Tokyo's Coolest Sound

DJ Miura Makoto (aka Monsieur Mieurax) brought us earlier this year this mix CD of happy, upbeat jazz with hints of breakbeats and latin house. Included is Fun Lovers' "Samba" that FPM has been spinning. The German version of "Hit the Road Jack" by Mo' Horizons was a nice surprise to me. A party-ready selection of both instrumental and vocal tracks.

Audio samples at Jet Set (Buy from this page)

Miura Makoto "be bop of do something"
三浦信 「be bop of do something」

(Track / Artist)
1. Overture (Be Bop Vampire)
2. Never Stop Dreaming / The Sonic Family
3. Bluesanova / 7samurai
4. Hit the Road Jack / Mo' Horizons
5. Murilley / Charles Earland
6. Brown, Black and Gold / Peter & Gordon
7. Interlude (Adieu Tristesse)
8. Pense à moi / J.J. Johnson
9. Take Five / Joe Harnell
10. Hot Heels / Vocal Shades and Tones
11. Stone Ground Seven / The Singers Unlimited
12. Sur les link's / Jack Dieval
13. La chanson des jumelles / Caravelli
14. Interlude (Peter Pan's Dilemma)
15. Samba / Fun Lovers
16. La rumba de na na / Escape From Forio
17. A Sunny Day / Noferini & DJ Guy
18. Make Sense / Gianni De Luca
19. Something New / Sirius B
20. Cubano Chant / The S+H Quintet
21. Batucada / Erlon Chaves
22. Interlude (Death Jazz)
23. A la sombra de una sombrilla / La Compaña
24. Aioka / Quarteto Em Cy
25. Creole Carnival / Melodic Percussion
26. At Midnight / The Don Lusher Quartet
27. Kathy / Moacir Santos

Comedy Tonight CTMC-002
Out 6/16, ¥1500 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Jet Set

DJ Sora-Mimi, a new-comer of the scene who recently released a first 7" and also participated to the "Christmas Will Be Just Another Day" 12" compilation, has a first mix CD out now! 32 tracks of soft rock, groovy pops, soul and rare groove. At this nice price it's a must-check!

Audio sample at Jet Set

DJ Sora-Mimi "Groove Party"

1. Frankie Randall / I Believe In You
2. Bobby Cole Trio / Johnny One Note
3. Accents / Call Me
4. Damita Jo / Love Is Here To Stay
5. Steve Allen And Terry Gibbs / Let Go, Sloppy, Let Go
6. Soul Gang / Ha Ha Ha
7. Shades Of Joy / Crying Bag
8. Enoch Light And Light Brigade / Goodbye, Columbus
9. Peggy Lee / You Must Have Been A Eautiful Baby
10. Freddie Hubbard / The Return Of The Prodigal Son
11. Bernard Ebbinghouse / The Morning After
12. Mark Wirtz / Yeh Yeh
13. Big Miller / Chattanooga Choo Choo
14. Les Cooper / Dig Yourself
15. Nino Tempo & April Stevens / One Dozen Roses
16. Alan Copeland Conspiracy / At My Front Door
17. Rosey Rolly / Tsuppari High School Rock'n Roll
18. Natasha / I Want You To Be My Baby
19. George Baker Selection / Little Green Bag
20. Don Wilkerson / Dem Tambourines
21. Jimmy Taylor & His Sound Drivemen / Am I The Same Guy
22. Jackie Wilson / Helpless
23. Erma Franklin / For Once In My Life
24. Buddy Greco / Beautiful Friendship
25. Etta Cameron / To Die Of Love
26. Billy Daniels / That Old Black Magic
27. Carmen Mcrae / Exactly Like You
28. Nancy Wilson / Power Of Love
29. Edwin Starr & Blinky / I See A Rainbow
30. Spiral Starecase / No One For Me To Turn To
31. Mama Cass / Move In A Little Closer,Baby
32. Red Birds / Sweet Morning Rain

Otonage Records
Out now (12/26), ¥1400
Order: Jet Set

Ikeda Masanori (aka Mansfield) brings us a new mix CD, 3 years after "Electrock" and "Playroom presents Soma & Classic Room". This is a collection of Balearic/Ibiza house.

