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4CD BOX
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USHI 010CD
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Urashima present a reissue of Merzbow's Metalvelodrome, originally released in 1993. Merzbow stands as the most important artist in noise music. The moniker of Japanese artist Masami Akita was born in Tokyo in 1979. Inspired by Dadaism and surrealism, Akita took the name for his project from German artist Kurt Schwitters's pre-war architectural assemblage "The Cathedral of Erotic Misery" or "Merzbau". Just as Schwitters attacked the entrenched artistic traditions of his time with his revolutionary avant-garde collages, so too would Akita challenge the contemporary concept of what is called music. Merzbow would draw further influence from the futurist movement. Not only would he embrace the futurists' love of technology and the machine civilization, he would push their fondness for noise to the very boundaries of the extreme. Working in his home, he quickly gained notoriety as a purveyor of a musical genre composed solely of pure, unadulterated noise. By the '90s, Merzbow had a significant underground reputation for creating harsh and power electronics album. Metalvelodrome was released in 1993 by the fabulous Japanese label Alchemy in a four-CD box. The tracks fall right in-between the atmosphere of Merzbow's early '90s work and his more hyper-aggressive mid-90s power electronics work and it's a charming mix, presenting the listener with some of the best elements from each phase of his evolution. Along with Noisembryo (1994), Venereology (1994), and Pulse Demon (1996) represent the top of the immense artist's production. All tracks performed using cheap electronics and junk, no use for synthesizer and midi sampler. Remastered and revised without the two tracks live and with four bonus tracks at Munemihouse in 2019 by Masami Akita. This reissue comes in a silver wooden box with laser engraving of original artwork cover on front (and inside) and Urashima logo on back. Each single CD inside wooden box comes in cardboard wallet with new artwork by Masami Akita; includes foldable and individually numbered certificate; edition of 500.
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CD/BOOK
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RM 4108CD
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Noise Mass matches previously unavailable Merzbow works from 1994 with pieces from the limited-edition Hole album of the same year. This new edition charts the through line between records such as Venereology (1994) and Pulse Demon (1996), and includes a 28-page book, with exclusive photographs, and a long-form interview with Masami Akita charting the continuum of Merzbow from 1979 to the present day. On Noise Mass in the late 1980s, Masami Akita's Merzbow began to shift from being a studio project into a fully-fledged performative undertaking. It was a decisive period that began opening up new possibilities for his very particular approach to sound. Across the first half of the 1990s, Merzbow began touring extensively across Europe, the United States, and also in his homeland. It was during this period that the dynamism of Merzbow exploded and the physicality of volume became a primary driver for the experiential capacity of the work. Simultaneously, Merzbow began developing a range of self-made instruments and techniques for exploiting found objects as sound sources, which he used in combination with amplifiers to create a unique spectrum of noise and feedback both in the studio and live. Noise Mass catalogs a critical period within the continuum of Merzbow. It typifies the radical approaches he developed not just through his music, but also through mastering, pushing the very medium of digital audio to its limit through extreme post-production approaches. Of Noise, Masami Akita remarks, "This was around the time Venereology was released from Relapse and the work of Merzbow became more well known to the world. Far greater quantities of that Relapse release were pressed, and much more promotion along with it. In other words, the image of Merzbow's music as it is best known in the world today came from this time. The music of Merzbow has always been a continuum, the piece added this time to Noise Mass, the revised version of Hole, is a work utilizing a voice similar in style to Venereology. Listening to both Hole and Venereology, one can appreciate how these works constitute a thread of continuity through this period." Noise Mass is just that, a ritual of intensity and ferocity that denotes the force that is Merzbow's approach to noise in the absolute.
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HH 4130739CD
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2013 release. "There is no argument; Merzbow stands as the most important artist in noise music. The moniker of Japanese artist Masami Akita has appeared on over four hundred albums since 1979. The name comes from German artist Kurt Schwitters' famous work Merzbau, in which he transformed the interior of his house with found objects. This is reflected in Akita's junk art / collage aesthetic. Other influences on the Merzbow philosophy range from ritualized eroticism (fetishism and bondage), surrealism to extreme metal and animal rights. Since the early 2000s Akita has been a vegan and dedicated animal rights activist. Many of his releases are dedicated to or about particular animals. Kookaburra documents a rare live appearance of Merzbow down-under, capturing his solo performance in Sydney, Australia, May 2012. Following a slew of archival boxset releases and a relative scarcity in new recordings, Kookaburra comes at an opportune time to showcase the current solo Merzbow live sound. Leaving aside the more melodic and ambient touches heard on recent studio albums, Kookaburra cuts straight to the chase with 60 minutes of blissfully dense noise, brimming with endless detail. Differing from previous Merzbow live albums, the trademark loops are now buried deep within a monolithic torrent of black noise, characterized by both analog and digital flavors. The world of Kookaburra is built upon impenetrably thick walls of low-end oomph and filled with relentlessly caustic textures from which distorted howls, wild oscillations and inexorable pulsations rear their monstrous heads. This monolithic single track is remarkable for its incredibly hypnotic journey along an enormous arc of sonic strata that is both glacial in its pacing and molten in its unyielding force. This is Merzbow at his most elemental and Kookaburra boldly displays the king of noise's most focused exploration of stunningly powerful noise in recent years." --Alex Pozniak Deluxe CD; limited edition.
