Tokyo's Coolest Sound

Doopees' second album, following the recent release of EP "Forever Yann Music Meme 3", will be released on November 29! More details to follow.

Doopees "Doopee Time 2"

Audio Science Laboratory/bounce/NMNL ASL-RS????
Out 7/28 11/29 delayed again, stay tuned, ¥????
Order: (not yet)

(Details, track list and artwork to be added when available.)

Update (2008/5/2): This has been canceled!

Mizumoto Akira (TMVG) has a first solo album on the way, under the name PAM. Except for a few guests such as G.Rina and Takai Kōki, the album was entirely done by himself.

Some songs of his can be heard at his MySpace.

PAM "Journalized"

1. My Life As A Skateboard
2. After The Rain (Vocal by G. Rina)
3. Good Music
4. Her Name is Orchid (Vocal by PAM)
5. I Knew You When
6. Big Bird
7. Purify (Rap by Wells Knotty)
8. Da Luz
9. I Wish You Love
10. Sun, Rain, Clouds & Horizon
11. By This River (Vocal by PAM)

Angel's Egg DDCA-5044
Out 11/29, ¥2400 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Play-Asia, Amazon

Halcali finally have a new release coming up, not yet an album but rather a single. The title track is to be the theme song for the Japan-produced Powerpuff Girls Z anime series from October 7.

There will be a limited edition including a bonus DVD with the video for song "ga to chō" which appeared on TV show Takeyama-sensei.

Halcali "Look"

1. Look
2. Sister Ship

Limited edition (CD+DVD)
Epic/Sony ESCL-2911/2
Out 12/13, ¥1260
Order: Amazon, HMV, Tower, Amazon U.S., YesAsia

Regular edition (CD only)
Epic/Sony ESCL-2913
Out 12/13, ¥1000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Play-Asia, Amazon, YesAsia, Amazon U.S.

Nomoto Karia has a new self-remix of her latest song, "jiyūdo.", in which she can be heard rapping along with Asia Engineer. Check it out!
Available now for download only, on iTunes Music Store Japan and others (WMA).

Nomoto Karia feat. Asia Engineer "jiyūdo. (karly mix)" (Download)
野本かりあ feat. アジアエンジニア 「自由度。 (karly mix)」

columbia*readymade
Out now!
Sample/Buy:

How to buy from iTunes Japan from overseas

Halfby "Halfbeat"
Artwork added

jenny01 "Listen or Love"
Artwork added

Inoue Kaoru (Chari Chari) selects tracks by artists on and about his label Seeds and Ground, a sub-label of Crue-L Records started in 2003. Most if not all seems previously unreleased.

Various Artists "SAG VOYAGE 2006 : summer Archive - Compiled by Kaoru Inoue"

1. Kokoro to Kakera - Oideyo
2. Aurora - Lo Stesso Sangue
3. Echoa - Wishing Well
4. ngoma - Red Stripe
5. Silverstone - Horsepower
6. Gabby & Lopez - Drive From The Miracle (KI remix)
7. Kaoru Inoue - Eclipse of the Moon
8. Silverstone - The Decline
9. Amamjau - asa ni de mo
10. Palmecho - &natsu
11. Aurora - Monshūin

Seeds and Ground SAGCD011
Out 10/25, ¥2500 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon

(Artwork to be added when available.)

Various Artists "Garage Bandits"
Track list and artwork added

Cornelius "Sensuous"
Some extra info (collaborators, cover) added

Only for one day, all of Japan's eight Apple Stores will play only Cornelius' new album "Sensuous", and that in a special surround edition!

Sound & Recording Magazine presents dai2kai Cornelius shinkyoku hirōen
Sound & Recording Magazine presents 第2回 Cornelius 新曲披露演
on 10/29 (Sunday)
at Apple Store

From opening until closing
Price: Free!

This all-night live painting/DJ/VJ+more event, organized by artist kozoo, promises a lot of nocturnal fun! Look out for Tochka's VJing, whose pikapika project is being featured at the Ottawa International Animation Festival 2006.

nocturnal
on 10/14
at Nishi-Azabu bullet's

DJ:
DJ kaz
marinate
nne
yayameme

Live Painting:
meg a.k.a. trip
NOVOL
kozoo

VJ:
Tochka

Display (photo):
masagon

Slide:
Shimada Masamichi

Starts at 22:00, ends at 5:00
Price: ¥1500 (w/ 1 drink)

Scha Dara Parr, who are celebrating their 15th anniversary, have a 10th album coming out this year. The album will include the title track from single "Disco System" out in August.

