When long-lost cousin Balki Bartokomous first showed up at Larry Appleton’s Chicago apartment looking for a place to stay, we primetime TV viewers thought it was all downhill from there for the whole East meets West thing (if you consider the Mediterranean “East” — let’s just go with it for now). When globe-trotting Worcester resident Joe Bastardo showed up at the birdFriend offices on the island of Japan with a Korg under one arm and a Roland under the other, goofy grin plastered on his face, we were proven wrong — Perfect Strangers was about to get the reboot it so justly deserved. This new narrative peak established, Bastardo went to work prepping his new tape as Bastian Void, ADAPTER.1
ADAPTER may not be a comedy, really, but the critics sure love it. Bastardo’s cut his teeth on all manner of synth excursions, mostly through his Moss Archive label, and ADAPTER follows such edgy pulsers as NIPPON and the B-sides comp Three Sides of Consideration (which is three, obvs, really long tracks). Surely he’s been spinning some tunes by his tour buddies 食品まつり aka Foodman, H. Takahashi, and Takahiro Mukai (more on that below), and the results show — this cross-continental cadre sure feels like they would be at home in the same room, and starting Tuesday, October 31 (holy butt, Halloween already!), they will indeed be occupying the same space at the same time. (Not their matter, clearly — “same matter can’t occupy same space” [Timecop], or some principle like that. They’ll just be together, hanging out, making music.)
Bastian Void’s sound has evolved over the years from massive outer space blasts to a keen mix of sleek electronics, and all of it’s worth the effort of tracking down in some form or another (like, on Bandcamp). So the next time you’re surprised and overwhelmed by those distant friends or relatives promising an extended stay because they think “it’ll be fun” or they’re being paid by some clandestine reality program with a penchant for old TV shows, just press play on some Bastian Void to mellow everybody the heck out. Or you can join a witness protection program or something, do whatever.
1. Facts of actual travel and recording fudged for effect. Deal with it.
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BASTIAN VOID IN JAPAN:
10.31 - 7th floor, Shibuya w/ Foodman
11.01 - FORESTLIMIT w/ Foodman
11.02 - DUBLAB - Bar Bonobo, Shibuya w/ Pedro Vian, H. Takahashi
11.05 - KAPO, Kanazawa w/ Asuna
11.08 - Urbanguild, Kyoto w/ Endurance, Miyuki
11.10 - Marco Nostalgie, Osaka - w/ Takahiro Mukai, 7FO