August 15, 2020
Shure M44-7 Inverted

Shure M44-7: A Cartridge Heard by Millions, Known by Few

Of all the far-flung scenarios I could imagine happening in the decades to come, one that never occurred to me was a future without the Shure M44-7.
September 3, 2020
Andrew Cartmel Portrait

The Vinyl Detective – Murder, Sex, Mayhem and Rare Record Collecting

Violent deaths, a nameless protagonist, creepy villains who favour matching outfits, millionaire Japanese benefactors, femme fatales, sex, drugs, rare jazz albums, and a pair of cats.
October 1, 2020
#VINYL-2000px-bluenotemokkindo-1

Tokyo Jazz Kissa: Vintage High Fidelity with #VINYL

Whether it’s calligraphy, the serving and drinking of tea, or the uniquely Japanese experience of listening to jazz LPs playing through rare vintage sound systems at specialized cafés, these ceremonies are revered.
January 2, 2021

J-Punk: A Brief History of Docs, Mohawks and Degenerates

It was the mid-‘80s, the original Japanese punk scene was starting to peter out and become workaday, D-beat predictable. Then brothers Fifi and Fink arrived and things began to change.