Tokyo's Coolest Sound

New-comer DJ, composer and trackmaker Obata Tomohisa brings us this brilliant first 12" produced by Fujisawa Shiho. These 4 cute and happy vocal tracks featuring singer Yuka will be sure to turn the heads of capsule and Perfume fans! This one comes from Eat Records, label of Boot Beat and Jet Set and also MySpace

Tomohisa Obata "Sastain Life + MUSIC"

A1. Sastain Life + MUSIC feat. YUKA
A2. Are u ok? feat. YUKA
B1. mugen Loop feat. YUKA
B2. Story feat YUKA

Eat Records ER-0011
Out 11/7, ¥1380 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Jet Set

Konishi Yasuharu wrote and produced a track for the new album of Oikawa Mitsuhiro (aka Michie). The track in question, titled "That's Entertainment.", has Konishi's distinctive club sound and sure reminds of Pizzicato Five, and also seems to borrow a bit of melody from Miyamura Yūko's "Mama Told Me".

Audio sample (click the 3rd RealAudio or Windows Media button to sample Konishi's track)

Oikawa Mitsuhiro "Rainbow-Man"
及川光博 「Rainbow-Man」

1. Most Beautiful Night
2. GO AHEAD!!
3. That's Entertainment.
4. ponzu ponza- ponzesuto
5. kimi wa kirei
6. unmei no hito
7. Sparkling Girl

Kassai WTCS-1020
Out 11/5, ¥2500 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, YesAsia, , Amazon U.S.

Vanilla Beans' continue their download-only series with another new song! This is available via iTunes Japan and others.

By the way, it looks like they have a CD single planned for release at the end of January. Stay tuned!

Vanilla Beans "Afternoon a Go-Go -We Love You Mix-" (Download)
バニラビーンズ 「Shopping ☆ Kirari」

Tokuma TWEB-150
Out now (10/29), ¥200
Sample/buy:

See also:
"Afternoon a Go-Go" (Download)
"Afternoon a Go-Go -We Love You Mix-" (Download)

How to buy from iTunes Japan from overseas

3rd and last of this EP series, DJ/trackmaker Fujisawa Shiho is here remixed by none other than Halfby! "After hours" mixes of three other tracks from her album "Happy Hour" are also included, such as techno-pop track "Everything is alright" featuring Qypthone's Izumi.

Audio samples at Jet Set

Fujisawa Shiho "After Hours E.P.03" (12")
藤澤志保 「After Hours E.P.03」

A1. Uniting of Gene (HALFBY Side Farmers Mix)
A2. Trip of Beat (after hours mix)
B1. a note from sky feat. Okada Kyōko (after hours mix)
B2. Everything is alright! feat. Ōkawara Izumi (after hours mix)

Eat Records ER-0010
Out now (10/23), ¥1280 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Jet Set

This is the 2nd of EP series from girl DJ/trackmaker Fujiwara Shiho's album "Happy Hour". Side A has DJ breakbeat tracks, one remixed by Boot Beat, and side B has great vocal tracks including a cover of Pizzicato Five's "Drinking Wine" featuring Pecombo!

Audio samples at Jet Set

Fujisawa Shiho "After Hours E.P.02" (12")
藤澤志保 「After Hours E.P.02」

A1. Drum Crazy For DJ (Continuation Of Horn Mix - Remixed By Boot Beat)
A2. Music Rainbow (After Hours Mix)
B1. Table ni hitobin no Wine ft. Pecombo (After Hours Mix)
B2. My Town Feat. Maiko Ueoku (After Hours Mix)

Eat Records ER-0009
Out now (9/13), ¥1280 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Jet Set, Juno (UK)

Groove Unchant has a mix CD coming up on Orange Records! The track list includes some rare tracks and also previously unreleased tracks and remixes.

Groove Unchant and the Orange Records Crew can be caught on a rare occasion in Tokyo on Friday November 14. See Tokyo Gig Guide for details.

