I f two sold-out shows at Makuhari Messe in Chiba featuring Daft Punk in December followed by a sellout live tour of Japan by Justice were not evidence enough that French electronica had risen to the ascendancy, Break on Through, a special event by tech-rock crossover promoter Gan-Ban Night, will be held in Tokyo and Osaka on Feb. 29 and March 1.
OK, so the headline DJ may be German newcomer Alexander Ridha, aka Boys Noize, but there is no doubt that his sound is influenced by Daft Punk and Ed Banger records. Last year's "Oi Oi Oi" album featured the broken beats, thrashing guitar and electro sound that has become associated with acts such as Justice, but is unique because of the artist's fixation with distortion. His sound has caught the ears of the likes of British indie acts including Bloc Party and Kaiser Chiefs, who have each requested Boys Noize remixes for their songs in recent months.
As a DJ, Boys Noize has been picked up in Europe by the ultrahip party Bugged Out!, and has just finished playing U.K. dates on the funkily-titled Suck My Deck tour. Listening to Boys Noize's music at home may be a bit of a painful experience, leaving one begging for a sound that hasn't been "artfully" distorted by the artist's music-production software, but there is no doubt that in a live venue such as the cavernous Womb in Shibuya, the DJ's sound will get the entire dance floor on its feet.
Gan-Ban Night Special (Break on Through Vol. 9) featuring Boys Noize, Sugiurumn and Takkyu Serino will be held at Womb in Shibuya, Tokyo, on Feb. 29 and Club Karma in Osaka on March 1. Tickets for each event are ¥4,000. For more information, visit www.ganbannight.com.
