We reached out to the duo that make up Tobira Records, a haven for music lovers in the countryside of Hyogo, to get their top picks for must-see Kansai artists. Leveraging their deep local knowledge, they’ve spotlighted musicians who often fly under the radar. From ambient artist Endurance, to techno industrialist Juri Suzue, enjoy a curated snapshot of the region’s unique talent.
Chie Otomi
Chie Otomi is an electronic musician and composer based in Osaka, who makes calm and soothing ambient in a post-new age style. Her music is beautifully textured and dreamy, sending you to some lovely faraway place from the moment you start listening. We were lucky enough to have Chie play at our Gokkan Festival in 2021, and her music matched the rolling Japanese countryside perfectly.
More info on Chie’s website.
Juri Suzue
Juri Suzue is a DJ and musician based in Hyogo who makes post-industrial techno music that probably only zombies could dance to. She’s an amazing artist to see live, because her music is so intense and captivating — plus she uses lots of hardware and gadgets, which gives her performance a mesmerizing visual aspect.
More info on Juri’s Bandcamp.
Endurance
Endurance is the name of Canadian-born Joshua Stefane’s ambient music project. Not only does he make beautiful soundscapes using modular synths, field recordings, and cassettes, he also co-curates an independent label called Muzan Editions along with Andreas Holderbach (aka DJ Derive). A long-time supporter of the Kansai underground music scene, he regularly organizes amazing experimental parties, and likes to intersperse techno parties with deep ambient sounds.
More info on Endurance’s Bandcamp.
Seibutsu
Seibutsu is a renowned DJ based in Hyogo. Not only does he DJ at almost every Tobira Records in-store event, he constantly plays at parties all over the Kansai region, as well as in Tokyo. His music taste and curation is super eclectic, usually spanning multiple genres in the course of one set. No matter what he decides to put on, you can be certain that the vibes will be excellent.
More info on Seibutsu’s Mixcloud.
