Time Capsule Vinyl & CDs

Review: Choice Cuts 1978-1983 gathers eight tracks from four of Mimi's early albums-Sea Flight (1978), Coconuts High (1981), Nuts Nuts Nuts (1982), and Tropicana (1983). Opening with a funky, syncopated take on Sergio Mendes' 'Mas Que Nada' and the crisp techno-pop of 'Coffee Rumba,' all of which mean the compilation showcases Mimi's eclectic style. It also features the synth jam 'Quiet Explosion' and the piano samba 'Espresso.' Two standout tracks from Coconuts High-the sultry 'Crazy Love' and the lively 'Palm Sr'-highlight her playful Latin-tinged jazz fusion. Released on Takanaka's Kitty Records, this collection reveals Mimi's vibrant and innovative artistry.

Review: Japan meets Jamaica in Tokyo Riddim Band's latest single where illustrious keyboardist Izumi 'Mimi' Kobayashi joins forces with Jamaican singer Ras Tavaris. This track revives Kobayashi's 1981 hit, 'Lazy Love,' originally from her sought-after Coconuts High LP recorded in LA. Featured on Time Capsule's 2024 Japanese reggae compilation Tokyo Riddim 1976-1985, the song now transforms from soulful pop to a deep dub cut. The Tokyo Riddim Band brilliantly blends Japanese and London sounds and infuses the track with big energy, reggae rhythms, funky bass lines, and smooth City Pop guitar, all enhanced by Prince Fatty's studio magic.

Review: A rare new V/A record from the diggers deific over at Time Capsule - Kay Suzuki and company - whose focus on reissues has thus far formed a dense but not unbraveable thicket of drummy disco, city pop, reggae and international rerubs. Formed out of the East London party scene centring on Brilliant Corners and Beauty & The Beat, this four-track haul of Choice Remixes is a surely credible little curation. Suzuki lends four flips to the record - first of Gaoule Mizik's 'A Ka Titine' from 2022, which reappears with expository force, providing a banging re-bake of the Guadeloupean gwoka original. The theme continues on a version of Broki's 'Es Que Lo Es', which veers Latin minimalia, before slowing to a chuggy pace on 'Sortez Les Filles', before a final, synthy piano duet leaves the proceedings on a piquant hurrah, 'Oyelo'.

Review: London-based Tokyo Riddim Band is a fusion of cultures, uniting three generations of Japanese female musicians with London's eclectic soundscape. Their vibrant performances merge reggae drums, funky basslines, and City Pop guitar, all live and dubbed-out on stage, creating a cultural phenomenon in the reggae scene. Following their debut single's success, "Denshi Lenzi," Tokyo Riddim Band presents "Canoe Boy," a hypnotic Japanese new wave reggae track. Originally penned by Japanese punk rock pioneer PANTA in 1980 for Tomoko Kuwae's album, this gem makes its single debut now. Dubby and funky, Tokyo Riddim Band's rendition, enhanced by Prince Fatty's dubwise touch, features siren machines, extended solos, and a groovy outro.

Review: 'Denshi Lenzi' by Tokyo Riddim Band offers a splendid fusion of past and present, blending elements of Japanese reggae with contemporary dub sensibilities. Recorded and mixed by the renowned Prince Fatty in South London, this track presents a unique cultural amalgamation. Featuring three generations of female musicians from Japan, the band combines reggae drums, funky basslines, and smooth City Pop guitar melodies, creating a stellar live dub experience. Tokyo Riddim Band's emergence has been celebrated by Gilles Peterson, NTS, Pitchfork, and Bandcamp Daily, gaining recognition for their fresh take on classic Japanese reggae. Led by pianist and composer Izumi 'Mimi' Kobayashi, the band's reinvention of the Natural Mystic riddim in 'Denshi Lenzi' injects new life into the original Japanese production. With dubbed-out vocals, sirens, and electrifying e-tom sounds, the track delivers an authentic reggae/dub experience infused with a distinct UK flair.

Review: Tokyo Riddim Vol. 2 looks into the eclectic fusion of reggae and Japanese pop, uncovering a unique musical journey that began when Ryuichi Sakamoto traveled to Kingston in 1978. Collaborating with Jamaican icons like Neville Hinds and Rita Marley, Sakamoto's experience set the stage for a burgeoning connection between Japanese artists and Jamaican reggae. This compilation showcases tracks like Teresa Noda's 'Tropical Love' and 'Yellow Moon', highlighting the innovative blend of dub, electronic, and new wave that emerged in Japan during the late 70s and early 80s. The album features genre-bending contributions from key figures such as Yosui Inoue, Kay Ishiguro, and Tomoko Aran, who reimagined reggae with bold, unconventional styles. Tokyo Riddim Vol. 2 explores the hybridisation of these sounds, demonstrating how the exchange between Tokyo and Kingston birthed a fresh, boundary-defying genre. This collection shows Japan's experimental spirit, weaving together reggae's rhythms with the era's cosmopolitan influences, carving out a place beyond Western musical conventions.

Review: Expertly curated by Time Capsule, Nippon Acid Folk 1970-1980 offers an authentic trip through Japan's rich psychedelic folk scene. Across its eight standout tracks, the album showcases a diverse range of artists and styles, from dreamy acoustic ballads to experimental electronic compositions. Each song is a testament to the creativity and innovation of the era, blending traditional Japanese folk elements with psychedelic and avant-garde influences from around the wider musical world. The album's carefully curated selection means it plays out with a sense of story that provides a fascinating glimpse into a unique period of Japanese music history. This one then is a must-listen for enthusiasts of experimental folk and global psychedelia.

Review: Time Capsule exposes a few of the myriad pathways in Japan's 70s psychedelic soul wormhole, when a bountiful crop of music emerged from musicians inspired by homespun hero Haruomi Hosono's Happy End project, as well as the meandering ballads emerging from the dissolution of the 1960s protest movements. From the charming, Hosono-esque Francophile lounge funk of Hiroshi Kamayatsu's 'Have You Smoked Gauloise?' to the Tadashi Goino Group's strikingly sparse drum machine n' synth incantation 'Jikan Wo Koero Go Beyond Time', almost sounding like Goino is flanked by Vega and Rev at times, to the theatrical, almost duul-esque closing ballad 'Heya No Naka In The Room', the heads at Time Capsule assemble a compelling and kaleidoscopic anthology of forgotten Japanese gems.