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EDRM 419CD
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"I think the first time I heard Merzbow must have been 1994. I remember not really knowing what to make of it. It was effortlessly deep and aggressive, but also emotive and lyrical in the way the waves of sound would erupt and decay. It wasn't easy then to discover information about artists, but within a few months I had learned as much as I could. In the mid 2000s, I had the chance to meet Masami Akita, aka Merzbow and present him live when I was co-producing the What Is Music? Festival. It was a pretty special event; the first (sonic) meeting of Merzbow and Keiji Haino took place here in Brisbane. Merzbow's solo performance was as transformative an experience as hearing his music for the first time. MONOAkuma is a live recording made in Brisbane in 2012; this was the second time I had the pleasure to present him live in Australia. To me, this performance epitomizes the physiology of Merzbow's sound work. He creates in absolutes; sonically he generates a tidal wave of frequency that sweeps across the spectra with tireless frenzy. Merzbow's capacity to conjure a massive swirling mesh of analog and digital sources is without comparison; his work is one of intensity, a seething, psychedelic and utterly visceral noise-ocean. What MONOAkuma represents is a resolution of Merzbow's work across both analog and digital noise mediums. Here, he brings together his formidable pulsing analog noise and his more recent digital approach. On MONOAkuma, he resolves these modes of operation into an ontology of noise in the absolute. There is no question - this is about the body and the ears being overwhelmed. In those moments of being wholly consumed comes an incredible bodily sense of euphoria that is a truly unique and profound experience. MONOAkuma which epitomizes Merzbow's 40 years as the most important noise musician of our time, demonstrating the intense and complex audio world he's created. It's the perfect starting point from which to wade into the noise ocean that is Merzbow's vast output." --Lawrence English. All proceeds from MONOAkuma will be used to fund research and preservation attempts for the Tasmanian Devil; which in recent years has suffered greatly due to effects of a transmissible facial cancer.
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2LP
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HOS 594LP
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Hospital Productions present a vinyl reissue of Merzbow's Noisembryo, originally released on CD by The Releasing Eskimo in 1994. Noisembryo is a holy grail, not only of Merzbow's obsessive discography, but of the entire '90s noise movement. You've heard the stories surrounding the infamy of this release, but beyond that stands the depth and wild energy that Noisembryo encapsulates over two decades later. High-speed loops, roving automotive bass, and cacophonic drum machines gel together with the surprising inclusion of a sound rarely heard within Merzbow's many years... Masami Akita's own voice. Akita's surrealism of the past stands prominently relevant to this day. Includes the bonus track "Travelling" from the equally as infamous Noise Forest compilation (1992), appearing here for the first time on vinyl. Edited and remastered for vinyl by Masami Akita. Includes insert featuring unseen classic paintings and collages of Masami from the original Noisembryo sessions. Deluxe foil-stamp gatefold sleeve.
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12"
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BDNOG 003EP
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Merzbow releases Tomarigi on Bedouin.
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CD
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DPROM 133CD
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Hyakki Echo is a brand new release from Merzbow and it sees a totally new direction for this true innovator. Whatever you may have expected, this will surprise and thrill. With much more of a foot in free improvisation than the more traditional psyched-out, extreme "noise" that you may have come to expect, Hyakki Echo is a masterpiece in experimental music. The format should surprise and intrigue too. One side is a three-minute piece that is a vinyl record, the other a full-length CD. The package comes with the necessary adapter you need to play the vinyl side. Artwork by Masami Akita (Merzbow). The set is packaged in a die cut digipak sleeve. Note: This disc must not be used with a "slot-in" CD player.
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LP
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DPROM 126LP
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Merzbow's follow up vinyl album to 2016's Wildwood CD (DPROM 116CD). Two brand new tracks of psychedelic mayhem recorded, and to be played, at maximum volume. The perfect partner to the CD. The LP is packaged like a classic '60s vinyl, with a gloss front and matte back, complete with outside glue flaps. Edition of 500.
