Blogged to DEATH! Yeasayer.

Yeasayer are a band which are not short of blog column inches, but what the hell they deserve a mention from Tokyo Indie too! The Brooklyn based four piece look set to be catpulted into the upper echelons of the indie-art-rock scene. Their sound spans the musical spectrum - blending twisted, ambient rhythms and global sounds with forceful, ambitious electronics and hook-laden playful pop. Personal fave "Ambling Alp" can be downloaded for free here:

Yeasayer - Ambling Alp

The Alan Wilkis remix is also worth a listen, taking the track in a more dancefloor friendly direction:


Just waiting for the boys to arrange dates in Japan, I can't wait to see them play live!

Mark.

When O' When?

Slowly creeping its' way up Tokyo Indie's playlist for 2010 is this latest offering from London electro pop 3 piece Is Tropical. When O' When starts off as more of a sea shanty guitar strum than electronic indie anthem but the lightest of loops hints of what's to come. Indeed, give it a few minutes and it casts off in a completely different direction - the wind in its' sails.

When "When O' When" leaves you wanting more the B-side for this 7inch release, "Seasick Mutiny", won't disappoint. To put it simply the B-side is a thumping, fuzzing romp of a record.

Taken all together this release really is a great piece of electro power pop from a band just beginning to find its' feet. That said, it's no surprise they're already stealing in on support slots - touring with the likes of New Young Pony Club and Egyptian Hip Hop. Tokyo Indie will be on the lookout for these guys.

- Sam

From Tokyo Indie with love.

With love in the air, we felt like we should give you a Valentine gift. So here is a download link to a recording of the set I played at the last Tokyo Indie party in January. We are busy with the final preparations for the next party at M bar on the 20th February which will include an awesome Japan Vs. Canada VJ mix off accompanied by more great music from myself and the rest of the gang.

Enjoy!

Mark Birtles AKA Newblackvinyl's February Tokyo Indie Mix:

Download Here!

Tracklisting:

Withnail and I - Hamlet Soliloquy (Newblackvinyl fix)
Felix De Housecat - Shower Scene (Jacques Lu Cont mix)
Wolfmother - Woman (MSTRKRFT mix)
The Rapture - House of Jealous Lovers
Brakes - All Night Disco Party
These New Puritans - Elvis
Grafton Primary - I Can Cook (Miami Horror mix) (Newblackvinyl's your friend fix)
Tesla Boy - Runaway (Vanguard mix)
Mini Vida - Left my Heart In Tokyo (Treasurefingers mix)
Housse Du Racket - Synthetiseur
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps (Elite Force fix)
Fenech Soler - Lies (Alex Metric mix)
Arcade Fire - Neighbourhood #3 (Power Out)

Give me Fiction

Fiction. No not those New Wavers from Nagoya, or those sorry English shoegazers; The Fiction. I am talking about the latest and probably greatest incarnation: an art rocking four piece from London. Fiction hits with rocksteady drums, sumptuous rolling basslines and counters with euphoric pop synths that interplay with dream like vocals. It's a great formula - with their demos demonstrating a craft and style which belies the mere year that they've been playing together. Tokyo Indie will certainly be keeping a close eye on these guys.

Having just come out of the recording studio, Fiction have kindly made their latest demo, To Stick To, available for download. You can check it out here:

Fiction - To Stick To

Also be sure to visit their myspace for a listen to the brilliant "Big Things". Smashing.

Sam.

Tokyo Indie loves...Billy Bloodaxe.

Billy Bloodaxe's tracks are a regular on the Tokyo Indie Ipod and they are so good that Tokyo Indie's main man Sam, a die hard Geordie, is willing to overlook the fact that he is Mackem scum. Billy's tunes mix an etheral gothic atmosphere with some sharp synth-pop stylings and 8-bit Sega Megadrive stabs. Still working the unsigned band circuit in the North East of England, it is clear that if these tracks got the recording and production they deserve then the sound would be so much richer. Billy has kindly made all his tracks available to download:

Billy Bloodaxe's tracks

Personal favourite "Dear Pale Dane" (showcased on Tom Robison's BBC 6 Music show) conjours up images of Robert Smith stumbling round Hamlet's castle, perfect for these snappingly cold winter nights. Tokyo Indie hopes of big things from this young chap.

The Blog is here! Vol. 4 party is on it's way!

Hi everyone,

Welcome to the inaugural post on the Tokyo Indie blogspot. Here we hope to give you an insight into the people behind the night and supply you with fresh views on places we love and music we adore.

The first bit of exciting news is our next party, to be held in Daikanyama's new event space, "M". The space will allow the night to be even bigger and better than the great nights we had at Hell's Bar. After filling Hell's Bar to capacity with the last two events, M will give us more space and the more versatile location means we can bring in extra elements such as live VJs and in the future, the possibility of on the night live performances.

Info on the February 20th event can be found at the Tokyo Indie website here:

Tokyo Indie Vol.4 Party Info

Hope to see you all there!

Mark.