Tokyo's Coolest Sound radio show on La Face B: "Tokyo's Coolest Sound" vol.10

This is Tokyo's Coolest Sound's own radio show, which is featured on La Face B (Facebook page), an Internet radio based in Montréal (Québec, Canada). It brings you some favorite songs and artists that you've read about in these pages. If you couldn't tune in at the times below, or to listen once more, you can still listen anytime on Mixcloud.

Autumn seems to make me want to hear calm music a bit more than usual. That's what inspired me this time to put songs that feel somewhat soothing to me. There will be a few beats along this journey too. Sit back and enjoy!

"Tokyo's Coolest Sound" (vol.10) aired at http://lafaceb.live on October 28, 2020 from 22:00 (EDT = Montréal/New York).
* Japan time: October 29, 2020 from 11:00 (a.m.).

Below is the full tracklist with liner notes.

1. Three Berry Icecream "Just A Dream" (2000)

Three Berry Icecream (Twitter) is the solo unit of Mayumi Ikemizu, who used to be a member of Shibuya-kei band Bridge. Having debuted as Three Berry Icecream just over 20 years ago, she will be releasing a first-ever vinyl LP of a selection of her best songs, titled "The Selection of Three Berry Icecream". The album will include this song, "Just A Dream", which was first released on various artists compilation "Wish, Walk And Peel" in 2000 (Minty Fresh Japan), as well as many favorites from her repertory. The new LP is available from label and record shop Disques Blue-very which ships internationally (also available via Bandcamp, vinyl or digital).

"Just A Dream" was also included on Three Berry Icecream's retrospective album "Sunshine on my mind 1998-2018" (2018)'s CD edition only (Amazon). You can check out the more compact digital edition: "Sunshine on my mind 1998-2018 -15 Songs Selection-" (Spotify, , YouTube Music).

2. Michiru Hoshino "I Love You" (2019)
(Japanese title: 星野みちる「月がきれいですね」 "tsuki ga kirei desune")

"I Love You" is from Hoshino Michiru's latest album "Moonlight Confessions" (Japanese title: "tsuki ga kirei desune") (Spotify, , YouTube Music). The song's title and album title are in Japanese both the same, it's an old saying that literally translates to "the moon is beautiful, isn't it?" but was suggested as a poetic way to say "I love you".

Michiru just recently announced that she would pause from her musical career momentarily, because of the pandemic situation which makes it difficult to perform live in front of her fans, something that she feels necessary. Before that break, she will be performing live one more time, viewable online only, on November 15 (and archived for one week). Details can be found here (in Japanese, via platform Streaming+).

Michiru's 4th solo album "12 signs of the zodiac" (CDJapan, Amazon, HMV) will be released on vinyl for Record Day 2020 on November 3. The LP can be pre-ordered at Jet Set, Amazon and HMV.

3. Maika Loubté "Niet II (piano live)" (2020)

Singer-songwriter and keyboard wiz Maika Loubté released the song "Niet II (piano live)" on Bandcamp just recently in June, in support for the Black Lives Matter movement (even giving profits to related NPOs).

The original version of "Niet II", a collaboration with rapper maco marets, was released in March digitally, and then on 7" (still available via HMV). A yet earlier version called just "Niet" appeared on latest album "Closer" (2019) (Bandcamp, Spotify, ). "Closer" was released on clear vinyl via Toothpaste Records in March.

Maika has a brand new song titled "Show Me How" just released digitally on October 28 (Bandcamp, Spotify, , YouTube Music)! The song was featured in a TV commercial for the Mazda MX-30, starring Maika herself! Watch it here.

4. dip in the pool "Northern Lights" (2015)

This song is from dip in the pool's latest album "Highwire Walker" (2015, Spotify, , YouTube Music). With a beautiful and soothing sound, "Highwire Walker" also contains a song in collaboration with Canadian musician CFCF (aka Michael Silver), who recently also participated in latest single "Colour of life" (2020, Bandcamp, Spotify, ).

Since last month, several of dip in the pool's older Warner-era releases were made available on streaming services! Find them here: Spotify, , YouTube Music.

In July this year, dip in the pool performed three online live shows in three time zones in one day, calling it the "Around the World in a Day" tour. Watch a performance from it below!

5. dahlia "neko o sagashite" (2017)
(Japanese title: 「猫を探して」)

This song, of which the title roughly translates to "searching for the cat", is from dahlia's latest album "Mirror" () which was sound produced by Groove Unchant. The song was written by dahlia herself.

For more of dahlia, check out her official YouTube channel, and follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

6. Kaede "Morning Call" (2020)

Kaede is a member of idol trio Negicco, based in the prefecture of Niigata and active since 2003. Having started singing solo in 2017, last year she released a first mini-album, "shinya. anata wa kyou o furikaeri, mata atarashii asa dane." (2019, Spotify), that was followed by a full-length album on New Year's Day 2020, "ima no watashi wa kawaritsuzukete ano koro no watashi de irareteru." (2020, Spotify, ).