Scha Dara Parr "CON10PO"
スチャダラパー 「CON10PO」

1. CON10TS
2. Manual
3. BD hatsugen
4. Disagree ~namida no Disagree~
5. Soft Focus
6. People People
7. Disco System
8. Catch The Drop
9. 5 Cups
10. kōya Walker
11. Dai-Koubutsu
12. jakaja~n
13. Song Of The Hill

Formula POCS-1008
Out 11/15, ¥2667 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Play-Asia, Amazon, YesAsia,

Isabelle Antena "French Riviera"
Track list and artwork added

jenny01 "Listen or Love"
Track list added

Escalator Records are already at their 8th installment of popular mix series "We Are Escalator Records". This time the selector is Tsuneoka Akira of Cubismo Grafico Five, Hi-Standard and S.P.L.

Various Artists "We Are Escalator Records part 8 mixed by Tsuneoka Akira"

1. Bjorn Synneby / In Your Lap
2. Losfeld / New Age Of Chance
3. Le Hammond Inferno / People Pop
4. Boris Godunov / Recall (The Happy Days)
5. Cubismo Grafico / Blissful
6. Cocosuma / On The Influence Of Fall On Music And Its Overall Consequences On The Youth's State Of Mind
7. Cubismo Grafico / Trip To Rio
8. Le Hammond Inferno / Herbert
9. Clear / Z
10. Yukari Rotten / C.L.I.J.S.T.E.R.S.
11. Phiiliip / Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
12. Neil And Iraiza / Oracle Noise
13. Boris Godunov Plays Hegner / Better
14. Cocosuma / (Tapping) The Source
15. Miniflex / Broodje
16. Yukari Fresh / Haricot Beans
17. Swingset / H.C.T.S.L.
18. Harvard / Clean&Dirty
19. Nicoletta / Run

Escalator ESCD-063 / XQAV-1063
Out 9/27, ¥2500 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon, Amazon U.S.

Label sucre is releasing a first mini-album by new-comer marino. The songs are produced by Nakata Yasutaka (capsule) and Hayashibe Tomonori (Plus-Tech Squeeze Box). I heard some very good comments from my friends Jens and Per who had the chance to sample it early.

marino "lollipop"

1. lollipop (produced by Hayashibe Tomonori)
2. rarariru (produced by Nakata Yasutaka)
3. tic tac (produced by Hayashibe Tomonori)
4. Flavor (produced by Nakata Yasutaka)
5. strawberry (produced by Hayashibe Tomonori)

Sucre SCPN-23
Out 10/14 10/30, ¥1575
Order: Amazon, HMV, Tower

Kahimi Karie "Nunki"
Track list added

These releases appear to have been put on hold. I will update once release dates have been announced.
Various Artists "Hattori Jazz & Jive"
Various Artists "anime breakbeats" (to be confirmed)
Various Artists "anime breakbeats II" (to be confirmed)

Fancy a party in the woods with Crue-L Records? This outdoor event, held at a camp site in Gunma prefecture devoted to music events, will let you enjoy Crue-L's beats in the middle of nowhere. Features Kahimi Karie, and most/all of Crue-L's current line-up.
Bring your tent, or don't?

Grooveland Green presents Crue-L Future 2006
on 9/30-10/1
at Tenkū no mori Camp Site (群馬県沼田市上発知高蕨2862 県立21世紀の森内 0278-22-0384)

DJs:
Inoue Kaoru (Seeds and Ground/Aurora)
Takimi Kenji (Crue-L/Luger E-Go)
DISCOSSESSION (Chee & Dr. Nishimura)
DJ Hiroaki (Psychogem/Play Ground)
Hiroyuki (Seeds and Ground/Echoa)
... and more?

Live:
Aurora (Kaoru Inoue+DSK)
Kahimi Karie
DSK
Fran-Key
Spikewave
Wazan
... and more?

Starts on 9/30 at 18:00, ends on 10/1 at 08:00
Price: advance ¥3800 (includes camping and parking fee) (Lawson 32703)

Lo-bit Playground will present a bunch of 8-bit artists, including several visitors from Fukuoka. Famicom fans, don't miss this!

Lo-bit Playground Vol.5.0
on 9/23
at Kichijoji Fourth Floor

Live:
portalenz (tsuji Techno (Fukuoka))
pepino (tsuji Techno/mesuenanlastripas (Fukuoka))
苦楽 (tsuji Techno (Fukuoka))
Xinon (8 bit Peoples (Fukuoka))
Saitone
coova (Lo-bit Playground)
quarta330 (Lo-bit Playground)

Opens at 18:50, starts at 19:00, closes at approx. 22:00
Price: with flyer ¥1500 (save this to your mobile phone and show it at the door), otherwise ¥2000, incl. 1 drink

Singer arvin homa aya, best known for her vocals with Jazztronik, has a second solo album coming up. It will feature collaborations with Sunaga Tatsuo, Fukutomi Yukihiro, Kyoto Jazz Massive, Studio Apartment, Exile, Harukawa Hitoshi, AI, and Minmi. The album will also feature jazz singer akiko.

arvin homa aya "Amazing"

1. Amazing
2. Girls Are Just Girls feat. akiko
3. Rise Up To The Sun
4. It's Time
5. Dear Friends
6. The Best You Can Be
7. Before You Walk Out Of My Life
8. Don't Wanna Fall In Love feat. JiN
9. Special Night - a Christmas Song -
10. Just As We
11. Everytime

Voicellar/Gate GTCR-05028
Out 10/18, ¥2381 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon, Amazon U.S.

