[TOY009] Z80A - Loopgraph (Toy Label Archives reviews)

     Easy, repetitive. Drum loops with relaxing, yet energized and slightly menacing basslines underneath.  Everything sounds mechanical, this album would work well as a soundtrack for F-Zero, if F-Zero were a game where you wait in the traffic of a congested future-city rather than risk your life to win a race.


[MEGA download: Z80A - Loopgraph]




Here's what the label had to say about the album, in Japanese:

[中島のプロジェクトであるZ80Aのアルバム]

Z80AとしてTOYで初めて出すアルバムであるが、この頃はMSXで曲作りしていた時期としては末期。これまでBASICで作っていたのを、専用の OPLLドライバーっていうソフトでやり始めたので、音色の感じがちょっと違う曲がある。ミニマルでスカスカなループが延々続くような曲ばかりを収録して いる。(Nakajima)

ずっと聴いてたらMSXでやってることを忘れるくらい、とても良く出来たテクノアルバム。
派手さはないけど音楽/音色の作り方が上手い。リチャード・ジェームスのRephlexっぽい。(Onodera)

Toy Label Archives

I found the discography of this amazing Japanese music label called "Toy Label" months ago. I spent three days trying to track down ANY SONGS by any artist on the label. Lots of the artists on this label are now-defunct or go by different names, or the names are simply impossible to find any info on, possibly releasing only one item under the moniker.

I feel like I need to post a little explanation of what I like so much about this entire collection, because otherwise I will end up saying the same thing in every blog post: Most things in the Toy Label collection dont give a shit about how they come across. The general mood will be serious but suddenly one track will have an arpeggiated synth line come out of nowhere, just for a bit. There tends to be a healthy mixture of experimentation and respect for... the range of influences that come before it. It doesn't feel post-modern or dadaist, but it just doesn't care if you get confused. It is consistently, slightly, experimental. Not for some higher purpose, but just for fun.

Anyways, I'm gonna post a link to the torrent, which I encourage anyone to download, I seed it regularly. I also am planning to post little reviews of a few of my favorite albums with direct download links accompanying. !!! :)

[MAGNET LINK]