Akira Ishikawa had a mission. He wanted to find the eternal now of rhythm. After a mind-blowing trip to Africa in 1970, the Japanese percussionist had a goal — true Afro-delic Acid Rock. He hooked up with composer Muroaka Takeru and this album was born in 1971. Awash in minimalist percussion — at times sounding like a field recording of a commune or some street performers — the album devolves into primitive heavy acid rock and throbbing seriousness. Ishikawa's intense personal vision and mission is no record-collector curiosity. This beauty deserves our attention.
Long known to collectors of bizarre Japanese psychedelic/heavy rock (see Cope, Julian), Uganda became something of a mystery and a holy grail. The album screams, too. It stumbles into that same primal early rock, excuse me, RAWK place that bands like Leaf Hound, The Edgar Broughton Band, and Australia's Buffalo ended up. In fact, this record comes off like a recording of the jam sessions that led to the riffs and beats of the James Gang's "Funk #49" but without all that familiarity from FM radio. Famed guitarist Mizutani Kimio trades monster licks with rambling percussion, an impressive drum kit (Ishikawa) and lots of moaning and throb.
The opening cut "Wanyamana Mapambazuko" will attract the most attention. It's utter heaviness will recall the stomping feet of Flower Travelling Band's Satori or even the Groundhogs' monstrous Split. The layers of percussion unsettle and make the walls wiggle. They evoke the sound of long dead gods in old amplifiers and fingers rubbing on hide.
Now you can't buy this record from Amazon, because this reissue is a labor of love by the mysterious but marvelous Tiliqua records from Japan (Tiliqua). They've pursued a personal vision that means rescuing lost artifacts in beautifully hand-made, small-run issues. Their work justifies a return from the digital abyss. They make records that deserve love and care.
Article comments