It is with great excitement that we announce the formation of the Black Editions label and the return of Japan’s revered P.S.F. Records catalog. Starting in 2016 Black Editions will begin to issue P.S.F.’s lost classics in high quality, definitive editions; Most of these albums will be released on vinyl for the first time ever.Renowned artist such Keiji Haino, Fushitsusha, High Rise, White Heaven, Kaoru Abe, Kan Mikami, Acid Mothers Temple, Musica Transonic, Masayoshi Urabe, Moto Yoshizawa, Che-Shizu, Michio Kadotani and many more all had seminal works that were first issued by P.S.F. Over the past 30 years, these artists have created one of the world’s most vital and original bodies of music.
Though often shrouded in mystery and sometimes pressed in limited editions that barely made it out of Japan, the albums of the P.S.F. catalog have nonetheless achieved a legendary status. Ranging from psychedelic rock, folk and punk to jazz, free improvisation and the avant-garde, the P.S.F. catalog has been defiantly eclectic and uncompromising.
As the label founder Hideo Ikeezumi told us- “I only wanted to release music on PSF that refused to limit itself to genres, that had zero commercialism, that possessed “kokoro” (heart), and that had a feeling of freedom. In that sense, I was heavily influenced by Masayuki Takayanagi. I was very much affected by something he said when I was 19 – that an artist should put their life on the line in order to express themselves.”
It is the mission of Black Editions to continue that legacy. Working in full cooperation with P.S.F., its artists and its founder Hideo Ikeezumi, all material will be re-mastered from the highest quality sources. This will be the first time many of these albums will be available outside of Japan.
Coming in 2016 will be definitive editions of Fushitsusha’s 2nd Live, the original version of High Rise II, the Tokyo Flashback compilation, Che Shizu’s A Journey and through special arrangement with the artist- Keiji Haino’s classic 1981 debut Watashi Dake?.
About Black Editions:
Based in Los Angeles, Black Editions has been founded by Peter Kolovos who is joined by Steve Lowenthal as the new label’s Director of Operations.
Black Editions acquired the rights to the P.S.F. catalog in 2014.
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 10 March 2016 22:44 (eight years ago) link