Earth Calling by Fumio Kosakai

Fumio Kosakai is best known as one half of Japanese Noise legends INCAPACITANTS and latterly HIJOKAIDAN. However, he has a long history in the Japanese psychedelic/electronic underground and we must also evoke lesser known projects such as TANGERINE DREAM SYNDICATE, GU-N, C.C.C.C., CLUB SKULL, BUSTMONSTERS etc etc.
And then there's his elusive solo work. In 1987 and 1993, he self-released two very limited cassettes of sublime solo electronic minimalism, inspired by Terry Riley, Hawkwind and Taj Mahal Travellers. There were no more than 30 copies of each cassette sent out into the world.
MEMOIRS OF AN AESTHETE have teamed up with CRATER LAKE RECORDS to reissue these cassettes as limited edition LPs. Here's the first one, from 1987, entitled "Earth Calling", straight from Mr. Kosakai's original masters and sounding far better than the mp3 version which was doing the rounds a few years ago. A limited edition of 250 copies in a beautiful screenprint approximation of the original cover art expertly printed by Sir Michael Flower. And theres an official digital download version available for the turntaburly-deprived.

"This first cassette was produced based on the recording of a solo performance carried out at the free jazz venue "Good Man" in Ogikubo, Tokyo, which ran around about 1985 and 1986.
The performance was done simultaneously using a self-made transmitter, mini-keyboard synthesizer, cassette tapes with environmental sounds recorded and a delay-like effect.
For the two tunes on the A Side, some sounds were overdubbed later on at home. For the B side, the live performance was released as it was.
The title of this cassette originates from the first tune on the live album "Space Ritual" by Hawkwind, from which I got a big impact. I interpreted these words as "Earth Calling" and aimed for such a sound universe. Especially the A side has more of this tendency, I suppose.
On the B side, is my attempt to recreate the infinite repetition like "A Rainbow In Curved Air" by Terry Riley, which I admire. The performance was done using a small Yamaha synthesizer and digital delay. It appeared to have gone fairly well so I didn't add any other sounds.
There was hardly any audience who came to the live performances at "Good Man" at that time. Normally it was less than five people and at worst case no-one turned up. Due to my lazyness and a lack of proper sales activity, there were actually less than 30 cassettes sold, I think. It is indeed a mystery that the music that rarely reached anyone ends up being listened in the corner of the world I have never imagined and then released again after more than 25 years. Thanks to Pete Cann and Phil Todd." - Fumio Kosakai (translated by Emi Ueno Neilson)"

Memoirs formed in 2002 from the ashes of legendary tape label Betley Welcomes Careful Drivers. Since then, as well has releasing Ashtray Navigations recordings, Memoirs of an Aesthete has been a conduit for the weird, wonderful and obscure of the UK underground and beyond. Releasing records we think deserve to be heard, because if we didn't who else would?