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2LP
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UMA 115LP
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Urashima present a reissue of Merzbow's Remblandt Assemblage, originally released on cassette in 1981. Merzbow stands as the most important artist in noise music. The moniker of Japanese artist Masami Akita was born in Tokyo in 1979. Inspired by Dadaism and Surrealism, Akita took the name for his project from German artist Kurt Schwitters's pre-war architectural assemblage "The Cathedral of Erotic Misery" or "Merzbau". Just as Schwitters attacked the entrenched artistic traditions of his time with his revolutionary avant-garde collages, so too would Akita, challenging the contemporary concept of what is called music. Merzbow would draw further influence from the Futurist movement. Not only would he embrace the Futurists's love of technology and the machine civilization, but he would push their fondness for noise to the very boundaries of the extreme. Working in his home, he quickly gained notoriety as a purveyor of a musical genre composed solely of pure, unadulterated noise. Consequently, in 1980 Masami founded the first noise label, Lowest Music & Arts. Remblandt Assemblage was recorded and mixed at his home in the same year and originally released on cassette the following year on his own label. For the recording of this tape, Masami used a wide range of instruments: tapes, prepared acoustic guitar, tabla, junk percussion, microphone, radio, egg cutter and noise. This is the very first Merzbow album to use tape manipulations. Only a few copies were made and distributed on cassette in 1981, it was otherwise not widely available until being partially reissued on the legendary Merzbox in 2000. For the first time, the complete 1981 cassette version is released on double vinyl here. No changes of pitch were made in the mastering process; digitally remastered from original cassette master for this reissue by Masami Akita in Tokyo, 2016. 140 gram black vinyl with black label and black inner sleeve; Comes in a deluxe silver silkscreen on black three panels cardboard sleeve with artwork of five original collages by Masami Akita (circa 1980); Edition of 199.
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LP
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UMA 113LP
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Urashima present the first vinyl version of Merzbow's Lowest Music.2, originally recorded and released on cassette in 1982. Merzbow stands as the most important artist in noise music. The moniker of Japanese artist Masami Akita was born in Tokyo in 1979. Inspired by dadaism and surrealism, Akita took the name for his project from German artist Kurt Schwitters's pre-war architectural assemblage "The Cathedral of Erotic Misery" or "Merzbau". Just as Schwitters attacked the entrenched artistic traditions of his time with his revolutionary avant-garde collages, so too would Akita challenge the contemporary concept of what is called music. Merzbow would draw further influence from the futurist movement. Not only would he embrace the futurists's love of technology and the machine civilization, he would push their fondness for noise to the very boundaries of the extreme. Working in his home, he quickly gained notoriety as a purveyor of a musical genre composed solely of pure, unadulterated noise. Consequently, in 1980 Masami founded the first noise label, Lowest Music and Arts. In this early period he released Lowest Music.2 on cassette using a 4 track reel tape recorder with different loops, recorded by a Mono-aural hand tape recorder. In 1990, Australian legendary label Extreme reissued a new version of the cassette, remixed by Masami Akita by itself and included it in an amazing 50 CD boxset titled Merzbox (2000). No changes of pitch were made in the mastering process. Pressed on 140 gram black vinyl with a black label and a black inner sleeve. Comes in a deluxe silver silkscreen on a black cardboard sleeve. Includes insert with original tape replica cover. Edition of 200.
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CD
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CSR 218CD
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Over an hour of the best analog material from the King of Japanese noise. Reissue of an extremely rare cassette, dating back to 1985, originally released in Japan by Merzbow's own ZSF Produk and in France by Le Syndicat. All tracks made for "Nil-Vagina Mail-Action February 85." Recorded at Merz-bau Studio, and not "live" as the title would suggest. All material taken from the original master tapes and remastered for 2016.
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DPROM 116CD
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The mighty Merzbow presents four tracks of blistering music recorded and to be played at maximum volume. This leaves the also-rans at the gate and is full of psychedelic twists and turns, with one completely guitar-based track. Incredible stuff from Masami. It's also a benefit release for the Wildwood Trust in Kent. All proceeds from sales will go to them, toward the care of two rescued European brown bears. For more information about this wonderful organization, go to www.wildwoodtrust.org. Comes in beautiful reverse board digipak.
