Tokyo's Coolest Sound

Suzuki Ami's brand new single has a B-side ("aishiteru...") produced by Fantastic Plastic Machine! Title track "Kiss Kiss Kiss" is a Japanese lyrics cover of Ananda Project's hit song. A limited edition contains a bonus DVD with a video for this song, and alternate artwork.

Watch "Kiss Kiss Kiss" YouTube clip below (not by FPM), and hear audio samples of all tracks at Amazon, HMV and Tower Records.

Suzuki Ami "Kiss Kiss Kiss"
鈴木亜美 「KISS KISS KISS」

1. KISS KISS KISS (Japanese Version)
2. aishiteru...
3. KISS KISS KISS (Extended Japanese Version)
4. KISS KISS KISS (Extended English Version)
5. aishiteru... (extended)

Limited edition (CD+DVD)
avex trax AVCD-31698B
Out now (10/28), ¥1800 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon (14% off *), HMV (10% off *), YesAsia
* Discount at time of writing

Regular edition
avex trax AVCD-31699
Out now (10/28), ¥1000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, YesAsia,

New wave/techno-pop band Budo Grape from Nagoya bring us a 5th album, titled "himitsu Gallery" ("Secret Gallery")! Check out the two videos below.

Budo Grape "himitsu Gallery"
ぶどう÷グレープ 「秘密ギャラリー」

1. himitsu Gallery
2. Goodbye 17
3. kamazu ni nome
4. hen na omocha
5. shōshin Garage
6. koi no tororin Magic
7. Vitamin tarinamin
8. koibito wa sūgaku kyōshi
9. sushiya sushiya

Tokyo Mor MOR-6926
Out 11/11, ¥1905 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon, HMV

"himitsu Gallery"

"Goodbye 17"

More at label Tokyo Mor's YouTube channel.

Neo-Shibuya-kei idol unit Vanilla Beans has a first DVD coming. Included is a talk event held earlier this year with Okite Porsche (of unit Roman Porsche), a funny long-haired guy who's an important figure of the idol scene. The DVD also contains all of Vanilla Beans' music videos until now, plus exclusive variety footage of the two girls ("Rena's gourmet report" and "Lisa's impulsive shopping"), studio recording footage with Kaji Hideki (who wrote the lyrics to latest single "LOVE&HATE"), making-of the video clips, Denmark travel footage, etc.

Vanilla Beans will hold their first "one man" live show on December 23rd at Daikanyama Unit. Details at Tokyo Gig Guide.

Vanilla Beans "Vanilla Beans Produce kaigi DVD" (DVD)
バニラビーンズ 「バニラビーンズプロデュース会議DVD」

1. Opening (Produce kaigi)
2. Vanilla Beans History (Produce kaigi)
3. futari no Private shashin, shiseikatsu (Produce kaigi)
4. Rena no Gourmet Report (Produce kaigi)
5. jitsuroku! Lisa no shodogai (Produce kaigi)
6. shinkyoku "LOVE & HATE", soshite uta ni tsuite (Produce kaigi)
7. Ending (Produce kaigi)
8. U♥Me (PV)
9. a little crying (PV)
10. Nicola (PV)
11. sakasaka Circus (PV)
12. sakasaka Circus (Anime Ver.) (PV)
13. Afternoon a Go-Go -We Love You MIX- (PV)
14. Shopping Kirari ~Okite Porsche+Dr.USUI Waterfront Mix~ (PV)
15. LOVE & HATE (PV)

Tokuma TKBA-1131
Out 10/28, ¥3500 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Play-Asia, Amazon (26% off *), HMV (21% off *)
* Discount at time of writing

See also album "Vanilla Beans".

DJ Boot Beat (aka Kamiya Naoaki) has a 4th mix CD of his popular "Manifesto!" series. Like the previous, this mixes pop, happy jazz, easy listening, Latin, Brazillian sounds, centered on swinging tunes from the 60's and 70's, plus breakbeats and bits of hip hop, all into a smooth 60-minute non-stop mix. Featured are rare covers of "Can't Buy Me Love", "Fly Me to the Moon", "Love For Sale", and several breakbeats/club-jazz re-edits. Out now!

