Brawther

Sought-after 2015 triple-vinyl compilation on Les Disques Mystiques. Brawther & Alixkun dig up 15 rare Japanese house classics from the late '80s and early '90s, all remastered. For the heads.

Japan's underground house scene in that era operated parallel to Detroit and Chicago but developed its own character - more melodic, often deeper, with a distinct production warmth. This comp documents that world when it was happening, pulling together tracks that circulated among collectors and DJs but rarely left the country on original wax.

The curation spans garage house, acid house, deep house, and downtempo, each track chosen for both dancefloor value and sonic character. Remastering has restored these recordings without sterilizing them; the tape hiss and analogue grain remain, which is exactly right. Three records, fifteen tracks, one window into a crucial moment in house music that doesn't get enough light.