled to be granted the permission to unleash one of Japan's rarest erotic artifacts being Ike Reiko's sole recorded album out of 1971. Heralded by those few who have been blessed with an original copy of this ultra rare disc as the ultimate Iroke Kakyoku album that even surmounts Sandra Julian's "Sexy Poem" on the brutality scale as far as unabashed, urbane eroticism, a calculated addition of licentious overtones and unbridled carnal insinuations are concerned. Ike Reiko is mainly known as one of Japan's finest early seventies porn and pink violence starlets, tearing up screens with her naked presence in such films as "Sôkatsu Rinchi" of Ishii Teruo, the The "Sukebanchô" series and "Onsen Mimizu Geisha" of Suzuki Norifumi. Until now, this sonic gem has never been reissued and Tiliqua Records acquired the legal rights from Teichiku Records in order to restore this masterpiece to its former glory and introducing it anew. In an attempt to describe the sonic sleazyness the disc venture into, here is a snippet out of the extensive linernotes. "Her erotic presence flutters across a multitude of erogenous non-verbal modes - moaning and uttered shrieks of ecstatic pleasure, sibilating suffocated whispers of excitement, and grunting and growling like a bitch in heat. When Ike does sing, it is in a subdued, husky voice about sex, submissive love and seduction. Although all the songs are cover versions, Ike confines herself to whispering but a small part of the original lyrics, spending the remainder on guttural erotic incantations backed by the desolate sound of a cheesy organ and a muffled yet ecstatic mellifluous vocal sound that is reminiscent of the 13^th Floor Elevators’ Tommy Hall breathing down a jug. The entire recording is suffused with a unique atmosphere, a ripe and heady Japanese eroticism now sadly overwhelmed by the intrusive and infelicitous import of cheap Westernized thrills and assorted uneuphonious cultural junk. Nevertheless, Kôkotsu no Sekai launched Ike as the nightingale of the pink new wave." (JW) One-time only legit and limited reissue housed in a sturdy mini-LP styled fold out jacket and adorned with obi strip. Original artwork. Digital remastering from master tapes. Comes with extensive liner notes by Johan Wellens. 1st, 2nd & 3rd pressing each of 1000 copies & 4th press of 500 copies SOLD OUT

2. TANI NAOMI : "Modae no Heya " (Tiliqua Records - TILAR-5004CD)

First time ever legit reissue of this ultra-rare erotic artifact. Tani Naomi was Japan's finest bondage and S&M Queen who tore up cinema screens during the better part of the 1970s. This album, originally recorded and released in April 1979 was Tani's farewell statement to the world of porn. Here she delivers one of the finest examples of Showa-induced feminine erotics, hovering sexually tinted narrations over a background of kayokyoku themes and lush orchestrations. Tani recorded this album to commemorate her withdrawal from the porn business. Seen in retropsect, the disc stands out as one of the top 5 erotic albums to come out of Japan. Still her musical endeavor is an odd one amongst the other Iroke chanteuses. Right from the opening on, Tani's direction becomes clear with her narrating in a teasingly melancholic way over a kayokyoku backing track. The effect is stunning, an utterly fornlorn sense of the Showa erotic. Compared to the hard stuff she depicted on screen, the album feels muted in a cloud of pink. But still, she brilliantly succeeds in conveying the atmosphere of true Japanese eroticism, a fleeting and fragile emotion that evaporated in the cynical miasma of the eighties. On this recording, she gave voice to a libidinousness and the sensuality that trembled on the brink of extinction, the sexual appetite of an era soon to be swallowed up by the destructive forces of the 20th century. Tani naomi was truly the last to emit the intoxicating perfumes of Showa eroticism, as "Modae no Heya" perfectly illustrates. Housed in a deluxe mini-LP sleeve styled jacket, complete with linernotes, obi and original artwork. Digital remastering from original masters. Limited one time only press of 1300 copies. SOLD OUT

