It's been thirty years since we originally released this retrospective from the Okinawan icon Shoukichi Kina. There's a lot we could say about the legendary Kina and his influence on popular Japanese music but we'll let Ry Cooder, who's featured on most of the songs here, take it away: "I first met Shoukichi Kina in 1979. David Lindley and I were on tour in Japan, and were getting well worn out. Kina and a translator met up with us in Osaka and we all sat down in the lobby of this giant tourist hotel, which Kina hated. He just sat there, staring straight ahead, saying nothing for an hour. One year later, a round-trip plane ticket to Hawaii came in the mail, with a note that read: "ALA MOANA HOTEL, COMMERCIAL RECORDING STUDIO, PLEASE. KINA." Kina had a habit of throwing himself down onto the floor and kicking his feet when he liked a playback. I remember thinking, this beats "one more for us, guys!" When Kina's wife, Tomoko, put down the vocal on "Flowers For You Heart," he lay down and stayed down, making the engineer play it back over and over until he had wrung himself out—a real playback party, Okinawan style. Right about then you know you're ready to start recording for real, but it never works out that way. You squeeze off one or two, say adios, and go to the house. Then later, maybe four people discover your little contribution, and then someone wants to reissue the album and there you go." - Ry Cooder, 1993
Release date:
April 7, 2023
Label:
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Phono Preamps - Top Picks
A selection of the best phono preamps for your turntable setup
-
Nobsound Little Bear T7 Tube Preamp
Delivers rich, warm audio through its high-quality vacuum tubes, featuring multiple inputs and adjustable gain
-
Ortofon 2M Blue Premounted
Mounted on the SH-4 Black Headshell, this setup delivers exceptional clarity, dynamic range, and accurate sound reproduction.
-
Vevor Ultrasonic Cleaner
Thoroughly clean and restore your vinyl records, removing dust, dirt, and grime from every groove without damaging the surface
-
Cartridges - Top Picks
A selection of turnatble cartridges that provide great performance and sound quality
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Newton Faulkner OCTOPUS (White)
Cooking Vinyl
September 19, 2025 -
Pete Droge Fade Away Blue
Missing Piece Records
August 22, 2025 -
King Princess Girl Violence (Crystal Clear)
section1
September 12, 2025 -
Joviale Mount Crystal (Blue)
Ghostly Int'l
September 12, 2025 -
Lil Wayne Tha Carter IV [2xLP]
Young Money/Republic Records
August 8, 2025 -
The Autumn Defense Here and Nowhere
Yep Roc Records
October 10, 2025 -
Skullcrusher And Your Song Is Like a Circle
Dirty Hit
October 17, 2025 -
Water From Your Eyes It's A Beautiful Place
Matador
August 22, 2025 -
Whiskey Myers Whomp Whack Thunder [2xLP]
Wiggy Thump Records
September 26, 2025 -
Paradise Lost Ascension (Gold) [2xLP]
Nuclear Blast
September 19, 2025 -
Dido No Angel (Deluxe Package)
Legacy Recordings
September 19, 2025 -
Kingfishr Halcyon
Atlantic
August 22, 2025 -
Igorrr Amen
Metal Blade
September 19, 2025 -
Field Medic Surrender Instead (Bone/Red Splatter)
Alternate Side
August 8, 2025