His latest track, "City Lights", is included and also available on the recent compilation "Grand Gallery presents New Wave" and on 12".

Audio samples at label Flower Records' shop

1. Guy J / Amsterdam
2. Seven Senses / Atilla (Joots van Vleuten's Jybilee Remix)
3. DJ Shah / Palmarosa (Highnoon At Salinas Mix)
4. Francois Dubois / I Try (Original Mix)
5. Above & Beyond pres. Tranquili / Oceanic (Satoshi Fumi's Undualation Remix)
6. Yankle VS Maor Levi / Travelling (Yankle Mix)
7. Jonas Steur / Sonrisa
8. Sunlounger / White Sand (Highnoon At Salinas Mix)
9. Savannah / Savannah (Sunlonger Mix)
10. Ikeda Masanori / City Lights

Flower Records FLRC-057
Out 2008/2/6, ¥2381 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon, HMV

Out now on 12" is Ikeda Masanori's latest track, William Pitt's "City Lights" as featured on the recent compilation "Grand Gallery presents New Wave". The B-side is a remix by Flower Records' Takamiya Eitetsu (Little Big Bee).

Fans who miss Mansfield will be happy to know that he's got a new mix CD coming next February, which will also include this song. Unfortunately there's no news of an album.

Audio samples at label Flower Records' shop

Update (2008/2/8): The tracks are now available on iTunes Music Store.

Ikeda Masanori "City Lights" (12")
池田正典 「City Lights」

A. City Lights (12" Mix)
B. City Lights (E.T. Remix)

Flower Records FLRS-090
Out now (12/21), ¥1400 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Jet Set,

What happens when comedian Kobayashi Kentarō (Rahmens) joins forces with Tanaka Tomoyuki (Fantastic Plastic Machine)? It's called SymmetryS and they describe it as "headphone opera"! Included are several recent FPM works that had yet to be released on CD.

Track 1 from ¥30000 magazine "Visionary", tracks 4, 6, 12 and 14 from Uniqlo's "Uniqlock" project, track 8 from Honda Minivan commercial, track 10 from Pringles commercial (Honeycomb only), track 15 from "Mission: Nike+ Original Run".
Track 5 features Pakkun (of Pakkun Makkun), track 13 features Fonk, track 15 features Tamesue Dai (athlete) and Atsushi (Dragon Ash).

SymmetryS "SymmetryS"

(Track / Artist)
1. Sex (extended version) / Fantastic Plastic Machine
2. Record of Records
3. Minimum Telephone
4. Hones and Clock
5. Koniwa
6. jihō Break Beats
7. No Massage Rap (Live)
8. Midnight Running
9. moriagaru hitotachi
10. Pringles and Bass
11. Sampler sakubun
12. One Minute of Sleep
13. sotsugyōsei In The House
14. Piano and Clock
15. Samurai Breakin' (Short version) / Fantastic Plastic Machine feat. Tamesue Dai & Atsushi (Dragon Ash)

Avex Trax AVCD-23467
Out 2008/2/13, ¥2858 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, YesAsia, Amazon U.S.

Like every year, 2008 will begin with Cornelius' radio show on NHK-FM. Those who can, don't forget to tune in!

Oyamada Keigo's Nakameguro Radio #10
〈小山田圭吾の中目黒ラジオ〉第10回

On 2008/1/1 (Tuesday) from 22:00 to 23:00
Tune in to NHK-FM

Who is Mr. Beats a.k.a. DJ Celory? To tell the truth I'm not too sure, except that he's a member of hip-hop unit Soul Scream. But, this new album of his will feature the likes of Yokoyama Ken (Crazy Ken Band), Scha Dara Parr, bird, Utamaru and Mummy-D (both of Rhymester), Muro, Afra, Kohei Japan... the list goes on. Worth a check!

