After my big gushing over Taichi recently, I was very pleasantly surprised to see Pause selling a new remix album by him at their cash register (first time I see them selling a CD), which I quickly picked up. It’s an exclusive release from Jet Set Records, featuring 21 remixes of artists like Matmos, Tortoise, Squarepusher, and much more. At a very friendly 1500 yen, you can also listen to it at the Jet Set site. Talking with one of the waitresses, she told me that she’ll get me a copy of the AM I album (out of stock from the Soup Disk label). She also mentioned that he’s a regular there, so I might get to personally let him know how much I’m enjoying his work.

Here’s the blurb from Jet Set:

“JET SET exclusive!! The best MIX CD in ’04… We know it’s too early to say that in June. But this sensible mix work by a talented Japanese artist forces us to say so… TAICHI mixes up all his favorite music,from POST ROCK /JAZZ, contemporary JAZZ (like MEDESKI, MARTIN.. MILT JACKSON) to his own experimental recordings and even ZAP MAMA, BEN HARPER…This is a milestone approaching his uniqueness in eclectic way, that so-called “popular” DJs will never reach. If you’re bored with all MIX CD cliche then looking for a mix filled with fresh ideas, don’t hesitate to take it.”

A quick heads up to and upcoming Tokumaru Shugo live show at Enban in Koenji on July 1. It’s something called “Den-Den Mushi Night,” presented by Majikick Records. Show starts at 7, and it’s only 1000 yen. Alas, it’s another one of those early weekday shows that I can’t attend…

Inside Atelier Muji, at the flagship store in Yurakucho. They had some really nice things on display, objects from different parts of the world that might lead to future Muji products.

Let’s celebrate the return of my iMac (and TB.Grafico) with a couple of shots of the Apple Store in Ginza.

Shots taken with the A5403CA mobile phone.

Update: Patrick lets us know that Towa Tei will be giving a talk there this Thursday (June24). It’s actually part of a SAL magazine event that “will introduce the ‘AudioVisual Japan’ DVD which is a live visual version of SAL magazine (Vol.10 & Vol.11 issues) featuring talk shows as well as DJ/VJ scenes with many creators.” It starts at 7.

Just a quick note to say that I’m back on the iMac. Talk about a quick turn around: after it got picked up Saturday night, I got it back with a new HD early monday morning. On top of feeling speedy (probably mostly because of the clean install of Panther), they cleaned it up to make it look like a brand spanking new machine. Now comes the fun part of resinstalling all of my apps. I’m just so glad to be on a 17″ screen again.

“Vito Acconci wrapped the United Bamboo boutique in Tokyo with an interlaced steel mesh. The interior is made with steel tubing, lighted fabric walls and PVC. What’s so special is that everything in and around the store was treated this way. A welcome change to the “minimal” loft like spaces most fashion stores use.” (RE. Design)

I should maybe go have a look at this thing: “Propaganda 1904-1945: Between Modernism and Totalitarianism.” It’s at Todai’s University Museum, at the Hongo campus, so it would be easy enough to drop by next time I go there with Yuko. Admission is free. The ASAHI SHIMBUN has an article on the show.

I am so annoyed that most of the Euro 2004 games are only available on pay channel WOWOW here in Japan. I so want to watch that Spain/Portugal match tonight. It’s simply unbelievable that a major world (OK, Europe, but come on, this is next biggest deal after the World Cup) tournament like this is not shown entirely on terrestrial broadcast TV. After the Netherlands match from last night, there aren’t anymore games until the 26 (the start of the quarter finals). Aaargghhhhh…

Sorry for the lack of posts, but I’ve fallen in love with a little thing called WordPress. It’s blog software, like Movable Type (what I use to power this site), but open source, and entirely based in PHP and MySQL. It took 5 minutes to install. It’s powerful as hell. All the tags are PHP based, and I’m dizzied by the amount of things that I can do. The list of plugins is quite impressive, and I’ve already found something that would let me setup some nice photo albums, like the ones you see in TypePad (I’ve been wanting to do something along those lines for a long time now). I’ve already got a version of this site up and running, and it’s nice. Everything is generated on the fly, there are no archive pages, and just one template page. Oh, and I’ve just discovered all of this 2 days ago. The only reason I haven’t launched a new WP powered version of the site yet is because I’m having some problems setting up the moblog (posting by email is included in the program, but there seems to be a problem with my host’s Cron command; no worries if you don’t understand this, it’s UNIX geekiness). Mfop2, which I’ve used since the launch of my moblog (that little thing in the sidebar called Tokyo Boy), only supports MT and Blogger. I could of course launch the site using WP and just keep updating Tokyo Boy in MT, but I really want to make a clean break. I’ll keep you informed as things happen. And a big shout out to Chad for turning me onto this (and all his live iChat troubleshooting).

And just to update you on my iMac’s HD problems, my Applecare was all cleared up the other day (I hadn’t registered properly), and they picked up my machine today. I’ll hopefully get it back within a few days. It’s really nice that Apple has an English option on their support line.

