Tokyo's Coolest Sound

Last Saturday was event "Tokyo Outbound vol.02" at Koenji High, presented by CTO LAB. and Otona no kagaku, a popular magazine that always comes with something that you can build yourself (even down to a theremin, small synthesizer SX-150, the Arudino computer, etc.). CTO LAB makes its music mainly using small instruments (therefore the name which stands for "Compact Techno Organization"), making this a perfect match.

This time featured aside from CTO LAB were Open Reel Ensemble, and many mini-live acts. Start time was a bit early and I got there late, unfortunately missing a mini-live by trauma techno-pop band Urbangarde.

The first I caught was Hitorimisaki who played two songs, the 2nd for which he was joined by singer Ruby. Next was band of three little moa, who played quiet electric tracks with female vocals. They gave away a 2-song demo CD-R. Next on stage was Tenorierie, who had also played at the previous event. She played a similar set of songs all sequenced on her Tenorion.

Hitorimisaki feat. Ruby, little moa, Tenorierie

The event being presented by Otona no kagaku, there were a few corners with demonstrations of the ready-to-build instruments or toys that are included in the magazine. There was also a unit of two guys, named sharin no saihatsumei (means "Reinventing the wheel") who made electronic music including various small synthesizers, Japanino (Arduino) computers, using screwdrivers to tweak tiny knobs.

Otona no kagaku rep., sharin no saihatsumei

Then came Open Reel Ensemble, a performance unit that uses several large open reel tape recorders to make live music. They record on stage using various instruments, and then play and scratch the recorded sounds. As I often played with one of those tape recorders when I was little, their great show brings a lot of nostalgia to me. This time within the set they did a minimal session where they used only guitar and the tape recorders, playing along with the event's do-it-yourself theme. The show used live instruments such as guitar, bass, percussions, pianica, a vacuum cleaner, and the members' voices as sampling sources, soon being sequenced live into upbeat tracks.

Open Reel Ensemble

While the next band was setting up, Uda Michinobu did an intermission presenting his unique instrument, the Udar which produces a beautiful sound (hear it in a clip below). It's still a prototype, always getting more sophisticated. The latest version (4.4) stopped using MIDI and instead has its original sound that can change depending on velocity. He played the theme of game Mother, written by the Moonriders. There's a plan for Otona no kagaku to release a more compact version of the Udar with its magazine sometime this year. Let's keep our fingers crossed!

UDA Michinobu

Last up was CTO LAB.! As you probably know already it's the super-unit of polymoog (Elektel), Imai Kentarō (The Aprils) and Okada Tōru (The Moonriders). They played a fun set as usual, this time including a new song made for a game to be released later this year. Two dancers from unit Genius also appeared at the beginning and end of the show, and there was a collaboration with Udar for a cover of Charlie Chaplin's "Smile". Also Okada-san revealed during the show that he's really the one behind the nickname Thomas O'hara, responsible for the Hatsune Miku cover album of the Moonriders out recently.

CTO LAB.

Set list: C.DISCO (with dancers from Genius) / itoko dōshi (Moonriders cover) / One More Thing / Smile (Charlie Chaplin cover with Udar) / New song for game / Flashback
Encore: A Space Odyssey / Crash Bandicoot (with dancers from Genius)

Here's looking forward to more of the Tokyo Outbound series!

Larger sizes and more photos at Flickr

Live information:
Urbangarde - Jan. 14 at Kichijoji Planet K
Steam Blue Project (members of Open Reel Ensemble) - Jan. 17 at Daikanyama haretara sora ni mame maite
CTO LAB. - Jan. 19 at Shibuya Star Lounge, with spoon+, Cutie Pai, etc.

Open Reel Ensemble (live clip from 2009)

CTO LAB. "C.DISCO" (live clip from 2009 show)

Uda Michinobu "Down by the Salley Gardens"

sharin no saihatsumei (live at Tokyo Outbound #02)