In the eternal present of modern listening, when the entire history of recorded sound is just a few clicks away, some music reverberates for longer. That's been the case with Fishmans, a cult Japanese act from the 1990s whose blend of dub rhythms and dream-pop reverie continues to lure new fans 20 years after the untimely death of frontman Shinji Sato.
Though they were able to sell out 2,000-capacity venues in their prime, Fishmans never enjoyed widespread commercial success. In an era when Japan's top-selling artists were shifting millions of albums and singles, they barely registered in the charts.
"We got good reviews, but in sales terms it was pretty laughable," says drummer Kin-ichi Motegi, speaking before a rehearsal with the remaining members of the band for an upcoming gig in Tokyo. "Our name didn't really get out there until after Sato died."
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