the of mirror eye

* Fushitsusha: I-I (23.0 mb)
From Untitled : PSF Records : PSFD-3/4

If one is to address the psychedelic musics of Japan, then Keiji Haino should be at the top of that list. He’s been at the forefront of the psychedelic music scene since the early ’70’s and shows no signs of slowing down (149 releases and counting). This man is simply amazing, a living legend. There’s really no way that I can even come close to describing the power that Keiji Haino possesses. No way to really describe just how completely he can master anything that he gets his hands on. Or the way that his sound is so unique and complete that he’s been able to examine the same musical themes for over 30 years and still not be done exploring them. He’s been known to play marathon 7 hour concerts, schedule two concerts in one night at two different venues, or play solo with a sampler and over 40 instruments.

Haino’s music, whether solo or within a group, is an overwhelming force. It can take unprepared listeners completely off their feet. The sheer volume of his guitar playing, added to the astonishingly raw emotion of his vocals, creates a clear impression that one is witnessing the closest rock equivalent to Primal Scream therapy. In fact, this is partly true; all performances, all recordings, are completely improvised and never repeated.

(Phil Freeman)

Fushitsusha is his “rock” group and has been performing, in various incarnations, since the late ’70’s. And even though this isn’t really saying all that much, this group could be considered his most accessible. The music here is still very strange and alien. Keiji Haino takes rock as his starting point. but jumps quickly into the stratosphere. This is an absolutely amazing document and, no matter how many times I listen to it, there’s always something new to hear.

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