Mr. Beats a.k.a. DJ Celory "Beautiful Tomorrow"

1. Shocking Dynamite feat. Scha Dara Parr, bird
2. Gift feat. Ham I Scream, Akirtaken Doburoku
3. Don't Stop My Love feat. Murakami Tetsuya, Mummy-D, Kohei Japan
4. Happy Turn feat. Taro Soul, Hunger, Kin Da Sher Rock
5. otona no sekinin feat. Crazy Ken, Utamaru, K-Dub Shine
6. 3 The Hard Way feat. Muro, Big-O, Afra
7. MY WAY feat. Soul Scream
8. Obsession feat. Full Of Harmony
9. Street Dreams Pt.2 feat. Zeebra, Simon, Shinpeita
10. I'm Proud (Fly High) feat. Dabo, Seeda,
11. Love @ 1st Sight feat. Coma-Chi, Aoyama Teruma
12. hai no yō ni feat. hannya

Future Shock PCCA-02573
Out 2008/1/16, ¥2500 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon, YesAsia, Amazon U.S.

These two collections of rare TV commercial music are of interest! Suzuki Keiichi of the Moonriders has 2 jingles sung by Nomiya Maki (Shiseidō "Shower Cologne III" and Fujix "kimi wa Best Scene") and one by Harada Tomoyo (JA chokin "shin - odoru shakaijin"). Higuchi Yasuo (aka Pico)'s has Konishi Yasuharu credited as "special contributor".

There's also a 3rd related compilation out at the same time, of commercial music by Sakurai Jun, who has been an active CM composer since 50 years ago!

(I could bore you with a long track list of all the products advertised, and at the same time torture myself with looking up their correct English spellings, but I'll just list some of the main advertisers instead.)

Suzuki Keiichi "Suzuki Keiichi CM Works On Associates Years (1977-1989)"
鈴木慶一 「鈴木慶一CM WORKS ON・アソシエイツ・イヤーズ(1977-1989)」

Some featured advertisers:
Nabisco, Marui, Fujiya, Toshiba, Morinaga,
Toyota, Meiji, Minolta, Shiseidō, Suntory,
Seibu, Asahi, Kenwood, Parco, Nissan,
Knorr, Kikkoman, Kirin, Kōdansha, and more.
(Total 55 tracks)

Solid CDSOL-1194
Out 12/22, ¥2800 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon

Higuchi Yasuo "Higuchi Yasuo CM Works On Associates Years"
樋口康雄 「樋口康雄 CM WORKS ON・アソシエイツ・イヤーズ(1972-1991)」

Some featured advertisers:
Seiko, Seibu, National, Marui, Toyota,
Parco, Sony, Shiseidō, Pioneer, Suntory,
Odakyū, FujiFilm, Mitsubishi, Lipton, Subaru,
United Airlines, Victor, and more.
(Total 66 tracks)

Solid CDSOL-1195
Out 12/22, ¥2800 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon, HMV

Too much snow and not enough samba? Check out these breakbeats 12" compilations from a few months ago. Aside from German breakbeats unit Big M are tracks by Japan's Shiho Fujisawa, V-Neck Afternoon, Snob Doggs and Monsieur Mieurax.

"Summer Break EP" has a remix by V-Neck Afternoon of a big band version of "I Want You Back" with a samba feel. Snobb Dogs loops a German pop hit song into a crazy breakbeats cocktail lounge track. Monsieur Mieurax offers a mix-up of Serge Gainsbourg's "Sea, Sex and Sun" with Quincy Jones' "Soul Bossa Nova", into a relaxed breakbeats track.

On "Summer Samba!", German mash-up unit Big M blends a Marcos Valle acapella duet with then-wife Anamaria, "Crickets Sing For Anamaria" onto some samba breakbeats. Groovy Sauce fame Shiho Fujisawa gives us a happy club-mambo-samba track heavy on percussions and "mambo" shouts.

Samples at Jet Set at the links below.

Various Artists "Summer Break EP" (12")

A1. V-Neck Afternoon / I Want You V-Neck [Samba]
A2. Snobb Dogs / Happy Summer Time
AA1. Monsieur Mieurax / Sea, Sex and Sun

Pink Panda SB-001 (Promo)
Out now (8/1), ¥1344
Order: Jet Set

Various Artists "Summer Samba!" (12")

A1. Big M / Let The Crickets Sing
AA1. Shiho Fujisawa / Samba De Mambo

Pink Panda SS-001 (Promo)
Out now (8/1), ¥1344
Order: Jet Set

Two compilations of indie-pop artists influenced by the Shibuya-kei scene are coming from new label TKO. Sounds like a great idea to check what the scene is up to, or maybe give it to someone who has asked you the difficult question: "what is Shibuya-kei?" If anything, it's not dead.

