Omodaka, a creative project adopting a self-described “trial and error process of mutational fusion of music and motion graphics,” has a new video for chiptune disco track “Kyoteizinc,” which features the captivating computer-tweaked dance of Masako Yasumoto. (Watch it.)
The video is directed by Hiroshi Kizu. Omodaka is on Tokyo-based independent label Far East Recording.
WABOT-2, an intelligent humanoid keyboard player developed by Waseda University in the 1980s, was considered the most advanced robot of its time. In addition to camera eyes that could read musical notation and deft hands that could tap out tunes of average difficulty, WABOT-2 could listen to accompanying singers and adjust its tempo, as well as carry on basic conversation. The android demonstrated its musical skills at Expo ‘85 in Tsukuba, Japan with a performance of Kitaro’s new age classic “Silk Road.” (Watch a clip.)
Built in order to develop the basic technology, strength and skills for robots of the 21st century, WABOT-2 was equipped with a hierarchical system of 80 microprocessors modeled after the human nervous system, and its arms and legs had 50 degrees of freedom — more than any other robot in existence at the time. Waseda University regards WABOT-2 as a landmark achievement in the evolution of personal robots.
[Video: The Computer Chronicles (1985 broadcast) - Parts 1, 2, 3]
Food hackers at Obacchi Jacket Lunch Box cut and arrange ordinary bento lunch box ingredients to recreate famous album covers.
Rage Against The Machine - Evil Empire: Egg, paprika, nori (seaweed sheet), kamaboko (fish sausage), carrot, potato, ham, black sesame, rice
Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland: Nori, paprika (red & orange), egg, rice
Aphex Twin - Richard D. James Album: Potato, umeboshi (pickled plum), fish/vegetable flakes, nori, kamaboko, rice
KISS - Destroyer: Egg, nori, ume (Japanese plum), kamaboko, rice
King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King: Mentaiko (cod roe), kamaboko, ham, nori, rice
Weezer - Green Album: Cabbage, nori, ham, kamaboko, paprika, rice
The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground: Nori, egg, rice
Public Enemy - Muse Sick-N-Hour Mess Age: Nori, kamaboko, umeboshi, rice
See more than 25 pages of these bentos at Obacchi Jacket Lunch Box (use the “Next” link at the bottom of each page to scroll through the site).
[Via: Zaeega]
Denki Groove’s video for “Mononoke Dance” is yet another masterpiece by manga artist Masakazu Amahisa. Using stick-puppet animation, the video tells the story of a couple who crash their car on a dark forest road and encounter a Konaki-jiji (monster baby with the face of an old man) that leads them deep into the woods to a wild party for yokai, or traditional Japanese monsters. (Watch it.)
Guests at the party include Hitodama (fireballs), Kyonshi (Chinese vampire), Onyudo (shapeshifting monk), Jizo (guardian deity of children), Noppera-bo (faceless ghost), Rokurokubi (long-necked monster), Kappa (water imp), Hoichi the Earless, someone who dances like Yoshio Kojima, and many others.
Incidentally, the song “Mononoke Dance” is used as the opening theme for the “Hakaba Kitaro” anime series now airing on Fuji TV (the video here is completely unrelated to the TV show).
In 1973, Japanese psychedelic prog rock pioneers Flower Travellin’ Band played their last show at Maruyama Park in Kyoto. The show came shortly after the release of their final album “MAKE UP,” and after the cancellation of their scheduled Japan tour with the Rolling Stones (immigration officials refused Mick Jagger a visa). Pieces of the wild final performance were captured on 8mm film. The music here is “Satori - Part II” from the legendary Satori album (1971).
A 1969 Chunichi News piece entitled “Rock and Youth” profiled eccentric frontman Joe Yamanaka, who was 22 years old at the time. In the report, Joe — a former professional boxer and fashion model who says his African-American/Japanese blood flows with the essence of rock ‘n’ roll — professes a deeper love for explosive rock than for sentimental enka. The music here is a supercharged version of Muddy Waters’ “Louisiana Blues,” from Flower Travellin’ Band’s “Anywhere” album (1970).
Flower Travellin’ Band reunited this year — 35 years after their last show in Kyoto — and are putting together a new album. They are scheduled to play at Fuji Rock Festival this summer.
[Photo: Joe Yamanaka]
This minimalist version of “Smoky Bubbles” by Denki Groove (from the “A” album, 1997) was performed on a jailbroken iPod Touch 1.1.2.
Bass: Pocket Guitar (Electric Bass)
Synthesizer: iPhone Synth
Drums: BeatPhone
Guitar: Pocket Guitar (Acoustic Electric Guitar)
Piano: iAno (now known as “Pianist”)
On March 8, pianist Yosuke Yamashita donned a fireproof suit and played a burning piano on a beach in Ishikawa prefecture. The improvised jazz performance went for about 10 minutes until the flames rendered the piano silent. This video shows a few excerpts.
Yamashita’s performance was a reenactment of a similar one he gave in 1973, which was made into a short film by Japanese director Kiyoshi Awazu. You can see the complete 1973 performance on Awazu’s website.
[Source: Sankei]
The music video for Ken Ishii’s “Space Invaders 2003” is a touching, behind-the-scenes look at a Space Invader family torn apart by war.
The promo video for “ILL MACHINE (x ULTRA BRAiN),” a track off the recently released Nu Riot CD by Wagdug Futuristic Unity (a project involving Kyono of the Mad Capsule Markets), is set in a world 50 years hence (according to Kyono’s blog), where heavily armed gas-masked clones battle giant machines that assemble themselves from trash and set out to cleanse the planet by blasting everything to smithereens. Directed by CG artist Satoshi Kuroda.
[Link: ILL MACHINE (x ULTRA BRAiN)]
T-shirt retailer Beams-T is handing out a free art-themed DVD magazine to customers in Japan. The DVD showcases the work of five artists from around the world, including this incredibly loony scrolling video-collage of found GIF animations put together by international man of mystery Subway Lung (a.k.a. Tokyo Windbag).
You can see the other DVD magazine videos on kurandofuruya’s YouTube page (the light-based graffiti video by Kieph/Atsushi Sasaki is also recommended).
