A mini-Japanese music invasion of the Philippines

Members of Japanese band, The Fin with Terno Recordings' Toti Dalmacion (middle).

A mini-Japanese music invasion of the Philippines

by rick olivares

If you ask older music folk about Japanese music, they’ll most likely point out to theme songs from anime such as Voltes V, Mazinger Z, and Daimos to name a few. And pop-wise, there’d be Yoko Ono, Tadao Hayashi, and Shonen Knife again to name a few. But for the more adventurous and discriminating music-philes, there’s a larger world out there; one that has touched down on Philippines shores and making an impact.

Last Sunday, October 7, Japanese indie pop band Pictured Resort performed at 19 East in Muntinlupa City.

The Osaka-based quartet is just the latest act from the Land of the Rising Sun to hit Philippine shores. Previously, the Fin, a three-man indie rock band from Kobe and post-rock band Toe were also brought over that most excellent purveyor of great indie music, Toti Dalmacion’s Terno Recordings. Japanese hardcore bands Vivisick and Cheerio, grindcore band Sete Star Sept, and metal outfit, Pukelization have also toured and rocked Philippine shores.

Independent record stores such as Dalmacion’s This Is Pop in Legaspi Village, and others such as Mutilated Noise (also in Makati) and Still Ill Records (in Manila) and even The Grey Market sell albums from Japanese bands. Local post-rock outfit Tide/Edit cite Toe as a major influence.

Although the local music scene is vibrant with its own sons and daughters, it is just as eclectic with music from different countries popular among the young. Japan is no different.

Explained Darwin Soneja of independent show promoter Sleeping Boy Collective, “My view here is that because of the internet, people are discovering more obscure artists and are growing more adventurous in their music tastes.”

Some like Dalmacion who has been promoting indie music for the better part of three-plus decades especially in the pre-internet age, it is about growing up into it. “It helps that I am also a Japanophile,” he disclosed in an interview post-Pictured Resort. “I have been fascinated by acts like the Yellow Magic Orchestra, the Plastics, Melon, Salon Music, Miharu Koshi, Akiko Yano, Japanese Electric Foundation, and Frank Chickens to name a few. I was also at an early age, a fan of David Sylvain’s (British band) Japan and Ryuichi Sakamoto. So it is easy for me to fall in love with Japanese bands as well as non-Japanese bands.”

Francis Maria of the band Beast Jesus opined that” It’s a sense of exoticism that is made familiar by Japan’s interpretation of Western things. Malakas yung sense of otherness and it’s hard to shake off despite the cultural and linguistic differences.”

Dalmacion who has never cared for trends and has instead charted his own path pointed out to doing his own thing. “It’s about the music that appeals to me and what is pop to my ears and what I want to give to Filipinos who are open-minded enough to accept what is not mainstream.”

And it isn’t only one way for this cultural exchange. Underground metal band Dreaded Mortuary has seen its second album released by a Japanese label and their performing in a festival in Tokyo.

Most recently Up Dharma Down released a specially-curated album for the Japanese market titled, Sun Shower. Added Dalmacion, “There is no conscious effort to influence UDD to the newer Japanese bands that I champion. Though the last single, “Sigurado” was a tip of the hat to the sound of 80s and current Japanese city pop.”

The verdict? It’s a win-win situation for music fans in this side of the world.

The result is a win-win situation for music fans.

Toti Dalmacion (center) with Pictured Resort.