Azabu cover
Recorded
Released

How can we catch up with the past when it begins to overwhelm the present? This 1971 recording is the beginning of Ranta’s life as a percussionist and composer. Recorded in one Tokyo district (Azabu-Juban), this album combines percussion and field recording and analog synthesis for two very long tracks that are completely realized. There’s a spoken section that sounds like it could be Ranta talking about himself, someone saying his life didn’t begin until he arrived “here.” Azabu sounds like that kind of real awakening.

Sasha Frere-Jones

Suggestions
LP5 cover

LP5

Autechre
Zeit cover

Zeit

Tangerine Dream
Bloodroot cover

Bloodroot

Kelly Moran
Activities cover

Activities

Anna Butterss
Engravings cover

Engravings

Forest Swords
Belladonna cover

Belladonna

Mary Halvorson
Simultonality cover

Simultonality

Joshua Abrams, Natural Information Society
Palm cover

Palm

Kukangendai
Steamroom 35 cover

Steamroom 35

Jim O'Rourke
Fantasy Empire cover

Fantasy Empire

Lightning Bolt