This should have just been a post about an honest humanitarian effort pulled together by some fantastic independent artists to raise money in response to the devastation in Japan. Instead, artist Sadek Bazaraa missed the fact that the cover of the Benefit for the Recovery in Japan (above) looks unmistakably akin to a Pokéball.
Fortunately, the seriousness of the tragic event and this compilation’s good intentions merit a pardon of the artwork’s inadvertent mockery, so focus more on the music. That should be easy, considering contributions from Grouper, Akron/Family, School of Seven Bells, Bradford Cox, Bear In Heaven, Nat Baldwin, and Fennesz — and especially when considering comparison to this abortion of a compilation. “Shelter from the Storm”? Really?
100% of the proceeds from album sales will go to Civic Force, a Japanese non-profit, on-the-ground relief organization founded after the Niigata Earthquake in 2004. The album clocks in at nearly 5 HOURS of music, so take a read over the tracklist below and download the album for a helpful $15 toward the relief effort.
2. Helado Negro: “Cabeza Bella”
3. Stephan Mathieu: “(Excerpt from) The Floating World”
4. School of Seven Bells: “Midnight Sun”
5. Lawrence English: “Hotaru”
6. Noveller: “Darkheart”
7. Zeena Parkins: “The Letter”
8. Tom Carter (of Charalambides): “Mended”
9. Akron/Family: “Deep Kazoo”
10. The Ex: “Cold Weather Is Back”
11. Shinji Masuko (of Boredoms/DMBQ): “Botsuon”
12. Oneohtrix Point Never: “The Inside World”
13. Tokimonsta: “Sound Caves”
14. Joshua Abrams: “Jackdaws”
15. Keith Fullerton Whitman: “Anzac #3”
16. Ben Frost: “Snæugla”
17. David Daniell: “Shiho-hiru-tama”
18. Grouper: “Cassiopeia”
19. Tape: “Mirrors”
20. Jefre Cantu-Ledesma: “Moon in a Dewdrop”
21. D. Charles Speer: “Steel Infant”
22. Evan Caminiti (of Barn Owl): “Blue Veil”
23. Blackshaw, Wood, Wood & Tomlinson (James Blackshaw & Hush Arbors): “Are You Alright? (Chump Change)”
24. Nat Baldwin (of Dirty Projectors): “In the Hollows”
25. Chris Forsyth & Shawn Edward Hansen: “Dirty Pool Blues”
26. Zelienople: “Stone Faced About It”
27. Elm (Jon Porras of Barn Owl): “Diamond Dust”
28. Lobisomem: “Kusha”
29. Stabbing Eastwood (Tunde Adebimpe & Ryan Sawyer): “Thundersnow Mountain”
30. Alan Licht & Greg Malcolm: “Natasha Utting Reporting”
31. Scott Tuma: “To: Hasty”
32. Rhys Chatham: “Prayer for the People of Fukushima”
34. Growing: “Untitled”
35. James Plotkin (of Khanate): “Broken ’96”
36. Totem Test: “Pulse Prayer for Japan”
37. Marcus Schmickler (of Pluramon): “2.71828 Up”
38. Tim Hecker: “Hatred of Music (Double Gate Mix)”
39. Sylvain Chauveau: “Colours in Darkness”
40. Bear In Heaven: “The Days We Have”
41. Spires That In The Sunset Rise with Michael Zerang: “Collision Theory”
42. C. Spencer Yeh: “Solo Violin March 13th 2011”
43. Lau Nau: “Oi Kuolema”
44. Oren Ambarchi: “Merely A Portmanteau”
45. Warm Ghost: “Uncut Diamond (Dripping Pollen Mix)”
46. Bradley & Geofrey (Atlas Sound + White Rainbow): “Mr. Stephen’s Private Service”
47. Peter’s House Music: “Half Step”
48. Leb Laze: “Da Plane Da Plane”
49. Matthewdavid: “Stop Laughing / Be Honest”
50. Sam Prekop: “Lakes River”
51. Simon Scott: “Of You (Before 2082)”
52. Tetuzi Akiyama/Jon Mueller/Jim Schoenecker: “Untitled”
53. Shelley Burgon: “Let It Be New”
54. Giant Sand: “Recovery Mission”
55. William Tyler: “Tears and Saints”
56. Mountains: “Still Life”
57. Ben Vida: “Quadsweep +2 (snkglazz iii)”
58. Maria Chavez: “Natural Disaster #2_2011”
59. Cleared: “Nova”
60. Neptune: “FIG IV”
61. Water Fai: “Tokitomori”
62. Parts & Labor: “Dokonimonai”
63. Jackie-O Motherfucker: “Blood of Life”
64. Greg Davis: “Sho Sai Myo Kichijo Dharani”
Modern Mystery 
You must be logged in to post a comment.