3. KUWABARA YUKIKO : "Kuwabara Yukiko to Anata " (Tiliqua Records - TILAR-5005CD)

First time ever legit reissue of this ultra-rare erotic artifact. Kuwabara Yukiko (or Sachiko as she is also called) was Tokyo's finest ever Play Girl, starring in a string of movies such as Ozawa Shigehiro's "Bazoku Yakuza", Nakagawa Nobuo's "Kaidan: Hebi-Onna", Kodama Susumu's "Kimyo na Nakama: Oiroke Dochu", Takakuwa Shin's "Sex Kigeki: Hanaji Bo" and Noda Yukio's "Furyo Bancho"and appearing in a wide variety of fashion and nude magazines.Of course her main feat was starring in 287 episodes of the erotic action series "Play Girl" that ran from 1969 to 1974. In between this all, she merely recorded one single mega rare album that was released in 1971 by Victor.Here, Kuwabara narrates over French perfumed tracks and hushes a couple of songs into being, all in an utterly depratved and erotic way. She just breathes out feminine lust, radiates out unresistable seductive powers and beats you with mesmerizing eye filling beauty. Tiliqua acquired the legal rights to reissue this erotic artifact for the first time and by doing so do we release another utterly historical important Iroke gem of times long gone, restoring it to its original state and restoring its place in the panthenon of forlorn Japanese erotic artifacts. Kuwabara sings and delivers some erotic and ultra femine narrations that will elevate even the most limpid of your bodyparts. Housed in a deluxe mini-LP sleeve styled jacket, complete with linernotes by Mogura Dan (with translation by Johan Wellens), obi and original artwork. Digital remastering from original master tapes. Limited one time only press of 1300 copies. SOLD OUT

4. TAGUCHI KUMI:"TOKYO EMMANUELLE FUJIN ~ Amai Yoru no Tameiki" (TILAR-5006CD)

First time ever legal reissue of this hyper rare 1976 Japanese erotic artifact. Tiliqua Records continues its quest to bring you forgotten erotic gems out of Tokyo's sleazy underbelly. This time, we could secure the legal rights to Taguchi Kumi's sole recorded LP, following her instant fame after starring in some of Nikkatsu's finest Roman Porno celluloid dreams such as "Tokyo Emmanuelle Fujin" (July 1975), “Tokyo Deep Throat Fujin” (1975) and “Aru Kôkyû Callgirl no Shôgen: Roshutsu” (June 1976). Compiled out of tracks that appeared in the aforementioned porn flicks, the disc is a stunning artifact and will especially appeal to those who were already enthralled by Ike Reiko's erotic mumblings. Taguchi's effort dwells into similar erogenous eras but is more mid-seventies discoed-down and funked-up. Hot dance floor how-downs spiced up with erotic moaning and hissings. Erotic and sesunsual mid-seventies night clubbing with a psyched feel attached to it, hell Taguchi even ventures in the team of Deep Throat and leaves nothing to the imagination. A release that once again proves that late sixties and early seventies Tokyo was a wicked and perverse place to be. In short it is a stunning and historical Iroke gem of oblivious times, restored to its original state and by doing so we repositioned it into the pantheon of forgotten erotic artifacts. Digital remastered from the original master tapes, original artwork and housed in a heavy duty deluxe mini-LP styled gatefold jacket. Comes with hot obi artwork and illuminating liner notes by Mogura Dan (with translation by Johan Wellens). One time edition limited to 1000 copies. Acting quick is the key word here, since this baby, like the previous titles, won't be available for too long, pre-orders are taking a high flight already so act smooth, swift and quickly in order to secure yourself a copy. SOLD OUT

 

5. PETITE M'AMIE:"Girl Friend ~ Baby Doll" (TILAR-5007CD)

Petite M'amie's "Girl Friend ~ Baby Doll" disc will be the final installment in our "Erotic Oriental Sunshine" series, documenting some hideously aural gems that portrayed the sleazy sexy underbelly of late sixties and early seventies Japan. We saved the best title till last. Petite M'amie's "Girl Friend ~ Baby Doll" is without a doubt the rarest of all recorded iroke kayokyoku artifacts and copies of the original album - if they surface at all - change hands easily for about 1500 ~ 2000 Dollars. I personally know only of 2 people who have the original disc in their possession. Originally recorded and released on May 5th, 1971, Petite M'amie was the nick name for Mari Keiko. Although she does not get naked on the cover like all the other starlets, the music she hushes out into being is utterly depraved, spiked up with an unheard quality of forlorn sleaziness, an erotic hushing and uttering that would make even Ike Reiko blush. This record can be seen as the first ever recorded iroke record, a project to blossom out of the Victor's producer Mr. Okoda who approached the then (and now) virtually unknown Mari Keiko with his sonic intentions - a move that would ignite a whole new genre in the following years to come. The result is this sexy beast of a disc. But there where Ike Reiko's effort was drenched in a sultry pornographic vibe, Petite M'amie's benchmark recording is instead bustling over with an innocent - almost childlike - erotic sensuality that sounds harmless but is even wilder and more deranged than Ike Reiko's take on eroticism. Mari Keiko's hushes, sleazes, breathes and hovers like Nobokov's Lolita all over this one, teasing her lover, laughing in ecstasy, moaning, singing about erogenous spots and so much more while the music dwells in a psychedelic road trip towards the bedroom. Just delusionally erotic. As usual, the CD will be housed in the usual top quality heavy duty mini-LP styled cardboard gatefold jackets complete with obi and 4 paged liner notes - as is the case with all Tiliqua releases. However, this time we made one change, unlike the other titles, this one will be a one time only press strictly limited to 500 copies. A truly ultra erotic gem, finally restored to its original beauty. SOLD OUT

