Tokyo's Coolest Sound

This is the new single by lyrical school, rap idol unit produced by tofubeats. "Parade" marks the welcoming of new member Hina. Also included is a self-cover of theme song "tengal6" (the former name of lyrical school) in a new version together with Hina.

The limited edition contains bonus track "S.T.A.G.E feat. Fukase Chisei (from LinQ)". This is a new track that samples from the song "4gatsu" (YouTube) that was released as an April Fool joke saying that lyrical school member Yumi started a rock band and wrote the song herself.

lyrical school "Parade"

1. Parade
2. tengal6 take2
3. S.T.A.G.E feat. Fukase Chisei (from LinQ)
4. Parade (inst)
5. tengal6 take2 (inst)
6. S.T.A.G.E feat. Fukase Chisei (from LinQ) (inst)

Limited edition (w/ bonus track)
T-Palette Records TPRC-0041
Out now (5/15), ¥1500
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Amazon, HMV, Tower ^†
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

1. Parade
2. tengal6 take2
3. Parade (inst)
4. tengal6 take2 (inst)

Regular edition (no bonus track)
T-Palette Records TPRC-0042
Out now (5/15), ¥1000
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Amazon, HMV, Tower ^†
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

"Parade"

"S.T.A.G.E feat. Fukase Chisei (from LinQ)"

fox capture plan is a new jazz band formed of Kishimoto Ryo on piano (Jabberloop), Kawai Hidehiro on double bass (Immigrant's Bossa Band) and Inoue Taukasa on drums (direction of the chord, nhhmbase). A first album is coming on May 15!

A release party one-man show will be held at Shibuya O-nest on June 20.

fox capture plan "trinity"

1. polynity
2. shōdō no ryūshi
3. Reincarnation
4. Exceed the Limit
5. trinity
6. white ambience
7. dark matter
8. wonderwall
9. good night.
10. the beginning of the myth

Playwright PWT-004
Out 5/15, ¥2000
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower ^†
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

"shōdō no ryūshi ~The particle of impulse~"

Perfume is back with a double release. Both coming on May 22 are new single "Magic of Love", and a DVD of Perfume's 1st world tour, more specifically a show held in Singapore.

There's a limited edition of the single which contains a bonus DVD with the title track's music video. The video is getting a buzz as Perfume accomplished a big feat of recording the dancing backwards! See this behind the scenes clip.

Perfume's 2nd world tour has also been announced, stopping in Köln (Germany) on July 3, London (UK) on July 5, and Paris (France) on July 7. Get your tickets while/if it's still time.

Perfume "Magic of Love"

1. Magic of Love
2. Handy Man
3. Magic of Love -Original Instrumental-
4. Handy Man -Original Instrumental-

Limited edition (CD+DVD)
Universal UPCP-9004
Out 5/22, ¥1500
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Amazon, HMV (15% off *), Tower (10% off *) ^†
* Discount at time of writing
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

Regular edition (CD only)
Universal UPCP-5004
Out 5/22, ¥1000
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Amazon, HMV, Tower ^†
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

Perfume "Perfume WORLD TOUR 1st" (DVD)

Opening
Night Flight
Computer City
Electro World
Laser Beam (Album-mix)
Spending all my time
love the world
Butterfly
edge
Secret Secret
Dream Fighter
"P.T.A." no Corner
Fake It
nee
Chocolate Disco
Polyrhythm

-Encore-
Spring of Life
kokoro no Sport
My Color

World Tour 1st Making

DVD (Region 2 / NTSC / 140 min.)
Universal UPBP-1002
Out 5/22, ¥5250
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Amazon, HMV (10% off *), Tower (10% off *) ^†
* Discount at time of writing
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

"Magic of Love" TV commercial

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu has a new single coming, for the song "Invader Invader" that's being heard in TV commercials for the GU fashion brand (by Uniqlo). She has already been performing the song on stage starting her 2nd world tour. The single includes another new song as well as an extended mix of "Fashion Monster". Needless to say this is produced by Nakata Yasutaka (capsule).

As usual, there's a limited edition that comes as a tall photo book package from which unfold shots of Kyary's latest fashion.

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu "Invader Invader"
きゃりーぱみゅぱみゅ 「インベーダーインベーダー」

1. Invader Invader
2. Point of view
3. Fashion Monster -extended mix-

Limited edition (CD+Photo book)
Warner WPCL-11417
Out 5/15, ¥1800
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Amazon, HMV, Tower ^†
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

Regular edition (CD only)
Warner WPCL-11418
Out 5/15, ¥1200
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Amazon, HMV, Tower ^†,
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

"Invader Invader"

GU TV commercial

Fender Rhodes player Ino Hidefumi will be back this month with a new album, but first comes this 7" of a Japanese lyrics cover of "Cry Me A River" (originally sung by Julie London).

