Tolerance

Tolerance was the experimental electronic project of Junko Tange, active in Osaka during the late 1970s and early 1980s. A central figure in the legendary Vanity Records roster, Tange collaborated with guitarist Masami Yoshikawa to produce a sound that predated and influenced the 'dark ambient' and 'minimal synth' movements.

Their sound identity is defined by a 'primitive' aesthetic, utilizing early drum machines and synthesizers with a focus on murky fidelity and unconventional recording techniques. The project is famously linked to Nurse With Wound; Steven Stapleton reportedly named his second album after a description of Tange. Historically, Tolerance represents a bridge between the Japanese avant-garde and European industrial/post-punk scenes. After releasing two seminal albums, Anonym and Divin, the members vanished from the public eye, creating a cult mystique that persisted until the 2020s when archival releases surfaced. Critical consensus views Tolerance as a masterclass in minimalism, praised for its ability to evoke profound isolation through skeletal arrangements and textural manipulation.