2024 July Challenge Thread - Welcome to Japan! (日本へようこそ!)

Day 5 / 2024.S7.E5 - Simplicity (単純)
Play a record that gives you cause for you to think over the course of its runtime. It does not necessarily have to be an ambient/minimal record, but rather something that allows you to reflect on what you are hearing.

Calidonia County – Telegraph Canyon
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Day 13 / 2024.S7.E13 - An Eternal Festival (永遠な祭り)
A common sightseeing stop in Yokohama is the Red Brick Warehouse, with several food vendors, restaurants, souvenirs, and free upstairs views onto the port of Yokohama. On this day, a festival ran well into the night with several street food vendors outside, taiko drum groups, local dance groups (to American music lol), and a few singers performing. There is a well-manicured series of flower arrangements to the side, with one having a walkable path and gate through! This area of Yokohama, weather permitting, always holds an event in this space to draw locals and tourists alike. Play a record featuring an LGBT artist or artist/band that has a core LGBT audience.

Hikaru Utada (宇多田ヒカル) - Fantôme

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Utada came out as nonbinary in 2021, something that was relatively unheard of for Japan's population. Her fans range from all ages and nationalities, but she has a particularly big LGBT+ following.
This album has become one of my favorites of hers, despite not listening much since its initial 2016 release. The collab with J-pop phenom Sheena Ringo (椎名林檎) is among her best.

 
Day 7 / 2024.S7.E7 - Everything, Everywhere All at Once (万事、随所同時に)
Inside the chaos of the department store that is Don Quixote (ドン・キホーテ), you’ll find something that appeals to you. Cosmetics, highly discounted snacks at late hours, branded penguin mascot merch, backpacks/luggage, Japanese whiskey, stationery, full meals/bento, yeah…this place has it all. Overwhelming, and across multiple floors with some of the most colorful and garish price stickers/advertising you’ll see. Oftentimes the discount/blowout racks are so overstuffed that items fall to the ground. The penguin mascot even has a different appearance/costume for each location across Japan! Play a record featuring over the top production or that doesn’t let up from start to finish.



I remember the department stores. The multi-level behemoths where, as you stated, one can find pretty much anything there. Also if you explore enough, you'll find small underground corridors with even more shops and restaurants. I got lost quite often, but sometimes I ran across some random street dancing! Very unexpected production.

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Here in an interesting building that certainly is over-produced....
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If anyone has ever seen of Montreal live, their shows are certainly over-produced. Many costume changes, choreography, etc. Here is one of their latest albums.

of Montreal – Freewave Lucifer F<ck F^ck F>ck

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Day 8 / 2024.S7.E8 - No Music, No Life (音楽なし、生活なし)
Tower Records is a massive tourist spot in Shibuya, with seven floors for media (vinyl, CDs, cassettes, posters, etc.), a floor for a cafe, and an event space on the rooftop! Mostly new, sealed releases to be found here. Play a record that you recently purchased (within the last three months) from your local record store.

Here are some modern rooftops in Osaka....

Skywalks incorporated in the building
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Rooftop pool. I think there is a tennis court on one building, too.
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Not technically bought at a local record store, but bought after a local show venue (not a rooftop, unfortunately), and signed by the band.
My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult – Confessions Of A Knife...

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Day 9 / 2024.S7.E9 - A Crowded Trek (混んでいた旅)
Fushimi Inari Shrine (伏見稲荷大社) is the most well-known shrine in Kyoto, with several thousand Toori gates (鳥居) leading to there. The journey takes roughly ~90min to hike up there, with plenty of rest stops and souvenir shops along the way. It is crowded at the start of the journey, but the majority of those on the path, particularly influencers and older tourists, stop after about 10min at the first rest stop or two and head back, making for a far more peaceful ascent. Play a record that is at least 90min long.

I don't remember if I've done the whole 90 minute hike or not. Here are some similar gates. The second one is in Hiroshima where when the tide is out, you can walk up to it. When the tide comes back, it is submerged.

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I have very few albums that would qualify for 90+ minutes. Here's a live Sleep recording at 1 hour and 46 minutes (106 minutes). Just to drive home the point of the longevity of this album ... Track G2 Dragonaut ends with a locked groove of crowd noise from the end of the set, and its duration is listed as "∞" on side G's label.

Sleep – Live At Third Man Records

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Day 13 / 2024.S7.E13 - An Eternal Festival (永遠な祭り)
Play a record featuring an LGBT artist or artist/band that has a core LGBT audience.