This song features Suzuki Shigeru (Happy End) on guitar, and also marks Ino Hidefumi's first vocal recording which he sings himself! The 7" includes a non-album instrumental version.

5th album "New Morning" will be released on May 30. Stay tuned for all details!

Ino Hidefumi "Cry Me A River" (7")

A. Cry Me A River
B. Cry Me A River (Version)

Innocent IREP-009
Out 5/10, ¥1260
Order: Jet Set

Nakatsuka Takeshi (Qypthone), whose latest album "Lyrics" was released last February, has a 7" cut of two songs being released. One of the chosen songs is a cover of Flipper's Guitar "Young, Alive, in Love"! This release comes from Groove Unchant's Unchantable Records (a sub-label of Orange Records).

Audio samples at Jet Set.

Nakatsuka Takeshi "Young, Alive, in Love / Have you ever seen the rainbow?" (7")
中塚武 「恋とマシンガン／虹を見たかい」

A. Young, Alive, in Love
B. Have you ever seen the rainbow?

Unchantable Records UCT-014
Out 5/8, ¥1365
Order: Jet Set, Amazon, Tower ^†
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

(((sssurrounddd))), the band of rapper Illreme, with Track Boys' K404 and Crystal, has a new single just out on 12". The B-side is a remix by Sunahara Yoshinori! The 12" comes with a MP3 download code.

Jet Set has an audio sample of the remix.

(((sssurrounddd))) "kūchū bunkai suru I Love You" (12")
(((さらうんど))) 「空中分解するアイラビュー」

A. kūchū bunkai suru I Love You
B. kūchū bunkai suru I Love You (Yoshinori Sunahara Remix)

Kakubarhythm KAKU-054
Out now (4/26), ¥1470
Order: Jet Set

"kūchū bunkai suru I Love You"

This is a 2nd release part of White Lily Records' "Cult Club Manners" mix CD series (the first was by YO!HEY!! in 2011). Cold Name is the solo project of Nobuyuki Sakuma who is mainly active as the lead member of Jesse Ruins. This mix CD contains several original tracks, remixes and re-edits.

See the official release page for a tracklist, and go hear an sampler at Jet Set Records.

Also, there's an English interview with the artist over at Make Believe Melodies (November 2012).

Cold Name "Few Of Us"

White Lily Records WLEX-011
Out now (4/26), ¥1365
Order: Jet Set

Cold Name "You Will Not See"

Until recently, Vanilla Beans had always performed their shows "idol style", singing karaoke over a backtrack of the music. Last year marked their 5th anniversary, and then came 3rd album "Vanilla Beans III" which featured a steady band of four musicians. Following the release, Vanilla Beans started a series of two-man with always another band playing as the opening act, and Vanilla Beans backed by a live band of their recording musicians. Vanilla Beans, despite their "idol" branding, keep surprising by doing new things out of the common.

On May 1st was the 3rd show of this series, and the front act was Kaji Hideki who is producing their upcoming single "Muscat Slope Love". The event was held at rock venue Shinjuku Loft. This evening was definitely going to have a high dose of Shibuya-kei essence.

I had booked my ticket on Vanilla Beans' free official mobile site (vanillabeans.jp), which offers a newsletter with early info about upcoming events. Being a member also lets you collect "beans" when you go to their events (I got 5 this time), and those beans can later be used to attend member-only events, etc. Upon entering I was also given a numbered "special fan pass" featuring a photo of the girls in their brand new costumes for the upcoming single.

Vanilla Beans have a new single coming, this time a new song produced by Kaji Hideki who Rena and Lisa like to call "Mr. Sweden". This release follows album "Vanilla Beans III" released in November 2012, while the previous single was "Non-Section" in July 2012.

The new single comes in 3 different editions. Two limited editions include a bonus DVD with different content: limited edition "A" has a music video for the title song, and limited edition "B" has footage from Vanilla Beans' recent visit to France. There's also a regular edition of the CD only. All three have different artwork, all by photographer Leslie Kee. I like the high impact pose on limited edition A!

Vanilla Beans "Muscat Slope Love"
バニラビーンズ 「マスカット・スロープ・ラブ」

1. Muscat Slope Love
2. Jewel Memories
3. Muscat Slope Love (Instrumental)
4. Jewel Memories (Instrumental)

Limited edition A (CD+DVD (music video))
T-Palette Records TPRC-0038
Out 5/8, ¥1500
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Amazon, HMV, Tower ^†
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

Limited edition B (CD+DVD (France footage))
T-Palette Records TPRC-0039
Out 5/8, ¥1500
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Amazon, HMV, Tower ^†
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

Regular edition
T-Palette Records TPRC-0040
Out 5/8, ¥1500
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Amazon, HMV, Tower ^†
† Tower Records ships within Japan only