Some of 1ST’s songs have been included in other people’s mixes, and when you listen to them, they’re all classics—yet from the perspective of the mainstream Western music scene, had they been buried in a sea of archives, just like SPINETTA? I’ve taken the liberty of interpreting this as “Was now the time for understanding and liberation?” It’s fascinating that this is the band led by Marc Hollander, founder of Belgium’s Crammed Disc—a label that, while serving as the epicenter of so-called “world music,” constantly maintains a critical yet affectionate distance from it. Featuring Fred Frith and others from the Henry Cow circle, as well as high-caliber pop artisans like Léticia Sadir and Julien Gasc from the Stereolab scene. I used to think progressive rock and spoken word were things of the past, but no, that’s not the case at all. It’s the sophisticated playfulness, singing, and performance of grown-ups. It’s the best. (Original Japanese text by Shhhhh)