Official release page

Various Artists "Shibuya-K Indiepop Collection Vol.1: headstart for happiness"

(Title / Artist)
1. start! ~are you ready for happiness?
2. spring heart / speedy wonder (feat. *manna)
3. Our Brand-New Old-Fashioned Show / bitter cherry jam
4. Sunny side up / the Caraway
5. 1,2,3 / pitcher56
6. What has happened? (Demo Ver.) / murmur
7. smile / flannel
8. drosy / humming parlour
9. waiting for the triumph / boys & girls together
10. present song　/ boys & girls together
11. love on the balloon / straw arts
12. ivory morning / start up bus
13. over the rainbow (fuaries remix) / Flotilla
14. Soul Patrol / marmalade sky
15. bridges / phocor lent
16. wakusei / blue marble
17. mahō no Powderly / solange et delphine
18. koi no senpūki / Soda fountains
19. kinō no namida (Demo Version) / maybelle
20. ame o hitosashi / Kobayashi Shino
21. kimi to ita kisetsu / maniaco-maniaque
22. strawberry talk (tape edit) / Lele et Moi
23. freeness / nufax

TKO TKOK-0001
Out 12/22, ¥2191 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: HMV (more later)

Various Artists "Shibuya-K Indiepop Collection Vol.2: boys (& girls) wonder"

(Title / Artist)
1. opening ~our school bell rings!
2. lollipop song (and other candy pops) / speedy wonder (feat. *manna & yummy (from Bobbie's Rockin' Chair))
3. Red bus goes through our days / pastelshot
4. Fireman / Showcase
5. sunday follower / start up bus
6. We can fly together / Trans alphabet
7. groovy summertime / loveflare
8. bless your trifle / boys & girls together
9. Christmas gumi / boys & girls together
10. television's speed (home demo '95) / candy eyes
11. another season / pitcher56
12. Weekend Song / cherry letter
13. Go Ropeway / naphthaline squall
14. La Pop! (radio mix version) / Mr.Cockrobin
15. timebird / melting holidays
16. run princess run / straw arts
17. Train No.45 / the Sweet Onions
18. a summerday's delight / hairsalon
19. Natural-High / natural graphity
20. Grape Seeds / marmalade sky
21. everywhere in this summer / rodin
22. blue tale / Flotilla　
23. green green Glasgow / phocor lent
24. sunny / flannel

TKO TKOK-0002
Out 12/22, ¥2191 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: HMV (more later)

Nomiya Maki has a special Tower Records-only release coming in February 2008! The Japanese title translates to "Elegance poisoning" and it looks like the English title is going to be "Eleganceholic", it's also the title of her upcoming 2nd recital in April.

The package will contain 2 CDs, each containing only 2 songs. One CD is from the new recital, produced by musical director Kikuchi Naruyoshi (Spank Happy, DCPRG), and the second is from last year's recital "Joy" and produced by musical director Richard Cameron (Arling & Cameron). This very limited release will also contain the same pamphlet that was sold at the "Joy" recital.

Nomiya Maki "Eleganceholic"
野宮真貴 「エレガンス中毒」 ("Elegance chūdoku")

Disc 1: Eleganceholic
1. toshishita no otoko ~ 13 ans de différence
2. toshiue no otoko ~ 31 ans de différence

Disc 2: JOY
1. JOY -acid disco mix
2. Twiggy Twiggy -Richard Cameron re-make

Tower Records 2000000260945
Out 2008/2/6, ¥2858 (excl. 10% tax)
Order:

Ayuse Kozue, whose first album "A♥K" was released in October, has a new single coming early next year that's produced by Towa Tei!

Update (2007/12/27): There's a remix contest for the song "cry baby" in collaboration with HMV. Acapella download and rules this way. (There's no rule against submissions from outside of Japan.)

Ayuse Kozue "One"

1. One
2. cry baby
3. One (acoustic version)
4. One (instrumental)
5. cry baby (instrumental)

Toy's Factory TFCC-89232
Out 2008/1/16, ¥1000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, YesAsia, Amazon U.S.

