While walking to my bike after a long day at work, a captivating neon light coming a staircase below, led me on an unexpected adventure in Daikanyama. What appeared to be a tiny, two-seat restaurant concealed a secret world beyond, a hidden door revealed Débris, an underground speakeasy blending, music, art, and unique “medicinal” cocktails. Inside, I was warmly welcomed by Miyu Yuka, and DJ Arow, pictured here. Miyu, the bartender introduced me to their signature ginger soda and explained that their offerings are inspired by Chinese herbal ‘kompo’ traditions. Despite the early hour and a quiet atmosphere, they graciously […]
Tokyo Record Style
Doc Martin
“Music is a celebration of life.” I had the great privilege to tap into dance party culture in the late 90s and early 00s via Unity Gain (if you know, you know.) It was through IVY, Psychonaut, and Liondub that I got hip to techno, house, dub and dancehall, and there was a chapter where concerts and live gigs gave way to raves and house parties, a trend I brought with me to Tokyo back when we’d dance till noon at Yellow, Womb, Ageha, Air, and Unit. Though I didn’t go miles deep into all the names and players on […]
Tokyo Record Style
Taichi
A number of years ago I was in the market for a new amplifier. I really debated whether to buy a feature-thin power-amp, optimized for a 2-channel, high-fidelity listening experience, or a feature-rich, multi-channel mainframe Audio/Video receiver for the home entertainment center. As much as I wanted to go for a warm and roaring, analog and VU metered, tube-glowing vintage hi-fi amp for myself, I opted for max HDMI ports, Bluetooth, and the like, to stay in good graces with my growing family. (I’d get the hi-fi rig down the road). Well, one of the interesting and unexpected features I […]
