Mariah - うたかたの日々 2x12" (Better Days, 1983)

Side A

そこから...
視線

Side B
花が咲いたら

Side C
不自由な鼠
空に舞うまぼろし

Side D
心臓の扉
少年

This is a perfect record for the start of summer. Mariah was the brainchild of Yasuaki Shimizu, whose confounding IQ-179 LP I posted earlier. While that album was very much in the schizophrenic vein of Wha-Ha-Ha, the Mariah stuff is more pop-progish and palatable. I've actually seen them compared to Toto... which, to my chagrin, I can actually kinda understand. Rich, warm, percussive... kinda pseudo-African at some times, in a kinda Byrne & Eno sense. Lyrics sung in Japanese and Armenian (!), which makes for a pretty cool lyric book. An absolutely wonderful record from beginning to end... highly recommended!!

Download.

Sakata Orchestra - 4 O'Clock LP (Better Days, 1981)

Tracklisting

Side A

What Time is It?

4 O'Clock

Side B

E? E!! E?

Trapper

Fantastic LP from this Wha-Ha-Ha member and mainstay of the Japanese avant-jazz scene. Features a little bit of the goofy computer electronics and crazed vocals of Wha-Ha-Ha, but mostly this is all about the free-wheelin' jazz!
I believe someone had requested this LP in the comments... sorry for the wait.

Download.

Wha-Ha-Ha / Sakata Orchestra split 7" (Better Days Records, 1981)

Tracklisting

Side A
Wha-Ha-Ha - Onna De Yokota

Side B
Sakata Orchestra - Wha-Ha-Ha Ondo

This is one of the more obscure records from the art-pop-prog-jazz nutzoid group Wha-Ha-Ha, here backed with Sakata Orchestra, virtually the same band as far as I can tell. Imagine a Picky Picnic with serious chops and you're almost there.

Download.