Various Artists "A Mature Hour"

(Title / Artist)
1. 7 uomini d'oro feat. Pecombo / Groove Unchant
2. Sweet DA BA DA / Instant Cafe Records
3. dime and dice / kofta
4. SHIRLEY SEXY / novaFASE
5. RAP DANCE / One Four One
6. Mambo Phase 6 / Groove Unchant
7. Eso Beso / Argyle
8. TIN TIN / Hiroshi & Eve
9. SON HURAN DISCOW / The Orangers
10. tokimeki Tonight / Chupi*Chupi
11. chūō Freeway / kofta
12. Brilliant Girl (141's Re-Touch) / novaFASE
13. SOLID COLOR LOVE (KLAPP&MEMILD REMIX) / Argyle
14. The Star Watcher's Song / Instant Cafe Records

Orange Records ORGR-030
Out 11/12, ¥1800 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon, HMV

Kaji Hideki has an 11th album out now! Said to have an 80's taste, it not only features guests such as Yoshié, Horie Hirohisa (pupa, Neil & Iraiza), Cornelius and Yoshida Jin (Salon Music), but the super catchy song "amai koibito" was recorded at Tambourine Studios with Eggstone. All over again!

Yet more guests such as Kojima Mayumi, who joins for a duet, and also Halfby and Kaseki Cider, surely make for an irresistible album.

HMV and Tower offer a bonus original CD-R while supplies last.

Audio samples at HMV

Kaji Hideki "Lollipop"
カジヒデキ 「Lollipop」

1. amai koibito
2. itoshi no Funny Girl
3. Kiss Kiss Kiss
4. Lollipop Candy
5. Angelic Symphony
6. Half Time
7. Rasberry Kiss
8. Heart wa hitotsu dake
9. Too Much Too Young
10. Holy Night
11. arigatō wa Maman no nukumori

Felicity PECF-1005
Out 10/22, ¥2667 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon, HMV, YesAsia, Amazon U.S.

Produced by Monsieur Mieurax (DJ Miura Makoto) and out on his label Comedy Tonight, here's a 7" by new-comer rapper Yoshioka Kerouac. Groovy and refreshing, check it out!

Audio samples at Jet Set

Yoshioka Kerouac "Magic Moment Ride" (7")

A. Magic Moment Ride
B. Gravity Rap

Comedy Tonight CTSP-001
Out now (9/29), ¥1280 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Jet Set

Perfume toured sold out venues throughout Japan for hit album "GAME". Now here's your chance to enjoy the show too!

Video sample at Tower Records (look for the large yellow banner)

Perfume "First Tour 'GAME'" (DVD)
Perfume 「First Tour 『GAME』」

1. GAME
2. Electro World
3. Computer City
4. Computer Driving
5. Twinkle Snow Powdery Snow
6. Baby cruising Love
7. Foundation
8. Take me Take me
9. Secret Secret
10. Macaroni
11. Polyrhythm
12. Chocolate Disco
13. Perfect Star Perfect Style
14. Jenny wa gokigen naname
15. Perfume
16. Ceramic Girl
17. wonder2

Tokuma Japan TKBA-1121
Out 10/15, ¥3715 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Play-Asia, Amazon (24% off *), HMV (23% off *), YesAsia, Amazon U.S.
* Discount at time of writing

dahlia is back with a new album, successor to the excellent "Beautiful, But Noir" (2006). This new one is produced by young Korean trackmaker Jeereen Lee whose band Humming Urban Stereo categorizes as electro-pop.

dahlia "Nude Lumière"
dahlia 「ヌード・ルミエール」

1. LOTUS
2. LAST DANCE
3. little black dress
4. scent
5. Fetish ~piel~
6. Walz sofa for dahlia
7. Smoke
8. Hey Baby

Vivid VSCD-9686
Out 11/5, ¥2096 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon, HMV, Tower Records (Japan only) ^†
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

Halcali have a new single coming up! It's been over a year since their latest album "Cyborg oretachi", but they can also be caught on the recent Akatsuka Fujio tribute album. The B-side "Flash" is produced by Ram Rider.

A limited number of copies will include a sticker.

Halcali "Long Kiss Good Bye"

1. Long Kiss Good Bye
2. FLASH
3. Long Kiss Good Bye (Instrumental)

Epic/Sony ESCL-3132
Out 11/12, ¥972 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, YesAsia, Amazon U.S.

