Tori Kudo Vinyl, CD & tapes by Tori Kudo at Norman Records

A collaboration between DJ and archive curator Kayo Makino and underground artist Tori Kudo, featuring mastering work by a certain Jim O’Rourke, Ein Traum Fur Dich is a thing of extreme beauty. It consists of two side-long pieces, both soundscapes of digitised ambience cut through with Kudo’s haunting piano. 

Tori Kudo is best known for leading the ramshackle and often magical Japanese collective Maher Shalal Hash Baz. This tape captures an acoustic Tokyo performance with Mikiko Suzuki, featuring versions of songs from MSHB alongside covers of Beefheart, The Only Ones, and the easy listening standard Sea of Love. Kudo’s unpretentious outsider delivery is a must for fans of Daniel Johnston and Jad Fair.

Gala-Kei is a multi-layered work from cult Japanese musician Tori Kudo, an avant-folk kind of character who has been operating in the shadows for many years. Gala-Kei is made up of live recordings from Tori’s band Maher Shalal Hash Baz, voicemail recordings from Hashizaka Ai, and some further material from Tori. Quite a listen. On Bruit Direct Disques.