Born in 1995 in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture. A member of the house music collective CYK, he has also played numerous gigs
Aiconga
Born in Osaka, now based in Kyoto.
Organizer of the hybrid Latin party Our Latin Way.
Percussionist for the Naniwa cumbia rockers ROJO REGALO and the Kyoto funk & R&R band "Higashi Ajia Dragon Lee Thunders".
She spent her teens immersed in hardcore and hip-hop, then in her early twenties found her way into the world of ethnic music through tribal techno and black music.
Eventually captivated by Afro-Cuban sounds, she spent an extended stay in Cuba, and has since built experience as a percussionist while working as a selector and organizer moving fluidly between afro, rock, and electronic music.
Organizer of the hybrid Latin party Our Latin Way.
Percussionist for the Naniwa cumbia rockers ROJO REGALO and the Kyoto funk & R&R band "Higashi Ajia Dragon Lee Thunders".
She spent her teens immersed in hardcore and hip-hop, then in her early twenties found her way into the world of ethnic music through tribal techno and black music.
Eventually captivated by Afro-Cuban sounds, she spent an extended stay in Cuba, and has since built experience as a percussionist while working as a selector and organizer moving fluidly between afro, rock, and electronic music.
Artist Interview
What are your musical roots?
In kindergarten, it was Saint-Saëns's "The Carnival of the Animals." In elementary school, it was THE BOOM's "Shima Uta." And in high school, encountering Wong Kar-wai's "Happy Together" (released in Japan as "Buenos Aires") became a turning point for my sensibility.
Which artists or labels are you most excited about right now?
- 1.LaliboiA South African vocalist/rapper whose jazzy sound feels so good.
- 2.Kuto QuillaHeavy tropical bass paired with MCing in Quechua. I feel a real punk spirit in it.
- 3.Analog AfricaA crate digging label where you can't go wrong. The artwork teaches me a lot too.
Kyoto's Local Scene
What is happening in your local music scene right now?
The women vinyl DJs a bit younger than me are so interesting!
ASAHI, miharu, Zubeko Tenshi Aya, modern, ReiRei, and more.
Each of them has such strong originality, both in personality and in what they play, and right now they're indispensable to Kyoto's music scene. I always look forward to running into them at parties.
ASAHI, miharu, Zubeko Tenshi Aya, modern, ReiRei, and more.
Each of them has such strong originality, both in personality and in what they play, and right now they're indispensable to Kyoto's music scene. I always look forward to running into them at parties.
What local spots would you recommend?
Listening Bar
VIVA LA MUSICA!— 出町柳 / Demachiyanagi
Since my student days, I've kept soaking up African and Latin music here. It's a sacred ground for ethno groove, but with none of that underground stiffness, just a warm and welcoming place. Their selection of rum and tequila is worth a look too.
S-Pod— 御所西 / Goshonishi
A shop where electronic music lovers gather. Getting to meet artists of so many nationalities and generations here has been a great source of inspiration for me lately.
Record Shop
Sixth Garden Records— 聖護院 / Shogoin
If you're hunting for weird electronic music or dub, this is the place. It's the shop I trust most in Kyoto.
Café
GOOD morning RECORD BAR— 木屋町 / Kiyamachi
A place that plays relaxing, new release style records, and somewhere I often stop by on my way home from work. At night it gets busy with DJs and tourists, so I prefer going during the day, sipping coffee and just spacing out.
standsix/GATHER out of time— 祇園 / Gion
A record cafe with a lovely open air feel, where I work as the manager. There are record shops like Jazzy Sport and Taiyo Records nearby too, so feel free to swing by and play whatever you've dug up. Daytime drinking and smoking are both welcome.
Label / Series
KUMARU Records
A label run by shabushabu, aka MeNeM, based in Kansai. It's fun not just for the sound but for the visuals too. My recent favorite is the 7 inch from Maho Thai Disco.
Which local DJs/artists would you recommend?
平野孝則 / Takanori Hirano
The owner of Bootsy's Records, a legendary vintage shop in Kyoto, and a man who was like a walking encyclopedia of black music and Latin music. Sadly, he passed away last year, but he's the DJ and critic who influenced my musical life more than anyone else.
Artists from Kyoto
Originally from Sichuan Province, China, Bugs Bunny discovered the deep historical connection between HipHop and Latin c
Pronounced as “Iiju,” based in Kyoto. A deep lover of immersive music. While rooted in house, techno, and minimal, he fr
Based in Kyoto and primarily a woodworking artist. Since the 1990s, he has been captivated by Japanese music (“Wa-mono”)
A pioneer of Japanese ambient DJs, he has been performing at numerous rave parties since the early 1990s. He has partici
Born in 1995 in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture. A member of the house music collective CYK, he has also played numerous gigs
Originally from Sichuan Province, China, Bugs Bunny discovered the deep historical connection between HipHop and Latin c
Pronounced as “Iiju,” based in Kyoto. A deep lover of immersive music. While rooted in house, techno, and minimal, he fr
Based in Kyoto and primarily a woodworking artist. Since the 1990s, he has been captivated by Japanese music (“Wa-mono”)
A pioneer of Japanese ambient DJs, he has been performing at numerous rave parties since the early 1990s. He has partici
A buyer for Jazzy Sport Kyoto, he is based in Kyoto and actively performs across various locations, both outdoors and in