Goro / Shindeshimatta Machi / Black B-3 / 1972
Obscure Japanese 7-inch with a haunting folk mood on the A-side — and a seriously dope, hypnotic groove on the B-side “John.”
Released as a rare 7-inch on the Black label, this record pairs two contrasting yet equally compelling moods on each side.
The A-side “Shindeshimatta Machi” unfolds as a dark and introspective folk piece, carrying a quiet sense of emptiness and urban solitude. Its stripped-down arrangement and fragile vocal delivery give it a deeply melancholic tone, reflecting the lingering atmosphere of early 70s Japanese underground pop.
In contrast, the B-side “John” shifts into something far deeper — a raw, hypnotic groove that feels closer to psychedelic funk or underground jazz than conventional pop. Minimal, repetitive, and slightly off-kilter, it has that elusive “diggers only” quality that makes it stand out instantly.
This duality is what makes the record so special: one side rooted in introspective folk, the other drifting into experimental groove territory.
A cult 7-inch that quietly sits between Japanese folk, psych, and rare groove — and rewards those who flip it over.
