NTS Guide to: Music from Japan’s CD-era Electronic Underground
Electronica · Glitch · Ambient Techno

A journey through Japan’s quietly radical independent underground of the late ‘90s and early 2000s. Drawn from small-run CDs, obscure compilations, and deeply interconnected label networks, reflecting a moment where ambient, glitch, IDM, and experimental club sounds flourished into new forms — shaped by a generation of artists working across clubs, galleries, and record shops.

Created by Cameron Cullen

  • Rei Harakami, Ikuko Harada
    Sequence_03
  • Missing Project
    Poisson D’avril [FORM@ RECORDS]
  • PsysEx, So Takahashi
    #401_ii ~Patchware And Patchtape
  • AOKI Takamasa
    Music For Brick Warehouse
  • Kazumasa Hashimoto
    Beggining [Flyrec]
  • Mirouque
    Sky Cradle [360° Records]
  • Shinji Uwashige
    Détchement D'un Poète
  • Plot.
    Ajisai
  • Enitokwa
    Row Point 2
  • Kiyoshi Izumi
    Beatectonics
  • Exotic Modulation Sky
    Rin
  • Flatic
    Nano / Youth
  • Waki
    Crystal Of Water
  • Pola
    Cidre
  • Web
    Sea Of Mind [Syzygy Records]
  • Jun Sonohara
    Skip9
  • Lotus
    Posi
  • Mind Design
    Wave Of Changes
  • Ken Inaoka
    Deep Inside Of Me
  • Woodman
    Summer Solstice
  • Safari
    Sakurastorm
  • Fantastic Explosion, Tagomago
    Shutoken (Tagomago Mix)
  • Anna Yamada
    Sleepwalker [Elegant Disc]

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