Vivid Sound in collaboration with Village Vanguard bring us this special compilation of 50's swing jazz covers. the fascinations contribute 3 tracks including Ann Sally's "soshū yakyoku" that we've heard before performed by Ino Hidefumi.

Various Artists "Shanghai Swing"
オムニバス 「上海スウィング」

1. Roco / On a Slow Boat to China
2. Izumikawa Sora / Shanghai
3. the fascinations / soshū yakyoku
4. Little fats & Swingin' hot shot party / Dinah
5. futarinori + Co.ffay / It's Only a Paper Moon
6. Andow Kenji-Low (Cassette Con-Los) / St. Louis Blues
7. futarinori + Co.ffray / Almost Lie Being in Love
8. Izumikawa Sora / Get Out and Get Under the Moon
9. Roco / My Blue Heaven
10. the fascinations / ieraishan (Night Fragrance)
11. Linda & The Big King Jive Daddies / Barflies at the Beach - Sing Sing Sing
12. Azuma Mitsuyoshi & The Swinging Boppers / Walk That Mess
13. Little fats & Swingin' hot shot party / On the Sunny Side of the Street
14. the fascinations / Stardust

Sunrise/Vivid Sound VSCD-9682
Out now (12/5), ¥2625
Buy at Village Vanguard shops

It looks like the first two Three Good Rules releases are truly on their way to homeland now. Not only we get the 12" that we've been waiting for ages, but also a 7"! This one has mash-ups of groovy beats with some well known hip-hop rhymes. Check for yourself with the samples below.

Three Good Rules "3MCs & 1 Samba / Please Move Baby!!!" (7")

A. 3MCs & 1 Samba (Sample)
B. Please Move Baby!!! (Sample)

Sand Step SSR-002
Out 12/26, ¥1280 (excl. 10% tax) ("Promo only")
Order: Jet Set (once out)

Ino Hidefumi's unit with Fujiwara Hiroshi and Daisuke Kojima (DSK) will perform in a publicized event for the first time here, I think. A bunch of great acts from Crue-L Records will also be performing, with Inoue Kaoru DJing soft BGM between the sets.

Lilies on Sunday
on 12/23 (Sunday)
at EATS and MEETS Cay

Live:
Port of Notes (Acoustic Set)
Daisuke Kojima Band
Aurora

Special Guest:
I.D.F (Ino Hidefumi, Daisuke Kojima, Fujiwara Hiroshi)

DJ:
Inoue Kaoru (Special BGM Set)
Tsurutani Sōhei (Spiral Record)

Starts at 18:30
Entrance is ¥3800

There's no info about how to get tickets, so contact through the email address at the bottom of this page, or go to Cay or call to check.
Good luck (you know HF fans are already moving)!

Where "Doopee Time 2" went I don't know, but Yann Tomita is back again with a new release of his "Music Meme" series started in 2006. This time we get package a CD of a collection of Yann Tomita works (mostly previously released, but 3 new tracks are included), plus a DVD of a show that was held at the Myōhonji temple in Kamakura in May 2006.

Yann Tomita "Music Meme 4 Variations" (CD+DVD)
ヤン富田 「Music Meme 4 Variations・変奏曲」
(Working title "Music Meme 4 C-Ya Track")

CD "Variations/hensōkyoku"
1. Yann Tomita / Prelude for Variations (New song)
2. Koizumi Kyōko / Moon Light
3. Yamamoto Linda / Smoke gets in your eyes
4. Yann Tomita / C-Ya!
5. Kahimi Karie / I'm in the rain
6. Cymbals / Glide (Yann Tomita Mix)
7. Naives / Forever Young
8. Doopees / C-Ya! C-Ya! (New song)
9. Yann Tomita / C-Ya! ~ Memories of Tape Recorder
10. Dr.Yann / See Ya!#1 (Previously unreleased)
11. Yann Tomita / Forever Yann

Book "Music Meme 4"
- Yann Tomita "hensō ni tsuite" ("About variations")
- "aru hi no Caroline to Suzy" ("One day's Caroline and Suzy")
Interviews with Oyamada Keigo (Cornelius), Sunaga Tatsuo (Sunaga t Experience), Ohno Yumiko (Buffalo Daughter), Suzy Kim and more.
112 pages.

