Published ten months after the "Zen-Kei" show was a hefty tome that is more a comprehensive overview of Ohtake's work to date than a mere exhibition catalogue. It can actually be considered as a work in its own right that fans must have been waiting for, and even for those who got tired of waiting the 1152-page + 2CD monster certainly comes as devastating as a hit one on both sides of the face. Next to the approximately 2,000 items displayed at the exhibition, the book contains the "Mienai oto, Kikoenai e" (Invisible Sound, Unheard Picture) essay that appeared in "Shincho" magazine (with English translation). While the sheer volume of the catalogue is overwhelming enough, what's even more frightening is the fact that Ohtake shows absolutely no sign of slowing down even after this big bang.

Ueda Shoji is primarily known for his photographs of sand dunes in his native Tottori, and even outside Japan the "Ueda-cho" has earned a high reputation for outstanding image composition sills. This book contains photos of Ueda's wife Norie, selected from a number of negatives Ueda has left behind. In these previously unpublished pictures from the time between 1935, the year of their marriage, and the 1950s, Norie looks quite charming as she places herself in the scenery like a still life, yet densely reflects the relationship between her and her husband. It's quite interesting to browse through this book and compare it to another "couple" photo collection, Araki Nobuyoshi's "Sentimental Journey".

Gone are the times when flying kites, badminton and spinning tops were the highlight of the holiday season for Japanese children. It's all about money these days, even for the kids. Now here's one for you, who once used to receive New Year's gifts but are now supposedly on the giving side. How about placing a little more importance on the wrapping, and not only on what to wrap? This book as massive as a telephone directory (592 pages!) contains everything you need to know about the small but profound world of "pochibukuro", or envelopes for monetary gifts. Each of the incredible number of items, be it Japanese-style or Art Deco, erotic or fantastic, comes with a brief introduction, all wrapped up in a cover that is nicely "pochi" style as well.

Using such aliases as Bergbahn or Montage, Yamamichi Akira has been producing everything from sample-based breakbeat jazz to minimal click house. The sixth CD released on his own label showcase brilliantly the musician's borderless creativity. The list of artists this time includes also his other project, the Electroacoustic Jazz Quartet, as well as guests Jimanica and Missing Man Foundation, who add some surprising elements of rock, Afro beat and other. However, thanks to Yamamichi being the brain behind every track, there is a much more prominent feel of consistency than on his various remix compilations. Choosing just one name instead of confusing combinations for the album's and each track's titles would've made it easier for listeners, but that can easily be solved by just not looking at the CD case while listening.

Compared to the rather difficult simulataneous release "Size and Tears/Alice in Wonderland", this other new offering from Tusia Beridze aka TBA is much more easy to handle. "The Other" begins with washes of pastoral harmonies on top of an Alva Noto-esque rhythm track, and although all that follows takes unexpected twists and turns, the opener's combination of tight beats and a Monolakean notion of space sums up the album pretty well. Toward the end things get increasingly dramatic, and just when you think that track 8 or 9 would make good film music, you'll realize that the entire CD could actually be a soundtrack for an imaginary movie. Without ever sounding inconsistent, it takes the listener on a journey through instrumental and vocal tracks, floating ambient and funky pop, easily accessible and rather disturbing tunes.

As the name -- short for "drums.visuals.drums" -- suggests, d.v.d are two drummers playing video games using their instruments as control units. That's of course something to watch and listen to at once, so d.v.d is always best experienced live on stage. For those who don't have the chance to catch their live show or can't wait until the next, this DVD is the next best opportunity to enjoy their unique, groovy drum battle-game. The DVD includes additional "making of" footage, and although it's naturally different from being there, these recordings are quite entertaining. What doesn't make much sense is the CD in the set. Even though it contains different material, and it is understandable that the artists want people to focus also on the musical side of their art, without the visual aspect it's only half the fun, so selling a single DVD at a cheaper price would have been an option to consider.

This is the second album of former Bush of Ghosts and Determinations members Yossy and Icchie, who operate as a duo under this rather odd name. Like their debut, this second offering "interweaves" electronica with acoustic instrumentation. Spiced up with elements of lounge pop, reggae, and others, "Woven" highlights particularly well the unique flavor of YLNW. Even though sometimes reminiscent of the likes of Takemura Nobukazu, or featuring English lyrics sung with the typical accent of a Japanese girl, the album never sounds childish, thanks to imaginative arrangements and solid rhythm work. Check out this highly relaxing mix of cheap synthesizers, cutting-edge electronics, and the warm tone of the omnipresent Hammond organ and trombone.

