As the torpor of summer dissipates into autumn's more tolerable temperatures, the music scene moves from the beaches of Shonan and the foothills of Fuji back into its dark and dank urban recesses.
Tokyo's music scene continues to be fractured. The only trend is that there is no one overarching direction. Instead, the city's most interesting music continues to be made by individuals working out idiosyncratic musical ideas regardless of what is hip or happening elsewhere.
Though grounded in dub, the Play Label is emblematic of Tokyo's eclectic musical imperative. The label's first three releases, the compilation series, "Stone, Scissors, Paper," explored just how broadly that aesthetic could be interpreted. On the last compilation, "Paper," the standout track was a jazz-inflected number courtesy of hip-hop DJ and MC Takagi Kan.