One of the most interesting reissued of 2025 that I only just discovered is this compilation of underground 80s Japanese music. The Polish label Mecanica put out the first Nihon No Wave compilation in 2018 and at the time described the bands as:
often referred to as the ‘Nippon-wave’ scene, they remained largely hidden from the outside world. Many of its releases – on cassette tapes, flexi-discs, and privately pressed vinyl – were never distributed beyond Japan’s borders, making them rare treasures for the few who managed to discover them.
The double-LP was so popular that, last year, a second volume with 25 tracks came out. It includes bands like Hinomaru Factory, Dea and The Flag – some of them even singing in English. The latter two both appeared in the cult compilation series Obscure Independent Classics, whose fourth volume from 1987 featured all Japanese bands.
The two tracks by Tomoko Higuchi are amazing, though she seems virtually unknown. I don’t know how they found them but I thank Mecanica for unearthing it. The image above is from discogs, if anyone has any more info on her music, please get in touch.
