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Tendiwa View Drop Down
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    Posted: April 14 2020 at 13:39
I have just found the Japanse zeuhl band Koenji Hyakkei. I am listening to their second album. Very cool stuff! Sadly the album is compressed to the point of distortion. It distracts from the awesomeness of the music. Do all their albums sound like this?

Also Koenji Hyakkei's drummer plays in Ruins as well. Any recommendations where to start with that band?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nogbad_The_Bad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 14 2020 at 14:32
I've not experienced that issue with Viva Koenji, I adore that album, I'd check out Angherr Shisspa & Nivraym next, they're a little less intense than Viva but still bonkers. 

Tatsuya Yoshida (the drummer) is one of the greatest modern drummers and is in lots of bands, Ruins have a huge diverse discography and its tough to know where to start. Based on rating and number of ratings I'd suggest Hydromastgroningem though I don't own it myself.

Also worth checking out is his band Korekyojinn.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Logan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 14 2020 at 14:53
I haven't noticed the compression issue, and I have Koenji Hyakkei's first four albums (I haven't listened to Ni in many years, mind you). I started with Angherr Shisspa, which was still a pretty new release at the time.

In terms of related works, I liked Ruins' Pallaschtom very much.

Edited by Logan - April 14 2020 at 14:55
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Man With Hat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 14 2020 at 15:59
I too haven't really noticed that problem with VK, but I do think their production has gotten better as they've gone forward (with the possible exception of their most recent). Angherr Shisspa is a must listen either way.

As for Ruins...Hyderomastgrom and Tzomborgha are probably the two best ones to start out with. The former is where they really blossomed for the first time and the latter is their most developed and distinct sounding release. (Vrresto and Pallaschotm are also both very good and worthy of investigation) A lot of people also like Symphonica, which is a more fleshed out 'symphonic' style, but as a result it's not a very Ruins-y album. I also like Alone, which is just Tatsuya playing different versions of older Ruins songs. 


I also second the Korekyojinn suggestion above. (I would say either Jackson, Tundra, or their debut as a starting point.)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tendiwa Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 14 2020 at 16:33
Thanks for the recommendations!

The versions of Ni/Viva Koenji! I've heard are the 2006 CD and the files from Bandcamp (which is about 1 dB softer than the 2006 CD, but this minute difference in dynamics is inaudible). But because Discogs doesn't state a remaster, I assume the original CD is the same.

The distortion from over-compression probably is all over the album, in the versions I've heard. For instance the finale on the first track, starting at 8:30.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote progaardvark Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 14 2020 at 16:49
I love this band and need to get more of their albums. Watch them on YouTube if you get a chance. They put on a great show.

I found Tatsuya Yoshida's recent work with Richard Pinhas an interesting listen. I really enjoyed their Ascension album.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote The Anders Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 14 2020 at 19:19
I like Koenjihyakkei, but I only know them for the Angherr Shisspa album, and their most recent which I can't remember the name of.

Not everyone likes it. I once played the title track of Angherr Shisspa for a family member, and she couldn't wait for it to stop.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lewian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2020 at 02:26
Originally posted by The Anders The Anders wrote:

I like Koenjihyakkei, but I only know them for the Angherr Shisspa album, and their most recent which I can't remember the name of.

Not everyone likes it. I once played the title track of Angherr Shisspa for a family member, and she couldn't wait for it to stop.

In other words, it's totally bonkers, and I'd be surprised about any random person who can stand it at all apart from a chosen few whose outrageous tastes I know very well. If she even could stay in the room for the length of the track, she has passed an important test. Big smile
I love it, by the way. Smile
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tendiwa Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2020 at 02:45
But art is supposed to be pretty and gentle all the time right?!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lewian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2020 at 05:58
Originally posted by Tendiwa Tendiwa wrote:

But art is supposed to be pretty and gentle all the time right?!

Was this to me? My comment was actually meant to be positive. Big smile
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tendiwa Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2020 at 06:13
Originally posted by Lewian Lewian wrote:

Originally posted by Tendiwa Tendiwa wrote:

But art is supposed to be pretty and gentle all the time right?!

Was this to me? My comment was actually meant to be positive. Big smile
Oh I was joking ;-) It was in response to the idea of people not liking difficult music. Like my girlfriend. She seems to discard music as soon as it gets adventurous, even though she is quite artistic in other fields. But maybe my idea of adventurous is a little more extreme. Like Koenji Hyakkei. Maybe just a tad too far out there for people who like their music pretty and gentle.
I got to ease her in somehow. I will take me years until we can listen to Japanse zeuhl together.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TheH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2020 at 08:12
No Sound Problems with no. II (aka viva). The first one and Niv do not Sound to good. But I think there are reworked versions with are supposed to Sound much better.
 
P.S. listend to bandcamp and the new Version of Niv sounds much (much) better than my old CD.


Edited by TheH - April 15 2020 at 08:26
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote The Anders Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2020 at 08:31
Originally posted by Lewian Lewian wrote:

In other words, it's totally bonkers, and I'd be surprised about any random person who can stand it at all apart from a chosen few whose outrageous tastes I know very well. If she even could stay in the room for the length of the track, she has passed an important test. Big smile
I love it, by the way. Smile


Actually after 4 minutes she asked me to press stop which I did. I think it was at the beginning of the long 13/8 section. But it's not that she is not into advanced music. She is a pensioned opera singer and has sung contemporary classical music at many occasions.
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