Just hitting the random button until I see something that works...I really don't keep track on who's gay or not, so I'm sure I'll miss a few.

St. Vincent – Marry Me
Beggars Banquet – BBQLP 254, 2007/2014

Pressed at GZ

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Day 5 / 2024.S7.E5 - Simplicity (単純)
Play a record that gives you cause for you to think over the course of its runtime. It does not necessarily have to be an ambient/minimal record, but rather something that allows you to reflect on what you are hearing.

Brian Eno, Holger Czukay, J. Peter Schwalm - Sushi Roti Reibekuchen

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Day 7 / 2024.S7.E7 - Everything, Everywhere All at Once (万事、随所同時に)
Play a record featuring over the top production or that doesn’t let up from start to finish.
Trying to figure out if this means a really busy sounding record or if I think the album is very well produced. I guess i opted for the 2nd. Either way it doesn't let up so i think it fits!

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Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile
 
Day 14 / 2024.S7.E14 - Everyday Guardians (日常な保護者)
I came across cats when walking to and from public areas, seemingly with no owners. They seem to be more common near graveyards, parks, and children’s playground structures. One time outside in Maruyama Park (円山公園), I found both a black and tabby cat to the left of a teahouse on a small island of a four-direction intersection. I wonder if they are strays…a few other cats had some scratch marks on their sides and prompted grumpy hisses when some tourists attempted to pet them. Play a record featuring a common household pet on the cover art (dog, cat, rabbit, fish, bird, etc.)

Leo Takami - Felis Catus & Silence

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Comfy, cozy music purchased online in the early pandemic stages from my favorite record store. I say this with no exaggeration, the record sounds like it could soundtrack a forgotten MIyazaki film.

 
Day 14 / 2024.S7.E14 - Everyday Guardians (日常な保護者)
Play a record featuring a common household pet on the cover art (dog, cat, rabbit, fish, bird, etc.)

I just scrolled my discogs collection in "large covers" mode and looked for something that would be a house pet. "Household" being important here, as there are a lot of horses and things I don't consider inside pets on album covers.

Gang Of Youths ‎– Go Farther In Lightness
Mosy Recordings ‎– MOSY-03, 2017

Vinyl Me, Please Exclusive - Numbered/Limited to 1000, #551

Pressed at GZ

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Let's fucking gooooo!

Day 1 / 2024.S7.E1 - Welcome to Japan! (日本へようこそ!)
Even on my first trip (this picture is the first I took on this year’s trip), culture shock was real. Everything moves quickly, processes are streamlined, and first time travelers are easy to spot. Play a record with something related to Japan (artist born there or has Japanese heritage; Japanese culture/building/food present on cover, was recorded in Japan, Japanese lyrics, etc.).

Phil Collins "No Jackets Required" (1985 WEA Japan)
Starting this off with Phil. I have a bunch of Japanese pressings and this is one I particularly enjoy.

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Day 2 / 2024.S7.E2 - A Once in a Lifetime Opportunity (一期一会)
Being in Kenrokuen (兼六園) was unlike any other outdoor space I have set foot in, nothing compared to its sheer scope, beauty, and tranquility (when there were spaces free of talkative tourists). It seemed that no matter where you were standing in the space of the historic garden, the possibility of taking a fantastic photo was highly probable. One of the most impressive places that I’ve ever seen in my life. Play a record that became important to you on first listen (or shortly after).

Duran Duran "Rio" (1982 EMI Japan)
Keep returning to this one when a prompt like this comes up. Played the hell out of this from the moment it was released. I would have been around 12 when I first heard it. I fondly remember playing it on my walkman while riding the bus to school.

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Day 3 / 2024.S7.E3 - Childhood Memories (子供時代の思い出)
Stopping into a Studio Ghibli store is a common tourist spending drain…especially with the rapid depreciation of the JPY 💴 ➡️ USD 💵 . Everything from pot holders, tees, stuffed animals, enamel pins, mugs, you name it. There’s are a bevy of Ghibli stores in the country, this one was taken from when visiting Kamakura (鎌倉) during the last few days of this year’s visit. It even has multiple floors to hold all of the stock. Play a soundtrack.

The Seatbelts "Cowboy Bebop Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" (1998 Victor; 2020 Milan Records)
A cool anime with a killer soundtrack to go with it.

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