 

6. MASAMI KAWAHARA & THE EXOTIC SOUNDS “Kokotsu/ Ecstasy” (TILAR-5009CD)

A new installment in Tiliqua records' ongoing “Oriental Erotic Sunshine” series is this long forgotten disc by Masami Kuwahara & The Exotic Sounds, resurrecting another aspect of the sub-cultural sexual contaminated fumes that intoxicated the late sixties and early seventies underbelly of swinging Tokyo. Originally released by Columbia Records on March 1970, “ Kokotsu / Ecstasy” is here re-released for the first time. Sonic-wise, the disc unleashes a whirlpool of Latin styled mondo -sexploitation sounds that get spiced up with feminine breathing and respiration sounds, moaning and hissing, igniting a maelstrom of assorted eroticism and sexual depravity. In all, it resembles a caged vixen engaged in sexual intercourse, hatching out cries, moans, sighs, words and other sounds such as the crackling of a whip and such, bringing out fully every possible sound made by a ballbuster in heat. The name of Kuwahara Masami may be an unfamiliar one but he was the person responsible for giving Ike Reiko her distinct sound on the record “ Kokotsu no Sekai ” for which he provided the musical backbone and arrangements unto which Ike could utter her depraved songs. The album “ Kokotsu / Ecstasy” however was recorded slightly before his engagement with Ike Reiko but jus as “ Kokotsu no Sekai ” it's erotic presence flutters across a multitude of erogenous non-verbal modes - moaning and uttered shrieks of ecstatic pleasure, sibilating suffocated whispers of excitement, and grunting and growling of a caged and sexually charged vixen. Certainly the sounds of this record which leave nothing to the imagination as to what is going on, sounds which set forth the act of sexual heavy petting in its most lustful aspects and leaving nothing to the imagination, surely causing erotic and lustful sexual stimulation in any normal person upon spinning this disc. If you dug Ike Reiko, then this is definitely a worthy successor dwelling in the same regions of depravity. One time only limited press, housed in a sturdy hard card mini-LP styled gatefold sleeve. Digitally remastered from the original master tapes and graced with faithfully reproduced artwork and obi. Comes with 4 pages of extensive liner notes, complete with an interview of Kuwahara Masami. SOLD OUT

 

7. MABUKI JUNKO“Ai no Dorei ~ Slave Of Love” (TILAR-5010CD)

A new installment in Tiliqua's seemingly never-ending “Erotic Oriental Sunshine” series brings you this time the first re-release of Mabuki Junko's sole recorded artifact “Ai no Dorei”, originally released as a cassette-only by Victor Records back in 1980 as part of their “Yoru no Driver” series tapes. The series was designed specifically to target the sexually frustrated, long-distance trucker demographic in order to bring them a little erotic aural companionship on those grueling overnight hauls. Junko appeared on the scene of hardcore bondage and S&M flicks after Tani Naomi had thrown in the towel and with she would be the last of the big screen porn and S&M stars to emerge during Japan 's Golden Age of Roman Porno. She was especially great in S&M movies such as “Showa Erotica – Bara no Kifujin”, “Dan Oniroku – Hakui Nawa-Jigoku” and “Onna-biyôshi: Nawa-shiiku” and her on screen presence caused Dan Oniroku to dub her as “if Tani Naomi is the Marilyn Monroe of the SM scene, then Mabuki Junko is its Ingrid Bergman”. Junko solely recorded at the height of her short-lived career the tape “Ai no Dorei”, which is possibly the most perverted and sexually deranged recording ever to be released. “Ai no Dorei” is built on a lush instrumental carpet of covers of famous enka tunes, upon which Mabuki Junko rolls and writhes, enacting hardcore BDSM fantasies, perversions and degenerate sexual dramas for her lonesome big-rig listeners. The real draw though is Mabuki Junko's aural evocation of the utterly perverse and degenerate sexual actions, as she journeys deep into the depraved depths of hardcore bondage, lesbian S&M, golden showers, torture, suspension bondage, and master-slave relationships. A little knowledge of the Japanese language reveals “Ai no Dorei” as truly one of the most filthy and sexually disturbing recordings ever to be released. Mabuki delivers it all with no lack of conviction. Due to the triple X-rated nature of its contents, Victor Records refrained from releasing this historical gem on vinyl, thus confining its existence to gas station and truck-stop cassette racks. For the same reason and in order to escape domestic morality claims, Tiliqua decided to keep a low profile and release this gem as a limited edition CD only, LIMITED to 500 COPIES only. Comes housed in a sturdy hard card mini-LP styled gatefold sleeve depicting a bound up Mabuki Junko miniature poster. Digitally remastered from the original master tapes and graced with faithfully reproduced artwork and obi. Comes with 4 pages of extensive liner notes. SOLD OUT

