Psych/Garage Rock charts

Review: Time Capsule exposes a few of the myriad pathways in Japan's 70s psychedelic soul wormhole, when a bountiful crop of music emerged from musicians inspired by homespun hero Haruomi Hosono's Happy End project, as well as the meandering ballads emerging from the dissolution of the 1960s protest movements. From the charming, Hosono-esque Francophile lounge funk of Hiroshi Kamayatsu's 'Have You Smoked Gauloise?' to the Tadashi Goino Group's strikingly sparse drum machine n' synth incantation 'Jikan Wo Koero Go Beyond Time', almost sounding like Goino is flanked by Vega and Rev at times, to the theatrical, almost duul-esque closing ballad 'Heya No Naka In The Room', the heads at Time Capsule assemble a compelling and kaleidoscopic anthology of forgotten Japanese gems.

Review: Japanese jazz drummer Akira Ishikawa's blistering 'Uganda (Dawn Of Rock)' makes a piognant claim as to the origins of rock n' roll, blending traditional African drumming workouts with the futuristic tropes belonging to psychedelic rock and fourth world music. Consisting of just four movements ranging from formless to the watery and rhythmic, its recording lies in the basis of just one legendary drummer, but in all its sonics sounds as though an enormous ensemble were behind it. A well-sought J-psych rarity.

Review: Uganda: Dawn Of Rock is a great collision of creative talents from Akira Ishikawa and Count Buffaloes who combine to deliver a captivating exploration of rock music's emergence in Uganda. A classic since it was first issued, the album showcases Ishikawa's masterful drumming and Count Buffaloes' dynamic instrumentation. It overflows with infectious rhythms and soulful melodies and each track immerses listeners in the vibrant music scene of Uganda where rock and local African sounds are fused into something new. As such this is a record that offers a perfect glimpse into a pivotal moment in Uganda's musical history.