Famous manga artist Akatsuka Fujio passed away this summer. He was famous for works like "Tensai Bakabon", "Osomatsu-kun" and "Himitsu no Akko-chan". Here, musical artists related to the club scene pay him tribute with covers of theme songs. Featured are Konishi Yasuharu, Halcali, Denki Groove X Scha Dara Parr, Yano Akiko and many more.

Audio samples at HMV and Tower Records.

Various Artists "Akatsuka Fujio Tribute ~41sai no haru dakara~"
オムニバス 「赤塚不二夫トリビュート～四十一才の春だから～」

1. Tensai Bakabon Record Size / debu Parade
2. suki suki Song / Halcali
3. Discover War -jieitai kaeuta- / Midori
4. NA.NO.DA / Denki Groove X Scha Dara Parr
5. nigero! unagi inu! / Rankin Taxi & Why Sheep?
6. kirei na kintama / EYE with Kabamix
7. suki suki Song / Kodama Kazufumi X Takimi Kenji feat. Stoned Green Apples
8. Osomatsu-kun (524 Remix) / Konishi Yasuharu
9. nyarome no uta / Miyao Susumu to Nippon no shachō
10. nyarome no uta / Lolita 18gō
11. mo-retsu Atarō '07 (Hair Stylistics Remix) / kinniku shōjotai
12. otanoshimi wa korekara da / ECD
13. Tensai Bakabon Record Size / Sokabe Keiichi Band
14. Bakabon / Yano Akiko
15. motokumi Tensai Bakabon no maki / koorogi '73, Columbia yurikagokai

DefSTAR DFCL-1490
Out 9/24, ¥2914 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, YesAsia, Amazon U.S.

It's only been half a year since the release of album "J-POP", and Denki Groove are back with another brand new album!

The limited edition contains a bonus DVD with 30 minutes from the live show they performed at Liquid Room for the release of "J-POP"!

Audio samples on official release page

Denki Groove "Yellow"

1. Mojo (CM mix)
2. No.3
3. Sanpunmaru No Uta (Album mix)
4. Mole ~ Confession of Mole Man
5. Dondake the Giant
6. Acid House All Night Long
7. A. Ki. Me. Fu. Ra. I.
8. The Words
9. Shōnan Acid (Album Edit)
10. Area Arena
11. Fake It!

Limited edition (CD+DVD)
Ki/oon KSCL-1294/5
Out 10/15, ¥3360
Order: Amazon (19% off on pre-orders), HMV (10% off on pre-orders), Tower, YesAsia, Amazon U.S.

Regular edition (CD only)
Ki/oon KSCL-1296
Out 10/15, ¥2914 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, YesAsia, Amazon U.S.

A new "live mix" CD from Sunaga Tatsuo is now out. The theme is Shibuya and only Japanese artists are included. It's limited to 1000 copies and only available at HMV, as it also commemorates HMV's Shibuya and online shop's 10th anniversary. Get it while you can!

Various Artists "A view from Shibuya - A Tatsuo Sunaga Live Mix"

(Title / Artist)
1. Road To The Deep North - Produced by Tatsuo Sunaga / Shima&ShikouDUO
2. Premitive Rebirth / Maki Mannami
3. Oasis (mode for Kita-horie Sunaga t experience Remix) / Port of Notes
4. tooi michi nori (M.O.K Body Music Beatless Dub) / Accomplice
5. Eta Carinae / dahlia
6. oneself-LIKENESS / quasimode
7. Your love / GIRA MUNDO with Taeko Onuki
8. umi ga oshiete kureta koto (Sunaga t experience Remix) / Okuyama Minako
9. Mirage / native
10. Crocodile tears / Gira mundo with Ann Sally
11. Hikari-no-Mukou (Yukihiro Fukutomi Remix) feat. Trans Of Life / Kentaro Takizawa
12. Liberating / E.T.
13. yakusoku (Sunaga t experience Remix) / Immigrant's Bossa Band

Flower Records FLRY-107
Out 10/8, ¥1886 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: HMV

yes, mama ok? have a complete boxed set just out that regroups all of their releases on LD&K and Columbia. That's a total of 55 songs from "Coffee Cup de Rendez-vous tte saikō yo", "tea party", "suna no Pudding", "modern living", "Perfect Young Ladies" and "Q&A 65000", all of which are now rare. Also included are 2 videos as CD-extra.