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LP
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RAVE 004LP
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For The Death Of Rave, Masami Akita aka Merzbow submits two petrifying pieces of psychedelic, technoid sturm und drang. Harking back to the feral attack and pulsing rhythmic disciplines of his early work (recently collected on V-o-D's excellent Lowest Music & Arts 1980- 1983 box set), the howling 12-minute pummel of A-side "Grand Owl Habitat" appears on vinyl after release on Handmade Birds' Dark Icons series. An ecstatically abusive, furious maelstrom of colored noise is rail-eroded by a pistoning undercarriage that sounds like it careened out of mid-'90s Berlin into a noise-techno receptive 2013. The intent behind it is meditative malevolence, seeking to dilate and masticate mind and body to euphoric effect. The three-part, 20-minute B-side, "Obusuma" is exclusive to this release. Here, the roiling bass patterns are initially submerged, consumed by virulent squall and piercing, frightening frequencies in part one, before the lurching, elliptical chug surges forth to struggle against the consumptive, polymetric oscillations which rain down without remorse, culminating a final battle of apocalyptic sensation between primal pulses and convulsive noise. It ain't for everyone, that's for sure, but the most fearless DJs and those with a high tolerance for Alberich, Maurizio Bianchi, the most extreme L.I.E.S., Whitehouse or Prurient are urged to get a fix. Mastered and cut by Matt Colton at Alchemy.
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10CD BOX
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TOURETTE 032CD
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"Recordings from Masami Akita and Kiyoshi Mizutani. Kiyoshi was a member of Merzbow in the 80's and has made solo works since 1989, though main man Masami Akita has been the backbone of the band since 1979. These recordings are mainly from the '87-'89 era, but some of the earliest recordings were released in 1979. The first Merzbow tour abroad was in 1988 in Russia, featuring Masami Akita and Kiyoshi Mizutani. The second was in Europe (Holland, Germany, and France) in 1989 where Kiyoshi also joined some shows. During this period they were very active in duo sessions at local studios and made numerous recordings. Some of them were used as raw materials for Merzbow (solo works of Masami Akita) albums like S.C.U.M. (1989) but these original sessions had never been released until now. These recordings are also mirror works of solo recordings like Ecobondage ('87), Enclosure ('88), and Storage ('88)."
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18LP BOX
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SOL 171LP
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"Merzbient was originally released in 2010 as a box set of twelve compact discs. Now an expanded edition of eighteen albums is being released in an edition of 222 numbered and signed copies. The music from the original CD release is presented on albums 1 to 15. Some of the tracks have been edited to conform with the limitations of the medium. Albums 16, 17 and 18 contain exclusive bonus material never released until today. This vinyl release of Merzbient is presented in utterly lavish packaging, starting with a pair of custom-made foil-blocked boxes that look like large versions of the boxes made for the original CD edition. Each box holds nine LPs. Each record has full-color center labels, and comes in a full-color sleeve. Three inserts printed on textured paper complete the package. Merzbient is a collection of Merzbow's previously unreleased ambient recordings. The music was recorded in the late '80s and early '90s, at a time when Masami Akita (Merzbow) was becoming famous for his live performances."
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CD
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PRISMA 710CD
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Masami Akita aka Merzbow is the biggest name in noise music. Few other artists enjoy the kind of respect within their fields as Merzbow does within the noise scene. If talking about noise music there is simply no way getting around Merzbow. Since 1979 Akita has worked relentlessly, producing hundreds of records. He also has a long list of collaborators: Richard Pinhas, Sunn 0))), Autechre, Pan Sonic, Jim O'Rourke, Boris, Gore Beyond Necropsy, Smegma and many others. Merzbow performed at the Henie Onstad Art Centre on October 11th, 2009. This performance was for the exhibition "Kurt Schwitters in Norway." Since Akita has sited Kurt Schwitters as one of his main influences for his music, and took his name from Schwitters' Merzbau sculpture, it was a natural choice to have Merzbow perform at the center on the opening weekend of the exhibition. The complete 40-minute performance is presented on the Live At Henie Onstad Art Centre CD. Musically, this is classic Merzbow; hypnotic loops, layers of white noise and massive sweeps of sonic overload. Akita performed using two computers, synthesizer, custom-made metal objects and a host of effect pedals. The CD is mixed and mastered by Lasse Marhaug and the inner sleeve features a unique photo of Masami Akita inside Schwitters' Merzbau. Merzbow in Merzbau. Limited edition of 500 copies.
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LP
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IMPREC 321LP
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"Jigokuhen is the final installment in Masami Akita's 15 part Bird Series for Important Records. Inspired by Olivier Messiaen's Catalogue D'Oiseaux, the Bird Series saw the release of one CD per month for 13 months. This 14th Bird Series release is being issued on the 2 year anniversary of the start of the Bird Series and in conjunction with Vampilla's album on Important, which Merzbow contributed some major mixing work."
