Tokyo's Coolest Sound

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. Tune in at the times below at https://lafaceb.live.

"Tokyo's Coolest Sound" (vol.42) was aired at https://lafaceb.live on August 17 from 20:30 (EDT = Montréal/New York).
* Japan time: August 18, 2023 from 9:30 a.m.

This episode is not archived as-is. Some replays are expected to be aired in the following weeks, between Thursday noon and Friday noon (EDT).

Listen to the Spotify playlist of some of the songs played (some replaced according to Spotify availability), or scroll down this page to find music videos and individual songs, and also listen to the narration.

Below is the full tracklist with liner notes, and narration parts which you can listen to.

1. HALLCA "Sugar" (2023)

Singer-songwriter HALLCA (ex-Especia) released in July three new songs digitally. One of them is "Sugar" (Spotify, , YouTube Music), which was arranged by Blackstone Village. Also check out the two other new songs "Night Driver" and "Mind's Eye" here.

HALLCA does a weekly YouTube program every Sunday from 9pm (JST), in which she always sings a few songs and also interacts with chat visitors. Subscribe to her YouTube channel where previous episodes can also be viewed.

HALLCA can be seen live on September 8 at Yoyogi Live Studio Lodge (details), and on September 23 at event "Traverse vol.1" at Shimokitazawa Spread, also featuring Beni Usakura and HiiT Factory (details).

🎙 Listen to Narration I
Presenting: HALLCA, kimriri

2. kimriri "so mean" (2023)

Indie electro-pop teenage singer-songwriter kimriri (Instagram, Twitter) has released her 3rd digital single recently, titled "so mean" (Spotify, , YouTube Music). This follows "cry baby" and "crush on you" that were released last year. All three songs were released by label felicity.

Check out kimriri's Instagram and Twitter to stay tuned of her activities.

3. Shō Kurashina (Good Bye April) "Summer Clouds feat. miida" (2023)
(Japanese title: 倉品翔 「ふたりは夏雲 feat. miida」 "futari wa natsugumo feat. miida")

Shō Kurashina, the singer/guitarist/keyboardist of band Good Bye April, has recently released this duet song featuring singer miida (ex-Negoto), titled "Summer Clouds" (Spotify, , YouTube Music).

Sho Kurashina was recently featured on Kanako Hara's mini album "Tokyo City Pop vol.1: Portrait" from which his featured song "360" was also released on 7" for City Pop on Vinyl 2023 this month (get it at CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower, etc.). Good Bye April's latest album is "swing in the dark" released last year, since which several new songs were released digitally.

A solo show will be held on September 10 at Shimokitazawa lete (details).

4. °C-want you! "Tokimeki" (2023)
(Japanese title: ℃-want you! 「ときめきを教えて」 "tokimeki o oshiete")

℃-want you! (a member of Magic, Drums & Love) has just released this brand new song titled "Tokimeki" (Spotify, , YouTube Music), or in Japanese "tokimeki o oshiete". The song is also available as the B-side of the just-released 7" single "Peppermint Patty Telephone / Tokimeki" (buy it at Jet Set, HMV, Tower (Japan only), etc.).

℃-want you! can be seen performing solo on August 19 at an event at Shimokitazawa New Fuchi-Kuchi (details), and also on August 26 backed by Kuchu Camera part of an event with also The Pen Friend Club, Hazy Sour Cherry and DJ Carole Ai❣️, at Shimokitazawa Live Haus from 12:30 (details). Magic, Drums & Love's latest 7" single "Tohhou Magic", of which the B-side is "°Capital °City °Crawl" sung by ℃-want you!.

🎙 Listen to Narration II
Presenting: Shō Kurashina, °C-want you!, Negicco

5. Negicco "Good to See You Again - How Are You" (2023)
(Japanese title: Negicco 「お久しぶりです・お元気ですか」 "ohisashiburi desu - ogenki desuka")

Negicco came back last month with a brand new mini-album, titled "Perfect Sense" (Spotify, , YouTube Music). All three members got married in the recent years, and they all became mothers in 2022, and while individual members had released new songs this new EP marks their return as a group.

This song, "Good to See You Again - How Are You" (or in Japanese "ohisashiburi desu - ogenki desuka"), was written by Konishi Yasuharu (ex-Pizzicato Five), and it came with a touching music video in which they can be seen greeting shops and fans in their local streets. Watch it below!

Negicco have an upcoming show in Tokyo, along with lyrical school, on August 30 at Veats Shibuya (details). Find their full schedule here.

6. Takeshi Nakatsuka "Just a Minute, please" (2023)
(Japanese title: 中塚武 「Just a Minute, please」)

Speaking of come-backs, Takeshi Nakatsuka has just released this month a brand new album titled "Parade" (Spotify, , YouTube Music). While he had kept being active and released several collaborations, 7 years had passed since his previous album "EYE" (2016). The song "Just a Minute, please" is a brand new track from the album "Parade".

A release party will be held on Sunday August 20 at Shibuya Club Quattro featuring many guests, with performances by Takeshi Nakatsuka with Igaban BB, Tatsuo Sunaga, FPM, Rocketman, i-dep, Hoshikuzu Scat, TRI4TH and videobrother, plus guest appearances by Maki Nomiya, Asako Toki, Eri Kamiya, akiko, Emi Tawata, and The Skamotts Horns. Check out the event details and ticket info.

🎙 Listen to Narration III
Presenting: Takeshi Nakatsuka, Haruna Yusa

7. Haruna Yusa "Liquid Of Summer" (2023)
(Japanese title: 遊佐春菜 「夏の雫」)

The closing song this time is a recent release by keyboardist and singer Haruna Yusa (Twitter, Instagram) (a member of bands Kowarekake no Tape Recorders and Have a Nice Day!). "Liquid Of Summer" is a cover of Strip Joint, this time sung in Japanese. The song can be found on Bandcamp and other download/streaming platforms (Spotify, , YouTube Music).

This month she also released another Strip Joint cover, "Dreams In Dawn", and both of these plus a new song and remixes will be released on a cassette tape for Cassette Store Day 2023 on October 13. It can be pre-ordered at HMV, Tower Records, etc.

Haruna has an upcoming solo performance on September 15 at Shimokitazawa Gourdisland Minamiguchi-ten (details). Find more of her upcoming events on her Twitter account.

Thank you for tuning in! Information about replays can be found at the top of the page.

Find previous radio shows right here. You can also listen to some older ones on Mixcloud.