I got my copy of the SONIDO UZUMAKI compilation the other day (more info in my previous post), and am really enjoying it. I can’t really comment on my favorite artists/tracks as I’ve just been listening to it on my iPod (with my iMac’s HD being dead, it means I can’t really listen to music at home until I get it replaced; it also brings up the fact that the iPod’s remote really should display track info, like the one’s that come with MD players). The thing about this release is that it forms the soundtrack to a group art show called “Aqui Uzumaki,” and I just learned that the thing is still being held now at the Hanna gallery in Ginza. Had I known, I certainly would have checked it out when I was in the area last weekend. The following link from Mumbleboy’s site has all the info. It’s on until August 23, so still plenty of time to check it out.

Stopped by Beams Street tonight and picked up a t-shirt from Beams-T. It’s the above shirt, of Spanky, from The Wonderful! Design Works. I get a Summer vibe from it.

I also got some things at Muji, one of them being a pair of boxer shorts. The funny thing is that they put the boxers in a seperate brown paper bag, before putting them in the larger bag, just like they do when you buy tampons/pads at the combini. Didn’t think people would be ashamed of buying underwear.

“In an attempt to boost Japanese interest in British design and creativity, the British Embassy and British Council are organizing Design U.K., a festival to be held across the country from the end of September throughout October, according to the embassy.

The festival of British design will comprise a wide range of events, some of which will also be part of Tokyo Designers Week and Tokyo Designers Block, events that cover all kinds of designs: interiors, furniture, textiles and even semiconductors.

British design is recognized worldwide, particularly for its diversity and high quality, according to Jane Owen, director of trade promotion at the British Embassy.

More than 30 events will take place between Sept. 27 and Oct. 30 in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Sapporo, Shizuoka and Fukuoka, and about 400,000 people are expected to participate in the festival.

Among scheduled events are First Hand 2, an exhibition featuring the latest products in the British interior and furniture industry, and Twinkle Twinkle, which will focus on lights created by British designers, such as Ron Arad and Tom Dixon.

A multimedia festival, dubbed onedotzero-nippon 2004–moving image festival, will feature award-winning motion graphic design, animation and short films. In Stylish Britain Seminar, scheduled for Oct. 7 at Roppongi Hills in Roppongi, Tokyo, Sir Terence Conran will talk about British design and his expectations for young designers in his country.

For more information on the event, visit www.uknow.or.jp.” (DAILY YOMIURI)

If you happen to be in Shibuya before the end of the month, stop by the Parco Logos Gallery to have a look at the “Japan Avantgarde” posters they now have on display. I quite liked what I saw.

Momus will be back in Japan this September, and he’ll be playing a few shows. You can get more info on his Shimokitazawa show at Click Opera, but here’s how he describes his Pin Pin Tour:

“Following the Tokyo show, there will be a mini-tour of Japan in September, The Pin Pin Tour, together with Robert Duckworth. (The name Pin Pin is a reference to Shobo Shobo, because shobo shobo means running out of energy, and pin pin means the opposite: becoming ever more zingy and chipper.) Dates so far confirmed include an appearance at Soap Gallery, Fukuoka, Kyushu on September 19th, with shows in Nagoya and Tokyo to be announced soon. (News just in: Robert says there’ll be a Pin Pin event in Tokyo Meguro and also one at Tokyo Geijyutsu Daigaku in Toride — the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. And he says be careful not to call it the Bin Bin Tour, since that’s the ‘sound’ of the male member springing to attention first thing in the morning. Wow, the Japanese really have onomatopenis for everything!)”

It’s a nice sunny Saturday, and we leave our place unusually early (noon) in order to make it to the Muji flagship store in Yurakucho for lunch at Meal Muji. After a nice healthy lunch and a bit of shopping, we make our usual stop at the Okinawa shop (picking up a Taco Rice kit and some Chinsuko cookies), and then head out to the Ginza Graphic Gallery for the Danish Posters show. We then make our way to the Apple Store, with the purpose of finding out how much it would cost to replace the dead battery in my iBook (a replacement is the same price as a new one: too damn expensive). While waiting for my turn at the Genius Bar, I play around with a 17″ Powerbook. Sweet. Before leaving Ginza, we make a stop at the Matsuzakaya depachika (basement food court), and get loads of great things to eat.

The following day is dedicated to heading out to Todai for some studying (something we were planning on doing after what was supposed to be a “quick” stop in Ginza the previous day). Arriving in Hongo, we start the afternoon by making our regular stop at the Mermaid Cafe. Leafing through a pamphlet, I find out that there’s also one in Daikanyama. After an afternoon of studying (well, that and reading the newspapers and recent issues of TIME and NEWSWEEK), we exit the campus and decide to check out the Neo Sitting Room (moblog entry here), a nice little cafe I’d spotted in a magazine (can’t remember which one). Their specialty is Japanese style desserts (I have a delicious Agepan Ice), but the other people there have ordered tasty looking noodle based dishes. We’ll try them out next time. A Happy End album is playing, and I’m very happy to hear my favorite song by them, “Kaze wo Atsumete.”