Open Reel Ensemble

Many unconventional music bands are coming out of Japan since the 1960s and this band is one of the most unique ones.

"Open Reel Ensemble" is a band which the 3 members make music by manipulating reel to reel tapes and they call their own music "magneticpunk"...

Photo Credit: Mao Yamamato

They don't utilize conventional instruments during their performances/recordings and only create sounds by the help of reel to reel tapes which are mostly Teacs and Pioneers from the 70s and 80s.
They make the percussive sounds by tapping the stretched tapes with drum sticks or using bamboo sticks for pulling and pushing the tape back and forth for string like sounds.

The band members are Ei Wada, Haruka Yoshida and Masaru Yoshida who have been friends for a long time and constantly working on improving their sounds.
They are also very talented in creating new instruments where they can even combine keyboard instruments with the tapes for further sound manipulation.

Here is a short video where they describe themselves and more importantly what they do...

On the other hand using tapes in music making is not a very new concept (even dating back to late 40s, early 50s) but it seems that Open Reel Ensemble has taken it to a different level.

Here's another video of their piece "Gone".

If you are into new musical experimentations and new sounds do check them out...