Osaka Music Production

 

In the world of music, Osaka is a place of diverse styles and traditions. Whether you are into classical music, edgy electronic or the latest pop hit, there is an Osaka band to suit your taste.

Osaka is also home to one of the world’s most prestigious chamber music competitions, which just celebrated its tenth anniversary. Held in Izumi Hall, a venue modelled after the Grosser Musikvereinssaal in Vienna and boasting superb acoustics, this event draws top ensembles from around the globe to compete for thirteen million yen in prize money.

While Tokyo and Kyoto may have glamour and glitter, Osaka is a city of underground culture with its own distinct scene. One of the key hubs in this underground culture is a curated record store called LOSER, run by artist, DJ and cultural curator Mayumi Takada. Her “select shop” acted as a major hub during the low-key ’90s boom-bap era, when LA beatmakers began to travel to Japan in droves. Mayumi recalls the eureka moment locals had upon seeing their favorite producers make colossal, pulsating beats on all-new Japanese sampler hardware.

This was the moment that birthed a 大阪　音楽制作 generation of Osaka-born producers who were to shape both domestic and global beatmaking for decades to come. Many of them were inspired by the sounds and techniques brought to the country from the West, such as those used in the Major Force and Mo Wax productions that made waves in the UK during this period. These new beatmakers, like DJ Krush’s seminal album Strictly Turntablized, blew minds globally and marked Japan’s arrival on the international music stage.

The edgy rap and electronic music produced by Osaka-born rappers, producers, and DJs in the 1990s would go on to become Japan’s mainstay music style. Its popularity soared as a result of its catchy melodies and energetic performances. Many of Japan’s popular artists hail from Osaka, including iconic singer Hikaru Utada and all-female idol group NMB48. Other well-known Osaka musicians include Shonen Knife and psychedelic rock band Black Flag.

The city’s rich musical history is also reflected in the Osaka Museum of Contemporary Art, which features an extensive collection of traditional Japanese music instruments, such as gagaku (Japanese court orchestra instruments), Noh theater instruments, biwa, koto and other stringed instrument, as well as European instruments used for classical music and folk entertainment.

The Osaka city government and local residents are working hard to revitalize the area’s rich musical heritage. As such, they are opening up their homes for public concerts and restoring historic venues for cultural events. The refurbished Kawakamiphone, Katsuraphone and Sekinephone, three historic Osaka-style Baschet sound sculptures, are now available for visitors to experience. This is an opportunity to hear the rich sound that is unique to this region of the world, and to discover a side of Osaka music production that has yet to be fully explored.