Asa-Chang & Junray — Junray song Chang

Asa-Chang (Asakura Koichi), self-taught Tabla and Bongo artist, ex-leader of the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra has spent the last few years doing studio work for some of the cheesiest bands on earth: the J-pop artists. However, don’t expect anything corny on this album.

Junrei means pilgrimage and Asakura picked this word to name his solo efforts as he considers it suits well his idea of what rhythm is (going somewhere and then coming back home). And this album is indeed some kind of travel. A journey into sound... Eastern percussion, trumpets, flutes, harmonicas, guitars, strings, brass, toys, electronics, voices, are all conveyed at some point during this record.

More than a solo album, what we got here is the result of a collaboration between Asa-Chang and U-Zhaan, a traditionally trained tabla player. And it is this very conflict between electronics, traditional and “free” tabla playing which gives the whole thing a real dynamic feeling. The word “tabla” brings to mind “World Music”, this particular kind of music purposely presented as being authentic ethnic music when it’s only a marketed version of ethnicity aimed at western crowds. No such thing here as we get a very modern, contemporary form of music. Collage, cut-and-paste, are used to the better, mixing well with every single instrument used, not allowing any of them to take the leading role. The vocals are merely used as instruments and are so heavily treated that when you read that Boredoms’ Yoshimi contributed to some, it is simply impossible to check it out...

It is very difficult to pick the “standing-out” tracks as every single of them has its own quality. However, the single Hana (japanese for flower) is poised to be one of the best songs of the year, summing up all the quality of the album in 6 minutes: treated vocals, tabla’s, strings, electronics... A very nostalgic yet perfect for chilling tune. Track 10, Radio no youni, is a cover version of mad Frenchwoman Brigitte Fontaine’s classic song Comme a la radio.

Very melodic yet experimental, nostalgic yet cheering, Junray song chang is one of the most intriguing and most beautiful CD of the year. Maybe even one of the best... Let Asa-Chang take you on this trip...you will never look back.