 

1. ISHIKAWA AKIRA & COUNT BUFFALO: “ Uganda– Afurikan Rokku no Yoake” (TILAR-5012CD)

The start of a new series focusing on lost and obscure sonic treasures birthed out of the underbelly of Japan's New Rock revolution during the period 1969~1978 is spearheaded by the long announced reissue of one of the rarest discs to seep out of that seedy incestuous scene. Ishikawa Akira & Count Buffalo's “Uganda – Afurikan Rokku no Yoake” originally saw the light of day on February 5th, 1972 on Toshiba Records as part of their “4 Channel Q.M. Sound” series but quickly sank into the depths obscurity, making that only a handful of copies were actually sold while the remaining stock was withdrawn due to very depressing sales and eventually melted down and destroyed. The disc remained a well kept secret for all these years and only a small circle of die-hard music lovers have ever seen an actual original copy, making it these days one of the most treasured and hunted down Japanese rock artifacts. A couple of years ago a bootleg LP edition of the LP came out, sadly sounding quite mediocre but nevertheless rejuvenating a new awareness for the album. Still rumors as to who were the actual performers on the album floated around freely since the group was simply listed as Count Buffalo with no detailed breakdown of who actually played on the album, and as a result there has been much fevered speculation over the years. Therefore, Tiliqua Records thought it wise to release this sonic gem properly, hunt down the lisence, unraveled the legal entanglements, acquired access to the original mastertapes and subsequently also taking on the quest to track down the actual players involved. So now, with this fully authorized reissue we can finally reveal the full line-up or the key players involved and add some insight into the record's background thanks to the kind participation of Uganda's composer Mr. Muraoka Takeru. Musically speaking, Ishikawa Akira & Count Buffalo's “Uganda – Afurikan Rokku no Yoake” is vicious psychedelic whirlwind monster of a disc where primitive Afro-spiritual and tribal ethnic percussive blow-outs cross-pollinate with lysergic New Rock fuzz-a-delic dementia and stirring up enough dust and boulders like two-barreled guns coming out of the demon hole. Still, “Uganda” is more than just that and although it is deceptively intense, it is simultaneously casual in feel yet meticulous in its musical detail and lyrical economy. And seen in retrospect I can now proclaim that this album stands shoulder to shoulder with the best records of that golden era and it was one of Japan's 1970s underground scene's defining moments. In short it is a totally lethal slide that does not fail to create an arresting listening experience. As is the case with all of Tiliqua Record's releases, this one is also crafted out with meticulous care and eye for detail. The CD comes housed in a miniature version of the actual slim cased LP box set, complete with obi and extensive 8-paged Japanese/ English liner notes, illustrated with some archival footage. One time only very limited press, housed in a sturdy hard card mini-LP styled slim box set styled gatefold jacket. Digitally remastered from the original master tapes and graced with faithfully reproduced artwork (although slightly adapted for the single CD box set version) and obi. One time limited press due to the nature of the box set jacket. Price: 25 Euro. SOLD OUT - not available for wholesale anymore - only last handful of copies solely available from this site only, so better act quickly and hold your peace forever.