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CD
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SOL 170CD
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"Ouroboros is an ancient symbol dating back more than 4000 years. A snake or dragon eats its own tail, and represents eternity, or the circularity of life. A more modern interpretation might suggest that mankind will eventually consume itself once it finishes consuming all the life and resources on Earth. Snake species are in decline just about everywhere. Agriculture, pesticide use, roads that separate breeding populations, habitat loss, decreased food supply and predation by other animals are all putting pressure on snakes. Sadly, many of them are disappearing for reasons unknown, and considering their general unpopularity with humans, few people are concerned. Yet these beautiful reptiles are top-level predators, and play an important role in the health of every ecosystem they inhabit. Just as the loss of wolves has lead to unintended consequences for populations of other animals, so it will be that the disappearance of snakes will have unwanted outcomes for other creatures, including man. Masami Akita, recording under the name Merzbow, with more than 200 albums to his credit, is considered one of the preeminent artists in the field of noise music. In recent years his output has centered on animal themes, following his concern for the protection of animal rights. Albums for chickens, whales, seals and dolphins have been released on a variety of labels. Important Records of Newburyport, Massachusetts (USA) has released a series of thirteen CDs, each dedicated to a different Japanese bird. Ouroboros is presented in an exquisite handmade screen-printed eight-panel roll-folder featuring original artwork by Mr. Akita, and is limited to 500 copies."
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CD
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IMPREC 285CD
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"This is the final CD in the 13 month/13 CD series of bird-inspired CDs from Merzbow. Merzbow's 13 Japanese Birds is a 13 month series of releases inspired by Olivier Messiaen's Catalogue D'Oiseaux."
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CD
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IMPREC 284CD
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"This is December 2009's Bird CD from Merzbow. Tsubame is the 12th and 2nd to last in the series. Merzbow's 13 Japanese Birds is a 13 month series of releases inspired by Olivier Messiaen's Catalogue D'Oiseaux."
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IMPREC 270CD
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The 10th installent in Merzbow's ambitious 13 Japanese Birds series is devoted to the Japanese word for "chicken." One composition, "Niwatori Obsession," divided up into three parts. Inspired by Olivier Messiaen's Catalogue D'Oiseaux.
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IMPREC 275CD
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Part 11 in the series, devoted to the white heron. Tracks include "Transformed Into Food," "Once The Human Meat Is Done, Cut It Up And Mix With The Vegetable Curry," "Dismemberment Of Nature" and "Chained."
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IMPREC 265CD
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The ninth installment in the series and it's exceptional: Masami Akita expresses a rich tableau of sound that, over the course of the album's three tracks, slowly begins to reveal itself as an autonomous realm, free from mental interference, beyond good and evil, negating human notions of time and space. Like the deepest state of transcendental meditation, only louder. Over the course of this series, Merzbow's noise has taken flight, not just through the signification of birds, but with the very breath of life. "Merzbow's 13 Japanese Birds is a 13 month series of releases inspired by Olivier Messiaen's Catalogue D'Oiseaux. Beginning in January 2009 one volume of 13 Japanese Birds will be released each month. The 13th and final volume will be released January 2010. Each volume will be a one time pressing of 1,000 copies. Cover art by Jenny Akita."
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CD
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IMPREC 261CD
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Four tracks: "Mesmerism," "Black Swan," "Colored Rain" and "Ushiwaka 2." The booklet includes a photo of Masami Akita as activist: standing in front of a warning sign outside some sort of military compound. "Merzbow's 13 Japanese Birds is a 13 month series of releases inspired by Olivier Messiaen's Catalogue D'Oiseaux. Beginning in January 2009 one volume of 13 Japanese Birds will be released each month. The 13th and final volume will be released January 2010. Each volume will be a one time pressing of 1000 copies. Cover art by Jenny Akita."
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IMPREC 257CD
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The seventh installment in the series features intriguing cover art, with one of Jenny Akita's signature bird graphics sitting atop a magnificent clock. Tracks include "Pigeon Walk" parts 1 & 2 and "Bird droppings on your head." Liner note photo: Masami sitting on the steps again, but this time he's wearing a metal t-shirt. "Merzbow's 13 Japanese Birds is a 13 month series of releases inspired by Olivier Messiaen's Catalogue D'Oiseaux. Beginning in January 2009 one volume of 13 Japanese Birds will be released each month. The 13th and final volume will be released January 2010. Each volume will be a one time pressing of 1000 copies. Cover art by Jenny Akita."
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