The Battle Continues

Laptop Battle Tokyo, vol. 3
7/16, SuperDeluxe

Combining the craziness of computer-generated music and the thrill of competition, the sporadic Laptop Battles at SuperDeluxe are becoming some of my more anticipated events in Tokyo. It's a way to see how individual musicians, working in the very solitary medium of computers, can translate their gadgetry to a live performance.

The third edition did not disappoint. The music is always the focus, but this time I feel like the competitors upped their showmanship. While some may dismiss crazy masks, wigs and dancing as gimmicks, I figure that if you already know you can throw down, you might as well go for entertainment value as well -- something the judges seemed to take into account.

The battle featured eight musicians in a bracket-style tournament, competing for software and gear. It was off to a strong start in the first round, when Hiroaki Oba's mix of disco-y influences rightly won out over Azop Corp's more technically proficient but rather standard beats.

I won't go into detail of each round, but highlights for me included lots of samples from old-school Nintendo games, and the stage antics of Lastboss (who went on to the final) and Naotoxin, a competitor from the first laptop battle who unfortunately was eliminated.

Technical problems terminated competitor T3 from the running, but perhaps his dark, expansive music wasn't cut out for the competition.

The final paired ambient DJ Yuko Ono with the spastic stylings of Mancunian mixer Lastboss. It was a tough call because the two are so different stylistically. The crowd seemed to favor Ono, but Lastboss' supporters definitely knew how to be vocal.

Ono started out strong and I was sure she had it, but her second offering wasn't as sure. Lastboss was consistent in his seizure-inducing glitches and samples, and maybe it was his technical prowess and showmanship that won him the title.

Even though I thought the decision should've gone the other way, I don't think that Ono lost out, and I hope to see her again soon.

Check out the Laptop Battle website for lots of info. And anywhere else for pics better than mine.

Flo Union Summer special

Flo Union is a monthly event which has been happening at different venues and with different organisers since 2004. It has morphed from a book exchange to an arts showcase to its current incarnation as a Media Lounge, organised by the VJ, David Roy (Modius Cafe) with the help of Craig Exton (Tokyo Gig Guide).

The July Flo Union on July 20th, will focus on live music with some very special international guests: Mixtune For Cully, visiting from Denmark, Cigarettes For Ping Pong from Australia, as well as local, Eri Makino.

Like every month, there will also be VJs and artists showing their work.
In fact, any kind of artist is free to perform or show their work. Live painting, short films, DJs, VJs, performance art, dance, poetry, live projection, animation, design, photography... Just let us know in advance if you can. flounion@gmail.com

Between performances, DJs Mr Craig e, Bamboozled, Stick Close Like Dogs, Dolly and more will play DJ tennis.

It will be held on Sunday, July 20th at The Pink Cow, a cool loungeroom-like event space/restaurant/bar in Shibuya.

Entry is free and it starts at 8:30pm.



Mixtune For Cully
Aage Hedensted; the man behind the previous Danish indierock successes such as Yellowish and Slowburn is back on track with his most ambitious project so far, Mixtune For Cully. A singer/songwriter with a preference for the traditional shoegazer scene, Hedensted, with his beautiful and piercing voice, masters to muster a fragile thoughtfulness in his lyrics. The noise of the guitar has been tuned down and replaced by insisting, acoustic elements. We Know Where The Aircrafts Hide is released in Denmark the 6th of October by GoodTape Records in collaboration with Playground Music. Aage will bring the new album with him to Japan and play some of the songs from it live.

Cigarettes For Ping Pong
From Melbourne, Australia, Carol Micallef's (Cartwheel, Like Chandeliers) new project Cigarettes For Ping Pong play music which conveys both tenderness and charm like that of a new foal attempting to stand on it’s own. We hope you will be fond of it.

Eri Makino
Eri Makino is “Piano and vocal and something” style musician, with snare drum, with many toy, with laptop, with impromptu, with sampler, with orchestra, with band, with idol unit, with i-pod, with a teddy, with my friends, etc.

Eri Makino and Cigarettes For Ping Pong will also play on the afternoon of Saturday, July 19th at Stax Fred in Koenji for a special lunchtime live show with electronic duo lotusloop. Details here.