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From Staff:
Japanese Alternative Magazine (JP ALT MAG) prides itself in outstanding middle-class citizen journalism.
We are a collective of Japanese-music-obsessed English-speaking writers who live only to satisfy you: the reader.
We recommend keeping this page open at all times on your device of choice to stay updated about strange, wonderful, experimental and alternative music from Japan.
Interviews
JP ALT deep-dives
Monthly releases & reviews
JP ALT’s Best of February ’26
Monthly highlight: GEZAN- I Know How Now GEZAN, since formation, have been unruly. Their albums are an amalgamation of different sounds, sometimes so harsh that you…
In Retrospect: An Indie Pop Comp You’ve Probably Never Heard of Various Artists – Killermont Street 2001
Killermont Street 2001 is a diverse showcase of Japan’s rich…
Film
FILM: POST-APOCALYPTIC PUNK: A look at Gakuryū Ishii’s Burst City (1982)
“The city is our ally and we are its warriors. Reject the darkness now and explode with the city!” If I ever owned a dive bar, the film Burst City is what would be constantly playing on the TV at any given moment. Released in 1982 and directed by Gakuryū Ishii (formerly Sogo Ishii), Burst…
Essays
(ESSAY) Yellow Magic: YMO, Mirrors, and the Reversal of Orientalist Gaze
“YMO’s music and thoughts function like a mirror, reflecting how the West looks at the East, and also how the East looks…
In search of lost tunes: Nakasi, the flowing Soul of the East Asian Underground
From Shinjuku to Taipei, Nakasi was the raw, analog heartbeat of the East Asian working class. It was ‘Early Taiwanese Jazz’ that…
Welcome
Welcome to JP ALT
What are we here for and who the hell are we?
WE WANT YOU
TO JOIN JP ALT
Want to write about your favourite bands? We are always looking for new writers dedicated to the JP ALT lifestyle.
Email a sample of your work to: contactus@japanesealternative.net