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

Day 28 / 2024.S7.E28 - Handcrafted Souvenirs (手仕込みお土産)
Across the entire country, great souvenirs are possible for all budgets. Ranging from the middle to higher end in Kanazawa and Toyama are handcrafted glasses, bowls, plates, cups, and the like. Pictured here are cups, serving trays, matcha bowls (抹茶茶碗), and a teapot available for purchase in a Toyama souvenir store. This display is on the affordable side with the items ranging from ¥1430-6600 for each. I would just love to have my own artisan matcha bowls someday…Play a record that you received as a gift. If that hasn’t happened, play a record that you purchased with money received from a holiday/birthday.

Cookin' On 3 Burners "Soul Messin'" (2009 Freestyle Records; 2019 reissue)
PIFs are gifts, yes? I got this from @avecigrec a few weeks ago as a personally-selected mystery bandcamp selection. He asked for a genre as a staring point and I said "funk". He hit the target with this one as it's completely up my alley. Some excellent new funk in the vein of Colemine Records, Daptone, Soul Fire and the like, with scorching greasy organ accompaniment. Plus a track titled "Tokyo Saucer" to help me stay on theme.

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Turbo said:
Day 28 / 2024.S7.E28 - Handcrafted Souvenirs (手仕込みお土産)
Across the entire country, great souvenirs are possible for all budgets. Ranging from the middle to higher end in Kanazawa and Toyama are handcrafted glasses, bowls, plates, cups, and the like. Pictured here are cups, serving trays, matcha bowls (抹茶茶碗), and a teapot available for purchase in a Toyama souvenir store. This display is on the affordable side with the items ranging from ¥1430-6600 for each. I would just love to have my own artisan matcha bowls someday…Play a record that you received as a gift. If that hasn’t happened, play a record that you purchased with money received from a holiday/birthday.

Cookin' On 3 Burners "Soul Messin'" (2009 Freestyle Records; 2019 reissue)
PIFs are gifts, yes? I got this from @avecigrec a few weeks ago as a personally-selected mystery bandcamp selection. He asked for a genre as a staring point and I said "funk". He hit the target with this one as it's completely up my alley. Some excellent new funk in the vein of Colemine Records, Daptone, Soul Fire and the like, with scorching greasy organ accompaniment. Plus a track titled "Tokyo Saucer" to help me stay on theme.

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I love me some greasy organ!
 
Day 27 / 2024.S7.E27 - Easy to Drink and Never Gets Boring (飲みやすく飲み飽きない)
Play a record that you can play front to back multiple times in one day and not have an urge to switch.

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Boards of Canada - Music has the Right to Children
I would say this is true for a lot of albums (most of my favorites). But I never get sick of this album and I have done this several times with this album.
 
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Day 29 / 2024.S7.E29 - To the Sea (海へ)
Play a record that depicts the ocean or somewhere underwater.

I just skimmed what I haven't played yet that had some water on the front sleeve...

Michael Giacchino – Lost (Original Television Soundtrack)
Varèse Sarabande – VSD00669/VSD00666, 2006/2024

Oceanic Black Smoke Marble variant limited to 500 copies

Cut at Rare Form Mastering
Pressed at MPO

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I need a better way to take pictures of mirror board jackets...they seem to be getting more popular these days.
 
Day 28 / 2024.S7.E28 - Handcrafted Souvenirs (手仕込みお土産)
Play a record that you received as a gift. If that hasn’t happened, play a record that you purchased with money received from a holiday/birthday.

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Khruangbin - Live at Sydney Opera House

Got this as a gift a little bit ago and why yes I do like Khruangbin, how did you know?
 
Day 27 / 2024.S7.E27 - Easy to Drink and Never Gets Boring (飲みやすく飲み飽きない)
Before I took the plane ride to Japan, I made a reservation to the Kirin Brewery for first event of the morning for Day 2 in Yokohama (横浜). For only ¥500, I participated in a ~90min tour through the HQ of Kirin where I learned how the beer was brewed, what hops were used (and taste test), played a few interactive touchscreen games, and realized that the varieties of Kirin were far more numerous than I thought existed. I got to taste samples of the malted barley before moving on to the remainder of the process. At the very end, each person was provided a full glass of the standard “Kirin Ichiban” flavor, along with generous pours of three seasonal Kirin brews and a snack sampler. Play a record that you can play front to back multiple times in one day and not have an urge to switch.

Nujabes - Modal Soul

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One of my top50 all time. There have been days where I've streamed it front to back at work multiple times in the shift.
His younger brother's ramen restaurant in Shibuya is good eating.

 
Day 28 / 2024.S7.E28 - Handcrafted Souvenirs (手仕込みお土産)
Across the entire country, great souvenirs are possible for all budgets. Ranging from the middle to higher end in Kanazawa and Toyama are handcrafted glasses, bowls, plates, cups, and the like. Pictured here are cups, serving trays, matcha bowls (抹茶茶碗), and a teapot available for purchase in a Toyama souvenir store. This display is on the affordable side with the items ranging from ¥1430-6600 for each. I would just love to have my own artisan matcha bowls someday…Play a record that you received as a gift. If that hasn’t happened, play a record that you purchased with money received from a holiday/birthday.

V/A - Alfa/Yen Records 1980 - 1987: Techno Pop And Other Electronic Adventures In Tokyo

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Thank you to kvetcha (not tagging as he is not participating in this thread). I received this as a solicited PIF from him in a DM, and he was right in predicting this would fit my tastes. Looking at the cover art, I initially thought that this was a LitA product but it is actually from Japan on the Great Tracks reissue label, with a wraparound OBI to compliment. This compilation has some crossover with the Pacific Breeze city pop compilations, but with a leftfield techno-kayo emphasis. Across the tracklist that goes 21 deep, there are two songs from each Yellow Magic Orchestra, and each individual member's solo work.
As expected for a product from Japan, the quality is excellent.


I adore this song. Stretches to the more avantgarde side of techno-pop. Violently romantic, you could say:
 
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Day 29 / 2024.S7.E29 - To the Sea (海へ)
Later in my first day visiting Kamakura (鎌倉), I walked down to Yuigahama Beach (由比ヶ浜海水浴場). Spent an hour here walking on the sand and enjoying the ocean breeze during sunset. Went to eat dinner an hour later back at Komachi Street (小町通り). I miss these views dearly. Play a record that depicts the ocean or somewhere underwater.

Prince "Around The World In A Day" (1985 Paisley Park Japan)
There's a drawn ocean on the bottom, with the waves on the rear cover.

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