![]() They recorded and released two self-produced demo tapes before signing a deal with Tinstar Records, one of the labels operated by the UK Project artists management and label group. Like many new bands, Syrup 16g didn't wait to get a recording deal before starting to release material. One of the best examples of the Shimo sound is the band Syrup 16g, a three-man band that plays passionate, powerful rock featuring soaring melodies and plenty of catchy hooks. The dominant sound of Shimo is guitar-based indie rock, but with an equal emphasis on melody and a tight, polished style. Ever since the 1970's its narrow, twisting streets have been home to any number of hole-in-the-wall bars with amazingly eclectic LP collections and a wide range of specialty music stores. In many ways music is at the core of Shimokitazawa's identity. And the district's nonconformist credentials also include being the home base for several avant-garde theater troupes. "Shimo," as it's commonly known, although just as youth-oriented as Shibuya, has a decidedly more bohemian vibe - not too many places in Japan boast a cafeĢ serving drinks and snacks made from hemp, which remains a taboo subject in this country. In the past couple of years talent-spotters have shifted their focus away from Shibuya's bright lights and tawdry glitz to the equally frenetic but funkier neighborhood of Shimokitazawa, four stops west of Shibuya on the train. "Shibuya-kei" (Shibuya-style) acts such as Pizzicato Five and Cornelius, having soaked up myriad influences from the district's many record stores, brought a sophisticated post-modern sheen to Japanese pop music. ![]() ![]() TOKYO- In the mid-'90s, Tokyo's Shibuya district was the place to find cutting-edge music. ![]()
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