VIDEOTAPEMUSIC / Souvenir / 180g

180g are in charge of VIDEOTAPEMUSIC`s first international release, Souvenir. Developing a cult following out here on labels like Kakubarhythm and EM, the young Tokyo-based artist plunders ex-rental VHS tapes in the search for unique sounds. His tracks span a range of genres, but the overall effect is a bit like Edan doing Cornelius. The tunes are augmented by a whole host of live players / friends on guitars, horns, keys, percussion, and vocals. There`s sax-y, tongue-in-cheek Summer Pop. Reappropriated traditional song. In the manner of Toshio Nakanishi`s Hosono-mentored Water Melon Group. Porno-sampling, steel pan Hip Hop. Synthetic Reggae. Sweet like Emerson Kitamura`s Lovers Rock. Vocodered, like Ryuichi Sakamoto`s You`re A Friend To Me. VIDEOTAPEMUSIC`s own pianica (a Japanese melodica) blowing Augustus Pablo vibes over most of it.