1. Pimmon | It Will Never Snow In Sydney
Going to a Pimmon gig in 2011 was kind of an enlightening moment for me. I realised Music could be more about a kind of experience rather than just melody and lyrics. This is the first CD of his I ever bought. I also like that the Music kind of seems to come from nowhere in particular but at the same time, everywhere.
2. The Go-Betweens | Streets Of Your Town
My parents played this song to my brother and I since before I can remember. It’s got excellent hooks and terrible lyrics.
3. Claude Debussy | Suite Bergamasque: 3. Claire De Lune (Played by Isao Tomita)
I’m afraid this is kind of an obvious choice. I suppose I put this here mostly because used to play piano a lot. I aspire to write this kind of Music – simple but evocative.
4. New Order | Blue Monday
I have good memories of dancing to this pretty shamelessly in the kitchen of my parent’s house with my brother.
5. The Jesus And Mary Chain | Just Like Honey
I think most people around my age would associate this with the last scene in the movie Lost In Translation (and so do I). That movie had a lot of resonance with me as a foreigner in Japan. Also it’s a very direct expression of the idea of transposing Pop songwriting with Noise/Experimentalism, which is the kind of place I try to make my music from.
6. Jonny Greenwood | Bit About Yourself, You Want To Properly (Norwegian Wood Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Listening to this somehow makes everything seem very lucid. I really like the opening phrase. I used to listen to this a lot studying.
7. Supercar | Soratobi
The production on this is really clean and simple, which allows the writing to really shine. I was talking about them to a friend recently and discovered that members of Supercar continued on after they’d disbanded and went and wrote for some great J-Pop and J-Rock groups. They’ve been a great entry point for me to find out about a lot of other Japanese acts too.
8. Fleet Foxes | Blue Ridge Mountains
Viva 2008.
9. Daisuke Tanabe | Artificial Sweetener
There is a hidden undercurrent of Experimentalism here that goes beyond the just glitchy. I also really like how he deals with rhythm and melody (and Stereo Panning).
10. Cannonball Adderley | Autumn Leaves (with Miles Davis) (Yves Montand & Irène Joachim's 'Les Feuilles Mortes' Cover)
These guys don’t let their egos get in the way of each other. They’re all incredibly skilled but also play really modestly in this.
