GRIM: Message (URASHIMA)

GRIM was the project of first-wave Japanoise purveyor Jun Konagaya, whose early 80's project White Hospital imported a distinct Whitehouse/SPK vibe to the Land of the Rising Sun in a similar trajectory Haino was bringing bounty back from his early 80's sojourn to the land of the LAFMS at that time. All of it stirred around in the subterranean magma to explosive effect by the late 80's advent of pure noise over there.

However, by 1987 and Konagaya's evolution to GRIM and the Message LP, all that went out the window: here we find a complete about-face into echo-drenched folk, sweet vocal performances, delicately plucked acoustic instrumentation evocative of an Early Music-reflective Opal, Sebadoh et al with a primitive plaintiveness that brings the Tenniscoats to mind.

Echoes of 60's psychedelic reverberate deeply, yet the subtle, caked layers of lo-fi hiss and ambience give a slight glimpse into Konagaya's radical past, but the sweetness and dark light overcome in favor of melody. Comparable in a way to Alchemy's insane Slapp Happy Humphrey LP, though with more basic production and a more seamless approach rather than the extreme folk/noise dichotomy channel-switch SHH provided.

An elegant release, done up with usual class by Urashima Records, perhaps the last man standing in top-shelf preservation of Japan's extreme musical heritage these days.

N.B. Should be noted Urashima also issued Konagaya's Organ LP in November 2023, an even further instillation of deep folk in its bare DNA form circa 1988-90.

—Brian Turner (Jan 2024)