This song is from latest mini-album "Stardust in Blue" (2020, Spotify, ) released just last month.

Kaede will do a free acoustic live performance of about an hour on November 15 from 19:30 (JST). Find details in Tokyo's Coolest Sound's live streaming information. Negicco also have a show backed by a full band upcoming on November 7 (details here).

7. Lullatone "Bonjour melancholy" (2020)

Always a favorite when it comes to finding sounds to take a deep breath to, Lullatone is a Nagoya-based duo formed of Shawn and Yoshimi. In the recent months, right in the middle of the pandemic, they found inspiration to make this 4-song EP titled "Houseplant Music" (Bandcamp), from which "Bonjour melancholy" is taken.

In terms of other recent works, Lullatone has released an album of 2 CDs worth of piano self-covers (52 of them!), titled "Music for Museum Gift Shops" (2019, Bandcamp, Spotify, ). Also check out their official YouTube channel for regular updates of lots of fun clips.

8. World Standard "World Standard" (2020)
(Japanese title: ワールドスタンダード「世界の標準」 "sekai no hyōjun")

World Standard has been around for 35 years, having debuted on Hosono Haruomi's Non-Standard label in 1985. 10 years since previous full-length album "Silencio", a brand new album titled "Shikisai Ongaku" is set to be released on November 28. In this album, musician Suzuki Sōichirō sings the songs by himself. The song "World Standard" is a special preview from this new album.

World Standard has also just released a LP titled "Asagao", which consists of a remastered early cassette demo recorded before World Standard's official debut. It can be ordered directly from pianola records (Tokyo) or Far Side Music (UK).

9. mmm with Emerson Kitamura "Geshi" (2019)
(Japanese title: mmm with エマーソン北村「夏至」)

Emerson Kitamura is a keyboard and organ player who has roots in the dub scene, having played in legendary dub band Mute Beat. Since a few years he has been teaming up with singer mmm (read "me/my/mo") and the two even toured Europe last year (Germany, UK and Belgium). This song, "Geshi", is from their first album "Chasing Giants" (Bandcamp, Spotify, , YouTube Music).

Also check out Emerson's previous solo albums "Rock'n Roll No Hajimari Ha" (2016, Spotify, ) and "Ochi Kochi Ni" (2014, ).

10. Vacation Three "Blue Submarine" (2018)

This one is from the first album of Vacation Three, titled "One" (Bandcamp, Spotify, ). The trio is formed of singer/guitarist Nakamura Dai (aka NUBACK, also of BANK, ex-Arch), saxophonist Nakamoto Kōichirō and percussionist Okyon (both member of Wack Wack Rhythm Band).

Also check out NUBACK's recently released digital EP, "Still Life" (2020, Bandcamp, Spotify, ).

11. Blue Peppers "samidare Diary" (2017)
(Japanese title: 「さみだれダイアリー」)

Blue Peppers is a duo of two songwriters who make songs with a city pop touch. "samidare Diary" appears on their first album "Retroactive" (Spotify, (Japan), YouTube Music).

Their latest release is an EP of two songs, titled "Believe in Love" (Spotify, , YouTube Music), available on vinyl and digitally.

12. Naka Tomizawa "yoru no kūki" (2020)
(Japanese title: 「夜の空気」)

Electro exotic dub artist Naka Tomizawa (aka King of Opus) (Twitter) released in August a first album under his own name. It's titled "2020 GW" and consists of ambiant guitar sounds with dub effects and hints of TB-303. The song "yoru no kūki" is taken from this album. Enjoy these soothing guitar sounds, and check out his SoundCloud for more.

13. sugar me "Sunday Mooning Birds" (2020)

Singer-songwriter sugar me (aka Ayumi Teraoka) has just released a brand new album earlier this month, titled "Wild Flowers" (Spotify, ), ranging from intimate-sounding home recordings to jazzy pop tunes.

In the recent months, sugar me has been posting many solo acoustic performances under the theme "Spot Light Sessions" on Instagram.

14. Monari Wakita "inori no kotoba" (2017)
(Japanese title: 脇田もなり「祈りの言葉」)

Monari Wakita, an ex-member of idol group Especia, has now been active as a solo singer for 4 years. This song is from her first solo album "I am ONLY" (Spotify, , YouTube Music), and it was written and arranged by Hase Yasuhiro (of Yume to Cosme).

Last month Monari held a live streaming show for her 4th anniversary, in which she sang a new song that was yet untitled, shere should hopefully be more to come soon! Meanwhile her latest is a cover of Original Love's "seppun" that was posted on YouTube as a remote session with producer Arai Toshiya (of COUNTJOKE).

Thanks for tuning in!

Find previous radio shows right here. You can also listen directly and follow on Mixcloud.

Below are videos of songs and artists featured in this radio show.

Three Berry Icecream "the world begins to move again" (Live in Seoul)