NOTICE: The MP3's will be unavailable while I sort out my hosting service so I can get some more space that won't bankrupt me. Email me if you want any of these and I'll hook you up.

I once heard someone say that to not like music is one of the most inhuman things they could think of, and I couldn't agree with that more. So to help keep everyone from devolving into hideous mutant-monster-thingys like in that Next Generation episode, I offer these samples and recommendations from my musical journeys through the sonic world o' goodness.

Wanna return the love? Email me a track or song name that I can check out. I'll love you for it.

Two Months Off by Underworld "You bring light in! You bring light in! You bring light in! You bring light in! You bring light in!"

Trim by Underworld Mellow and smooth with a light touch of guitar. Are these really the same guys that made Born Slippy.nuxx??

iSwitch by Energize An independently made track with a happy techno groove. The best part? It features samples from Ellen Feiss' Switch ad.

Lady Madonna by Love Psychedelic Orchestra No, it's not the Beatles song you think it is! It's a rock-lovin' Japanese duo laying their thang down.

Moonly byLove Psychedelic Orchestra Have I mentioned that I LOVE Kumi's voice?? Holy shit, it's like the sexiest thing I've ever heard!! :D

Swimming Pool by Puffy A grooved-out slice of mellow yum-yum by my favorite J-pop duo, Puffy.

Burner by Spooman What the hell is a German hip-hop track doing on a page about Japan? Why, it's makin' you dance your down-and-dirty derriere' off, of course!!

I've got limited web space here, so for these tracks you're on your own. If you have an enlightened sense of "intellectual property" rights and realize that it's in an artist's best interests for you to hear and get excited about their work, then I strongly suggest downloading a file sharing application (a few options can be found here) to try finding some of these songs so that perhaps you'll have stumbled upon something you like and then go buy the CD or better yet, send the artists some money directly with a service like Music Link, so that they can pay their bills and get back to making good music. See how this all works?

Complicated by Avril Lavigne (from the album Let Go) Once you get over the fact that this sounds a lot like Alanis Morisette, this track really isn't that bad. I hear it everywhere around here as well. Nothing new and Earth-shattering, but good rhythm and nice-flowing lyrics. Maybe I shouldn't, but I like it.

Staging the Plaguing of the Raised Platform by Cornershop (from the album Handcream for a Generation) Ever wondered what happened to rock and roll? Not 'Rock', 'Hard Rock' or '80's Butt-Rock' mind you, but good ol' shake-your-booty, Buddy Holly-style, sing along, feel-good rock n' roll? I think it's been at Cornershop's house, cause they seem to know the drill.

These guys are masters of taking words that sound so good and have such rhythm when they're put together, that you don't even care that they don't make any sense (kinda like the title for this track). Cornershop has a unique blend of instruments ranging from the familiar (guitars, kickin drums) to the unexpected (sitars and a children's choir) that gets me out of my chair to shake my booty every time.