DIEMAJIN is the duo of Berlin-based producer DJ DIE SOON (Daisuke Imamura) and Tokyo-based vocalist MA. Their self-titled debut is equal parts scrambled hip-hop, simmering noise and spectral Tokusatsu soundtrack. A set of cursed beats and possessed raps inspired by Japanese sci-fi and supernatural-horror films from the 1960s.

The pair, both originally from Japan, first collaborated live at an event in Berlin organised by Morphine Records in 2019. But the eleven tracks on their self-titled debut were made by swapping beats, sounds and acapellas across the internet. Editing, arranging and degrading them into the collection presented here.

DIEMAJIN’s theme is Japanese movies from the sixties. Especially influential is Daimajin (which the duo’s name references alongside being a loose portmanteau of their solo monikers). A 1960 film about a giant warrior god, Daimajin falls under the Tokusatsu umbrella - live action movies which use practical, ‘handmade’ special effects, whether monster suits, miniature model cities, or everyday objects hi-jacked into props. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.