Just don't miss this before it goes rare like all the rest!

yes, mama ok? "Incomplete Questions"

CD 1

1. Coffee Cup de Rendez-vous tte saikō yo
2. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
3. Runnin' Away
4. Triangle
5. tea party
6. futago no bijin hisho
7. Video Killed The Radio Star
8. B.V.M (kuroi Maria)
9. Theme from gritty pudding
10. suna no Pudding
11. Megu my dear
12. Shopliftin' blues
13. Charley
14. saikō no Blues
15. kioku sōshitsu no onna
16. The proof of the pudding
17. bokujō no Charley
18. Farewell gritty pudding
19. Shopliftin' blues
20. Charley

CD 2

1. Coffee Cup de Rendez-vous tte saikō yo -modern style-
2. suna no Pudding -remastered-
3. check-co-lee #1 -kanzenban-
4. kyonen no kyō mo -Tower no Christmas no Theme-
5. check-co-lee #2 -fukyūban-
6. Farewell gritty pudding -remastered-
7. c'est si bon
8. heart break kitchen
9. saikō no Blues o kiku onna
10. anata -If I were Akiko- (otoko no ko muki)
11. holy sunday
12. tea party -modern style-
13. check-co-lee #3 -saishūban-
14. modern living
15. anata -If I were Akiko- (onna no ko muki)
16. Theme of Perfect Young Ladies
17. Perfect Young Lady
18. Three-week-old Love Sick Puppy
19. Hate Me Blues
20. The Charm of English Muffin
21. Omiyage

CD 3

1. harusaki kobeni
2. Q&A call 65000
3. keep frozen
4. nimaijita no Meunier
5. jamboree-hahahaha
6. Q&A # 1
7. toi to kai
8. Q&A # 2
9. "Tac & a Killer the boogie jamborees live -Charley,Charley on the ranch"
10. I saw the light (incomplete)
11. three-week-old love sick puppy (unplugged)
12. Castanet Hero wa dare da
13. I'm crazy to want you
14. saishū teiri -post modern living-
15. bonus track

CD-extra

16. Coffee Cup de Rendez-vous tte saikō yo -modern style- (PV)
17. Perfect Young Lady (PV)

Super Fuji FJSP-41
Out now (9/26), ¥5000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon, HMV

Polymoog (Elektel) will perform techno-pop using the Gakken SX-150 (toy synthesizer) and other instruments. He will be accompanied by VJ HIGUCHI Yasuyuki (faction bleu).

Polymoog free live
on 10/3 (Friday)
at Apple Store Shibuya

Starts at 20:00 (30 min.)
Price: Free!

Hasegawa Kiyoshi is a guitarist and singer-songwriter who debuted in 1969. This new live greatest hits album was recorded over two days in studio last June, a recording I had the great pleasure to attend.

Included are original songs, covers of French chanson, and the song "keshō naoshi" for which he collaborated with Sheena Ringo's band Tokyo Jihen a few years ago.

This is also the latest from columbia*readymade, presented (not sound produced) by Konishi Yasuharu.

Hasegawa Kiyoshi "40nen. mada kore ga Best dewa nai. Hasegawa Kiyoshi Live Recording."
長谷川きよし 「40年。まだこれがベストではない。長谷川きよし ライヴ・レコーディング。」

1. tōmei na hitotoki o
2. wakare no Samba
3. keshō naoshi
4. hiki shio
5. ai no sanka (Hymne à l'amour)
6. boku no Piano no soba ni oide
7. tasogare no Beguine
8. kōen no tejinashi
9. chinmoku no bara
10. tabigeinin no Ballad
11. La bohème
12. Comme d'habitude
13. sekai no hate ni
14. namida

columbia*readymade COCP-35130
Out 9/17, ¥2858 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, YesAsia, Amazon U.S.