r/japanesemusic

Spotify User: PLSk

I ordered this box of more than 200 CDs for less than $20 dlls from Japan, but my proxy has told me that shipping that box will cost over $400 dlls plus customs fees. I’m forced to split it into a smaller box of 30 albums so it won’t be so expensive to bring them into my country. Which albums do you consider to be at least a 6/10 for a collection? If someone is interested and located in Japan I can send the rest of the CDs to you

And what I absolutely love about them is their playful approach to noise. Other groups use noise for shock value and to be as abrasive as possible. But I feel Afrirampo approaches noise with absolute joy.

I've heard their entire discography, and it's impossible for me to choose one favourite album. Not only are they all good, but they're all different too.

Take Afriverse from 2018. What's this? A pop record? Well, it's as pop as Afrirampo can get, which isn't very pop at all. But it's quite enjoyable, merging mature songwriting, noise, and call-and-response vocals. And that doesn't stop them from making "Aino Hoshi", the album's 12-minute centrepiece.

But how did they get here?

Afrirampo consists of Oni and Pika, who formed the band in their late teens in 2002. They emerged from the same Osaka experimental music scene as Boredoms and Acid Mothers Temple.

Just two years later, they're touring with Lightning Bolt and Sonic Youth while spending two months in the jungles of Cameroon with the Baka people (also known as Pygmies). More on that later, because it's a big part of their musical development.

That same year, they release A and Afrirampo, establishing their aggressive, improvisational sound.

Then in 2005, they drop three massive albums:

• Urusa in Japan – their aggressive major-label Japanese debut.
• Kore Ga Mayaku Da – released through John Zorn's Tzadik label, revealing a more psychedelic and expansive side.
• We Are Acid Mothers Afrirampo! – a collaboration with Acid Mothers Temple.

Most people probably prefer Urusa in Japan for its explosive punk rock energy, but I really love Kore Ga Mayaku Da for its spiritual and meditative approach to noise.

Then comes Baka Ga Kita! in 2006, consisting of field recordings from their time with the Baka people in Cameroon.

And this is decidedly not a rock record.

Instead, it's snippets of percussion, communal singing, and sounds of the jungle. My favourite aspect is hearing Oni and Pika doing call-and-response with children. It really makes you appreciate how music is a universal language.

Oni has a kid, so there's a bit of a break. But in 2007, they release Suuto Breakor, which isn't so much an album as one enormous improvisational composition.

This one isn't aggressive at all. Instead, it features gentle guitar arpeggios, chanting, and sparse drums. It has a much gentler, more childlike character, although I wouldn't necessarily attribute that directly to Oni's pregnancy.

Think they were going gently into the good night?

Not on your life.

Because in 2010, We Are Uchu No Ko brings back the aggression. But this time, they're much more expansive. In a way, it's almost a combination of Urusa in Japan and Kore Ga Mayaku Da in one cohesive package.

After its release, Afrirampo breaks up so both members can pursue their own projects. But six years later, they reunite.

Which brings us back to Afriverse in 2018. By this point, they've developed a much broader musical vocabulary. They've kept the absurdity and spontaneity, but there's a greater emphasis on melody and songwriting. You can also hear the influence of their experiences in Cameroon.

It's the last full-length studio album they've released solely under their own name.

However, in 2023, Afrirampo collaborates with British rapper Oliver Asadi on the EP Lionsapien, mixing their noise rock with hip-hop. And it works surprisingly well.

They haven't released another record since then, and these days they're primarily a live act. In 2026, they've performed alongside Otoboke Beaver, Merzbow, and Super Jet Kinoko. And from what I've seen on YouTube, they're one hell of a live band.

If you like noise rock, Afrirampo is a must-hear. Especially if you love joyful noise.

Hi all

It has been a long time coming, but I’m finally getting around to taking a proper stab at digging through the immense discography of synth-pop coming out of Japan throughout the ’80s.
Albums from the likes of Mariah and YMO have long been among my favourites of all time, and I have always been curious to dig deeper into this scene coming out of Tokyo, as I’m sure it did not happen in a vacuum. Would be lovely to try and compose a guide of albums and artists that weave into these specific synthetic, angelic sounds from this period.

Here are some references I’m already familiar with, and the kind of style I’m looking for artists alike to:

Mariah
YMO
Hosono
Dip in the Pool
Yasuaki Shimizu
Miharu Koshi

I’m quite aware already of the whole environmental ambient scene (Yoshimura, Takada, Ashikawa, etc.) and I’m more curious about the synth-pop / art-pop side of this era.

Would love to hear any recommendations that any of you might have.

Thank you so much!