Coinciding with the magazine's fourth anniversary, ART iT presents itself with a new look and new contents. Volume 17, subtitled "Out of Tokyo: Evolutions in Japanese Art", opens with a special interview with Murakami Takashi previewing his large-scale exhibition "(C)MURAKAMI". The main part of thi sissue is dedicated to Roppongi Crossing 2007, the "Space For Your Future" exhibition, and the "CET" project aimed at a revitalization of Tokyo's east end. Features include interviews and discussions with/among participating artists, and in-depth introductions by selected experts. Introduced are also a number of next-generation galleries in the greater Tokyo area, followed by the dresses Tsumura Kosuke this time created exclusively for pianist Mukaiyama Tomoko. New in the line-up is a block of genre-crossing reviews, titled "Ti TRA". Along with the magazine itself, the website was revamped as well. Both are, as always, completely bilingual.

Brilliant sound or roaring noise, for example, are some of the overwhelming features of a live concert one normally can't enjoy at home. Add to this the chance to watch artists create music by performing commands right before your eyes, and you have everything that makes the thrill of a realtime experience. This kind of sensation that live music in the laptop age has been pursuing is what this ATAK package attempts to recreate on DVD. Making full use of the medium's capacity, the DVD contains 175 minutes of music that with a sampling rate of 48kHz naturally sounds much clearer than on CD, capturing the elevated atmosphere of the live sets of Shibuya Keiichiro, Evala, Goem, Pan Sonic, Haino Keiji, and "co-performers" exonemo. All in all, this is a thrilling disk from the first second to the last.

The first release from Spekk with beats in it is Israeli electronic music pioneer Etziony's first solo album. While an Israeli putting out music on a Japanese label sounds rather exotic, "Flawed" surprises with careful sound design and placement that creates an elegantly sober atmosphere reminiscent of the likes of SND. It is a little sad that Spekk abandons the niche the label has carved for itself in the Japanese music scene with a unique sort of well-made non-beat music, but as long as the quality is as high as in this case, a new direction could mean a refreshing turn for the label and the domestic electronic music scene. Like all Spekk releases, the CD is again housed in a beautifully crafted book format case.

An internationally renowned pianist, conductor and musical director of the Staatskapelle Berlin, Daniel Bareboim is touring Japan this September/October. Bareboim was born as a Jew of Russian descent in Argentine and raised in Israel, and is now operating mainly in Europe. While specializing in Wagner operas, Barenboim is equally at home also in Italian operas, the compositions of Claude Debussy, and various other musical styles ranging from Bach to contemporary, tango, jazz, bossa nova, etc. He constantly generates dialogue by pursuing "here and now" the "analogies and contrarities" of the music of specific times or regions, and stretching an individual's polyrhythmical capacity. I recommend this DVD in a set with "Parallels and Paradoxes: Explorations in Music and Society", a book containing records of conversations between Barenboim and Palestinian Edward W. Said, who also appears on the DVD.

This new album by two of the craziest men in the electronica world is dedicated to the babies of Gernot and Szary, expected to see the light of day around the same time. Probably due to the particular motivation at this happy occasion, the CD with its 70 minutes playing time and a gorgeous array of guests including Thom Yorke, TTC, Otto von Schirach and many more smells like just too much effort even before pressing the start button. But even though the rather uninteresting opener "Godspeed" doesn't keep what the title promises, what follows is surprisingly (well, actually not really...) entertaining and full of variety, humor, and musical ideas throughout. Listening to the album in one go is somwhat exhausting, but what remains is the feeling of having listened to a strong, well-made album, and perhaps some thoughts about how kids grow up after being fed with music like this from day one.

The newest item to come from the op.disc label of funky minimal techno masters Hanno Yoshihiro and Tanaka Fumiya is youngster Kono Shinichiro's first full-length album. Although everything but experienced, on "Ditch Weed" he demonstrates how brilliantly he developed his skills and artistic sense over just about three years of making music. The unique fragments of jazz, ambient, pop and world music that buzz around a core of minimal techno and house make up an enticing trademark for this young artist that makes "experience" in chopping and trimming particles of electronic sound seem absolutely meaningless. With just a little bit more variety in rhythms and structures, this could have been a milestone album, however it is still one of the best releases this genre has to offer.

The title of this issue's main feature is "21st Century Filmic Art: 100 Groundbreaking Works". Next to interviews with three internationally active visual creators from the Asia-Pacific region, the special includes selections of ten outstanding books each by ten outstanding artists from the realms of art, cinema, music video, commercial film, and others, as well as an introduction to methods of buying video art. Also in the magazine are a conversation on "filmic expression after 9.11", an essay on "video in the YouTube age", and other articles discussing the relationship between filmic art and society. In the 15th lesson of his crash course in contemporary art, Shiriagari Kotobuki explains "the critical mindset", while Tsumura Kosuke introduces his exclusive clothes for chirographer Kasetsu. Another completely bilingual edition.