French singer Isabelle Antena (myspace) has a new album coming up featuring collaborations with Fukutomi Yukihiro, Kyoto Jazz Massive, Sunaga Tatsuo, Yoshizawa Hajime, Jazztronik, Fujimoto Kazuma (Orange Pekoe), Okii Reiji (ex-Cymbals) and Yasuda Yoshiyuki.

Isabelle Antena "French Riviera"
イザベル・アンテナ 「フレンチ・リヴィエラ 」

1. The French Riviera
2. Just For You And Me
3. Sunshine Express
4. Brazillian Dorian Dream
5. All For The Music
6. Histoire A Paris
7. Fly Away
8. Like There's No Tomorrow
9. Dans Le Jardan D'Eden
10. Under The Moonlight

Gate GAGJ-0018
Out 9/20, ¥2500 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon,

It's Sunaga time, hang tight! First of all, a 6th installment of successful jazz compilation series "Jazz Allnighters" is coming up. This one will feature material from RCA, mostly 60's European jazz.

Various Artists "Sunaga Tatsuo no yoru Jazz: Jazz Allnighters No.6"
オムニバス 「須永辰夫の夜ジャズ～Jazz Allnighters №6～」

(Title / Artist)
1. Monotonia / Sestetto Basso Valdambrini
2. Impulse / Dino & Franco Piana Quintet
3. 40 Graus / Os Cobras
4. Canto de Ossanha / Phil Woods & Chris Gunning Orchestra
5. April In Paris / Helen Merrill
6. anakurushisu (?) / Watanabe Sadao
7. La Macarena / Hino Terumasa
8. No Jive / Buddy Rich
9. Giant Steps (Flute Version) / Quartetto Lo Greco
10. How Insensitive / Don Friedman
11. Five Four and Three / Lee Konitz
12. St. Vitus Dance / Dee Dee Bridgewater
13. 15sai no shurajō / Shima & Shikou Duo
14. Virtual Bossa / Guido Guidoboni Quintet
15. Walking In The Night / Sestetto Basso Valdambrini

BMG BVCJ-31043
Out 10/25, ¥2427 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon, Amazon U.S.

Also:
"Sunaga Tatsuo no yoru Jazz: Jazz Allnighters No.1" (Sony)
"Sunaga Tatsuo no yoru Jazz: Jazz Allnighters No.2" (Universal)
"Sunaga Tatsuo no yoru Jazz: Jazz Allnighters No.3" (Victor (Prestage/Riverside))
"Sunaga Tatsuo no yoru Jazz: Jazz Allnighters No.4" (Toshiba EMI)
"Sunaga Tatsuo no yoru Jazz: Jazz Allnighters No.5" (Columbia)

Trivia!
These are alternate tracks that were once listed at various sources in this release's track list but didn't make it to the final track list. (These are not included!)
Metropoli / Gino Marinacchi
oryou pura mimu / raulji-nyo (?) (オリョウ・プラ・ミム/ラウルジーニョ)
Helsinki at Noon / Christian Schwindt Quintet
Happy Monk / Lionel Hampton
Mestre Limba / Luis eka-bebeto-herushio moruto (?) (メストレ・リンバ/ルイス・エカーベベトーヘルシオ・モルト)
Stiff Jazz / dZihan & Kamien
Never Gonna Let You Go / Koop

Shinjuku Oto will be host of one hell of a line-up for its 11th anniversary at the end of the month! With a live by Nomoto Karia and a bunch of the best DJs around, the place is sure to be packed way past its capacity!

Oto 11th Anniversary Party
on 9/29
at Shinjuku Oto

Live:
Nomoto Karia

DJs:
Naka Masashi (Escalator Records)
Matsuda "Chabe" Gakuji (Cubismo Grafico)
Takahshi Takahiro (Halfby)
Matsuno Mitsunori (Fredo)
Nakata Yasutaka (capsule/contemode)
Hashimoto Tōru (SUBURBIA/Café Après-midi)
Horiuchi Takashi (cafe vivement dimanche)
Hase Hajimu (707)
Kazamatsuri Kenta (Strut)
Shimokawa Kōhei (Minors holiday cafe/blockhead)
Kawanishi Suguru (Minors holiday cafe)

Opens at 22:00
Price: with flyer (or printout of web discount) ¥2500 w/ 1 drink, otherwise ¥3000yen w/ 1 drink, free celebration alcohol

Graffiti artist QP is having a new exhibition at The Ghetto!