 

THE TREE PEOPLE: “S/T” (TILAR-5003CD)

Tiliqua Records is psyched about being able to present a whole new audience and generation with the lysergic beauty of the Tree People's sole recorded artifact, a privately released acid folk gem out of 1979. In times when people are all getting excited about media-created scenes like “New Weird America” and “Freak Folk”, they seem to overlook the fact that such music was already being created decades ago. The Tree People is evidence of such a splash of creativity that sadly enough was doomed to disappear within the cracks of obscurity. Until now. Tiliqua was granted the opportunity to restore this gem and with the kind collaboration of Mr. Cohen of the Tree People, who provided me with the master tapes and a seemingly unlimited support, Tiliqua was able to prepare this reissue. To me, this album is one of the singular most beautiful gems to have crossed my path and words always fall short in an attempt to describe the aural sensation it unleashes. “Upon listening today this hushed and intimate feeling still resonates through the music – the record possesses an extraordinarily potent atmosphere that still intoxicates the senses after so many years. Over a combustible backing dominated by shimmering strings, bone-shaking hand percussion rhythms, and quivering sensuous threads of eastern-toned flute playing, the group succeeded in concocting up a syncretic combination of meditative Indian raga, western folk stylings and idiosyncratic melodic ideas. The music breathes out intimacy and communicates with a rare directness - hooking you instantly with sheer aural bliss derived from the melody, from the flowing beat, from the sound of the words and syllables and of all those separate elements interacting with each other, rendered into a concentrated, gracious flow of lunar notes. The album's compositions have so many hidden qualities, all breathing out deep and affectionate sentiments that reveal, just like a lotus flower centered on the axis with its petals unfolding towards the circumference, a streamlined adhesion towards the group's' own singular creed. Listen to it and you may feel like awakening from a deep slumber, your unconsciousness leaking away as aspects of reality slowly mix in with the rest of your already blurred mindset.” First time ever official reissue, housed in a sturdy mini-LP styled gatefold sleeve. Original artwork with reproduction of a rare Tree People concert poster opening up in the gatefold. Comes with salacious obi strip and 4 pages of extensive liner notes. Limited pressing and bound to move fast. SOLD OUT

 

JOAKIM SKOGSBERG : “Jola Rota” (TILAR-5011CD)

First time official reissue of one of Sweden's greatest and sadly unknown psychedelic treasure is this sole album by Joakim Skogsberg out of 1971. Tiliqua acquired the exclusive rights to this gem and this reissue comes with a remastered sound taken directly from the original master tapes and with the kind assistance of Mr. Joakim Skogsberg himself. The album “Jola Rota” is about Joakim Skogsberg's love for the grandiose Swedish landscapes, which has put its imprint upon his songs. On “Jola Rota” Joakim single-handedly created a minimal psychedelic and acid folk masterpiece infused with incredible soundscapes of derailed fuzzed out violins, soaring guitars, rattling hand percussion, droning vocals and pulsating bass rhythms, complimented by Joakim's “jolor”, a special singing style with roots in an ancient Swedish tradition of folk music. The album was for the most part recorded out in the woods, with a portable Nagra-reel-to-reel-tape recorder and a simple Philips-cassette recorder. Upon completion it was suggested for the album to appear on Gump Records, a subsidiary of Metronome. The reason was that the music was just too underground and weird to be in Metronome's register. Apart from Joakim's original recordings, some overdubs and effects were done in the studio during the autumn of 1971. Some of the droning sounds on the record were recorded in a tiny closet in Kärrtorp; a suburb to Stockholm where Joakim was living at the time. The album was pressed into approximately 1000 copies and only about 300 to 400 copies were actually sold. The rest of them were melted down and used in the pressing of other Gump records, making “Jola Rota” a much rumoured and sought after Swedish droned-out and mesmerizing psychedelic artefact. This edition “Jola Rota” comes housed in high quality sturdy hard card mini-LP styled gatefold sleeve. Original artwork is faithfully reproduced and previously unpublished archival pictures can be found within the liner notes and gatefold. The liner notes are by the hand of Adam Gustafsson. Digitally remastered from the original master tapes and graced with faithfully reproduced artwork and obi. One time only limited pressing. Price 22 Euro. OUT NOW

Around the end of the year or autumn, Tiliqua will also release this album as a subscription only LP edition, housed in heavy jacket, complete with obi and pressed on heavy vinyl. The LP will be a 250 copies only limited edition and solely available directly from Tiliqua Records. For this one we are taking pre-orders now.