Time Capsule was founded by Kay Suzuki, a Japanese DJ, producer, and passionate music curator, who arrived in London in 2004, drawn by the city's multicultural vibrancy and dynamic music scene. In the ensuing years Suzuki immersed himself in a thriving community of DJs, record collectors and music enthusiasts, connecting with kindred spirits who shared his fascination with uncovering lost musical treasures.
In 2018, Time Capsule released its first record, marking the beginning of a catalogue that spans a diverse range of sounds – from ambient, reggae, and dub to French Caribbean music, African rhythms, Indian classical, Japanese fusion, psychedelic soul, acid-folk, and jazz-funk. Every release is carefully researched, selected, and remastered to honour its cultural and historical significance, before bringing these hidden gems to a global audience.
The label has garnered praise from magazines, websites and radio stations including the BBC, Pitchfork, NTS, Worldwide FM, The Quietus, Rolling Stone, Record Collector, Mojo, and The Wire, with many of its records appearing on Best-of lists, further solidifying its reputation for imaginative and thoughtful curation. Time Capsule’s dedication to detail extends beyond the music itself. Limited-edition Obi strips, inner-to-outer groove vinyl cuts, and immersive packaging transform each release into a tangible, tactile experience. This meticulous approach, combined with Suzuki’s expertise as a highly-respected producer, ensures the label’s offerings resonate deeply with its audience.
With its catalogue now archived in the prestigious British Library, the label has cemented its role as a preserver of cultural and musical heritage. Today, Time Capsule continues to grow, driven by a commitment to quality, authenticity, and the joy of discovery, inviting the listener to embark on a remarkable journey through the hidden corners of musical history.
Below we pick some of Dreamhouse’s favourite Time Capsule releases.
Various Artists - Nippon Psychedelic Soul 1970-1979
The follow-up compilation to Time Capsule’s equally ripping Nippon Acid Folk, Nippon Psychedelic Soul takes the listener on myriad pathways through the tripped-out undergrowth of 1970s Japan. Featuring monumental psych alt-classics such as ‘Haruyo Koi (Come, spring)’ by Happy End, the first project of Yellow Magic Orchestra’s Haroumi Hosono, and ‘Omar (You) by Jun Fukamachi, a pioneer of Japanese synthesis, Nippon Psychedelic Soul is an essential primer on the country's extremely fertile psych scene.
Various Artists - Anime & Manga Synth Pop Soundtracks 1984-1990
A compilation of trailblazing instrumental synth-pop experiments that were created to soundtrack Japan’s booming 1980s cartoon and comic industries, the brightly futuristic instrumentals on this incredible collection reflect the mindset of composers and musicians who believed in a technological future.
In the late 1980s, Japan experienced a brief but heady period where societal changes combined with new-found wealth to open up a world of possibilities. The musical genre City Pop reflected the aspirations of the country’s booming leisure class. Video games flourished with Nintendo's 1983 launch of their Family Computer (or FamiCom). Studio Ghibli was founded 1985, later becoming one of the most famous and respected animation studios in the world, and Anime and Manga were established as major forms of entertainment for all generations of the Japanese public.
Anime & Manga Synth Pop Soundtracks 1984-1990 is the first compilation of Japanese anime and manga soundtracks curated by Kay Suzuki and Rintaro Sekizuka from Vinyl Delivery Service (a Tokyo-based online record shop which also operates in East London's renowned wine and hifi shop Idle Moments). With a cover by artist Kazuki Takakura and two pages of liner notes, this vinyl-only compilation, never before released outside of Japan, captures a vital aural snapshot of an era whose forward-thinking sounds went hand in hand with cutting-edge technology.
Izumi ‘Mimi’ Kobayashi - Choice Cuts 1978-1983
Off the wall and utterly unique, the astonishing late-70s/early-80s mix of Latin jazz-funk and leftfield electronics of Japanese composer and pianist Izumi ‘Mimi’ Kobayashi is collected here for the first time. Obsessed with new electronic instruments, Kobayashi penned some of Japan’s best-known TV themes and pioneered the use of drum machines in anime soundtracks.
A star in her own country, Kobayashi moved to Europe to record global hits with, among others, Depeche Mode, toured the world with the Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra, and made beats with Attica Blues’ Tony Nwachukwu. Now based in London, Mimi currently fronts Tokyo Riddim Band – the intergenerational Japanese Reggae outfit born from Time Capsule’s acclaimed 2023 compilation of the same name.
Niningashi - Heavy Way
A long-lost Japanese acid-folk gem, the 1974 LP Heavy Way by Kazuhisa Okubo’s Niningashi (it was in fact the band’s only record) is a coming-of-age age album that mixes a nostalgia for the pastoral calm of traditional Japanese life with the cosmopolitan thrill of coffee, sex and cigarettes in the big city.
At turns melancholic and light-hearted, but always profound, Heavy Way’s opening track ‘Ameagari’ feels like a synthesis of Harvest-era Neil Young and Happy End (see above). Then there’s the whimsical washboard country sound of ‘Semai Boku No Heyade’, the moody, low-lit charm of ‘Restaurant’, and ‘Hitoribotchi’, a sensitive portrayal of childhood, steeped in memories of rainfall that will resonate with fans of Woo and Mac DeMarco.
While Okubo would go on to bigger success with psychedelic folk bands Neko and Kaze, the latter of which scored three #1 albums, Heavy Way is a deep-cut grail of a vibrant time in Japan’s musical history, and perhaps Okubo’s most enduring work.
Tokyo Riddim Band - Denshi Lenzi / Denshi Dub 7"
Bringing the classic Japanese reggae sound of the 70s and 80s to a whole new generation, the UK-based Tokyo Riddim Band (TRB) is made up of three generations of female musicians from Japan, who blend reggae, dub and City Pop to create a sound unlike anything else. ‘Denshi Lenzi’, a brand new dubbed-out version of a Japanese reggae classic from 1982, and the first of a series of TRB 7” singles released last year, is a great place to start for the uninitiated.