DVD "Music of Hippie Dippie Drone Science by Yann Tomita"
1. Electric Buddha
2. Forever Yann
3. Forever Young
Performed by Audio Science Raga Ensemble (Yann Tomita + Doopees & Naives)
Plus photo album.

CCRE Music CCRM-6014
Out 2008/2/6 4/3 4/23, ¥3990
Order: Amazon (15% off on pre-orders), HMV, Tower

See also:
Yann Tomita "Forever Yann Music Meme 2"
Doopees "Forever Yann Music Meme 3"

Best known as Kiiiiiii's producer, but also for his works with Cornelius and Buffalo Daughter, DJ Codomo (MySpace) has a first solo album coming up. The sound is described as 8-bit club-pop with a definite Japanese touch, and featured will be guest artists Kiiiiiii and Higurashi Aiha (Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her).
Out on Kiiiiiii's label Best Pet.

DJ Codomo "Today"
DJ子供 「Today」

1. Today
2. Curry & Mice (feat. Kiiiiiii)
3. Hot Space
4. Hysteria (feat. Higurashi Aiha)
5. Past
6. Hands
7. Clover Leaf
8. Big Mini
9. Stretch
10. I Like You
11. Look
12. Todaday

Best Pet BSPT-002
Out 2008/1/23, ¥2191 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon, HMV, YesAsia,

Their first single in 8 years "shōnen Young" is just out, and already there's another Denki Groove single on the way, out for Valentine's Day! This one contains two songs that will be used in the Toei anime series "hakaba Kitarō" starting in January on Fuji TV. Pierre Taki will also be doing the voice of character Trump Omoi, who sings the B-side Shōwa-kayō track "Yūkaruchō de tokemashō".

Denki Groove "Mononoke Dance"
電気グルーヴ 「モノノケダンス」

1. Mononoke Dance
2. Yūkaruchō de tokemashō
3. Yūkaruchō de tokemashō (A Nightclub Massacre Mix)

Ki/oon KSCL-1208
Out 2008/2/14, ¥972 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, YesAsia, Amazon U.S.

Konishi Yasuharu has made a special mix CD for Jet Set Records' Christmas campaign. The mix is made of nothing but drum-less songs, and includes narration by Konishi-san himself.

The CD is free to shoppers who buy for ¥8000 at Jet Set's online shop, or ¥5000 at Jet Set's Kyoto or Shimokitazawa shops.

Various Artists "What are you doing the rest of your life?"
オムニバス 「これからの人生。」

Jet Set JSCD-024
Out now (12/1), not for sale

How to get: Place an order at Jet Set Records of ¥8000 or more and specify that you want Konishi-san's mix CD in the notes,... or go to Jet Set Kyoto or Shimokitazawa and buy for ¥5000, and ask for the mix CD.
While supplies last!

Ahhhhh... UGH!!!!! You've heard right, Tokyo Panorama Mambo Boys are back!! That's the 90's unit of Paradise Yamamoto, Comoesta Yaegashi and Gonzalez Suzuki, it's also the root of these three's mambo names which they have kept using independently to this inevitable day.

Stay tuned for more details! Oh, and coming straight from Japan's only official Santa Claus, they're already beginning to record their next release, of an already planned series of three!

Tokyo Panorama Mambo Boys official blog

Tokyo Panorama Mambo Boys "Mambo Imperial"
東京パノラママンボボーイズ 「マンボ・インペリアル」

1. Intromambo Uno ~ Mambo no Beat (Al Compas del Mambo)
2. Intromambo Dos ~ daigaku Mambo (Mambo Universitario)
3. Speak Up Mambo
4. Cha Cha Chick
5. Patricia ~ Mambo Siesta Uno
6. Suzie Wong Mambo ~ Mambo Siesta Dos
7. Mambo Medley ~ Intromambo Tres
8. Mambo Bond
9. Cafe Deng (Tomando Cafe) ~ Intromambo Cuatro
10. Taboo 2008

Imperial TECI-1169
Out 2008/1/23, ¥1715 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, YesAsia, Amazon U.S.