My review of previous exhibition "1+1=333"

La Querencia Peligrosa "koten"
La Querencia Peligrosa 「個展」

At The Ghetto 2F
1-1-10 Hyakuninchō, Shinjuku-ku (Shin-Ōkubo) (Yahoo! map)
Tel: 03-5287-6213

From 9/23 until 10/15
Opening hours: 12:00 to 20:00
Free!

Ken, the man behind the indies live report blog Japan Live, is organizing a first event under the same name. The bands playing will be Three Berry Icecream (solo unit of Ikemizu Mayumi, formerly of Bridge and Daffodil-19), Yunn & Yuyake Lamp (mellow piano pop led by vocalist of Orange Plankton), and 4 Bonjour's Parties (group of seven mixing Glasgow indie sound with noise, post-rock and electronica).

I hope this vol.1 is to be the first of many!

Japan Live Presents Vol. 1
on 9/23
at Nishiazabu The Baron

Live:
Three Berry Icecream
Yunn & Yuyake Lamp
4 Bonjour's Parties

and also with DJ Kamaage

Opens at 18:30, starts at 19:00
Price: reserved ¥2000 (email gonglinjianATyahooDOTcom with your name, number of tickets and [if possible] which band you want to see most), door ¥2500

Various Artists "Punch the Monkey! Box"
Track list of 4th CD added

Nomoto Karia "Tokyo wa yoru no 7ji" (12")
Finally, a release date that looks definitive: September 15! However the columbia*readymade news page said that it should be in stock in the week of September 3, so I recommend watching Jet Set's top page closely until the release. This is a very limited edition.

eli (ex-Love Tambourines, now girl it's u) will play a rare solo live this month. Her back-up band will feature Fujii Tomonobu on guitar, Ōno Shintarō on bass (both of music from the mars), and Haruyama Tomoyuki (mi-ne, tomtom gakudan) on percussions.
Other artists performing will include the must-see organ-playing dog Jon.

Jasmin needs music!
on 9/19 (Tuesday)
at Hatsudai Doors (map, Yahoo! map)

Live:
eli
Jon (the Dog)
kokyū suru Jasmin (solo unit of ex-Peterroom's Azumi)
and more...

Opens at 18:30, starts at 19:00
Price: advance ¥2500 (Pia 240-336, Lawson 32495, Hatsudai Doors), door ¥2700, +drink

Halfby's first major single "screw the plan" is being released on 7" by Second Royal. It includes the original version and a remix, both already available on the CD.

Halfby "screw the plan" (7")

A. Screw The Plan feat. Olympic Lifts
B. Screw The Plan (dEAD deAD HALF gOOD REMIX)

Second Royal EMF-016
Out 9/9, ¥1000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Jet Set (once out)

Buy iTunes Japan Music Cards at Amazon

Puffy×Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra "hazumu Rhythm"
Artwork added

KIT, a new sub-label of Escalator Records produced by Cubismo Grafico, has a new compilation coming up that will probably feature new GarageBand works by its artists like on the previously released "Garage Land".
Featured artists will be Cubismo Grafico, Furukawa Taichi, Caede, Gotama, Miniflex, A.P.I., Ymst, TDC, Ugh Hella Bikini, Kenzi Masubuchi, Dawa, Nari, and TGMX.

Various Artists "Garage Bandits"

1. Cubismo Grafico "No Windows In My Room"
2. Taichi Furukawa "Body Rock"
3. Caede "I Know You Well Baby"
4. Gotama "X Day (Pts. 1 & 2)"
5. Miniflex "Deadeye Dick Phone"
6. A.P.I. "Memoriae"
7. Ymst "TyCOBBTyCOBB!"
8. TDC "Oasis"
9. Ugh Hella Bikini "AVANTure"
10. Kenzi Masubuchi "Professor"
11. Dawa "Pleasant Feeling"
12. Nari "Powerofwords"
13. TGMX "Green Door"

Escalator/KIT KIT-002 / XQAV-1064
Out 10/25, ¥2500 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Play-Asia, Amazon

Club breakbeats unit Mr.comicstore, aka Arai Toshiya (Readymade) with Nagai Katsutoshi, has a new 7" coming up, featuring Finnish singer Nicole Willis on vocals.

Mr.comicstore "Are you ready to the party?" (7")

A. Are you ready to the party? (feat. Nicole Willis)
B. Are you ready to the party? (Instrumental)

Mamushi ?
Out 9/23, ¥1029
Order: (not yet)

Kahimi Karie "Nunki"
New album title and artwork added

Kahimi Karie "Kochab" (DVD)
Artwork added