Boot Beat "Manifesto! 4"

(Title / Artist)
1. More / Artie Kane
2. Tea for Two / Wild Bill Davis
3. Can't Buy Me Love / the Mirza Men
4. Latin Night before / the Captain
5. Tallest Tree / Gerardo Frisina
6. Fly Me to the Moon + I gotta good thing (acappella) / Stanley Black + super lover cee & casanova rud
7. Aphrodisiac / Bow Wow Wow
8. in the Mood / Swingadilla
9. Glenn Miller Mood / Jive Bunny
10. Go, Connie, Go / Peter Columbus
11. How Long Has the Train Been Gone? / Billy Preston
12. Headstart for Happiness / the Style Council
13. That Mellow Saxophone (Key of Key Mix Re-Edit By Aoyama Ichimaru) / Roy Montrell
14. Swamp Stomp / Ruby & the Valentinos
15. Marrakesh Express / Enoch Light
16. Chez Les Ye-Ye / Boogalox
17. El De Clarinete / Palov & Mishkin
18. Hit Back /Chuckles
19. Primate Boogaloo / Quantic
20. Hideho / K7
21. Droppin / Funkshone
22. are You My Woman / Mister.K
23. Agitating Breaks / Muro
24. Karma Chameleon / B.A Baracus Band
25. Gone, Gone, Gone / the Everly Brothers
26. J and K Go Go / Jimmy Takeuchi
27. Let There be Drums / Panache
28. Runnin Away / Life Boogie
29. Jeskilz / Cleon
30. Sing It Loud / Frying Fish
31. Canvas / Ekseption
32. Swing 122 / Boot Beat
33. Flamen'co / Los Rumbers
34. Minor Chant / Lonnie Smith
35. On the Road / Ole Jensen and His Music
36. Right Track / Jackie Mittoo
37. Inspirational Breaks / Universal Principles
38. Welcome to Bongoland / Cleon
39. Turn-Down Day / Trombones Unlimited

Beat Records BR-0005
Out now (10/20), ¥1600 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Jet Set

See also these other mix CDs:
Boot Beat "Manifesto! 3"
Boot Beat "Manifesto! 2"
Boot Beat "Manifesto!"
... and original albums:
Boot Beat "Full Swing"
Boot Beat "Switch"

Indies techno artist and video remixer BUBBLE-B, who keeps the J-death techno scene alive with his label Speedking, has a brand new album out! Follow-up to the "BUBBLE-B no Good Evening" DVD (2004), this new release actually contains both CD and DVD, with many recent and favorite songs, with lots of video clips including ones of his hilarious TV commercial remixes.
Included is also a rare video of a live performance with funny vocalist Enjo-G, and video remixes by Doravideo and Spelunkers.

Look below for his latest video.

BUBBLE-B "BUBBLE-B no Big Bang"
BUBBLE-B 「バブルBのビッグバン」

(Title / Artist)
1. MOMO0WY / BUBBLE-B
2. Rumania Montavideo / BUBBLE-B
3. Set de Drink Bar / BUBBLE-B feat. Enjo-G
4. Ryukyu Anju / BUBBLE-B
5. Ireba'n'Rock / BUBBLE-B
6. gekido m.c. (MY LIFE) REMIX (Original by Bis Gadis) / BUBBLE-B
7. baribari Snack / BUBBLE-B feat. Enjo-G
8. 34 / BUBBLE-B
9. Yagura Samba / BUBBLE-B
10. zokkon! Barbecue Swing MIX / BUBBLE-B feat. Enjo-G
11. Amurocket / BUBBLE-B feat. Enjo-G
12. ore wa Tachibana Tobee da (ore wa Enjo-G da MIX / Original by LEOPALDON) / BUBBLE-B feat. Enjo-G
13. anime kentei / BUBBLE-B
14. boku, arubaito / BUBBLE-B
15. buchikire Hors d'oeuvre / BUBBLE-B
16. Megashit (Original by m1dy (MADDEST CHICK'NDOM)) / BUBBLE-B feat. Enjo-G
17. hashiri no Sedan "Driving Pleasure" / BUBBLE-B feat. Enjo-G
18. dasaitama / BUBBLE-B feat. Hatsune Miku
19. Road Boxer / BUBBLE-B
20. White Miracle / BUBBLE-B
21. Copy Copy / BUBBLE-B
22. BUBBLE-B no yukutoshi kurutoshi / BUBBLE-B

DVD
1. MOMO0WY / BUBBLE-B
2. Rumania Montavideo / BUBBLE-B
3. Ryukyu Anju / BUBBLE-B
4. Ireba'n'Rock / BUBBLE-B
5. baribari Snack / BUBBLE-B feat. Enjo-G
6. 34 / BUBBLE-B
7. Yagura Samba / BUBBLE-B
8. zokkon! Barbecue Swing MIX / BUBBLE-B feat. Enjo-G
9. Amurocket / BUBBLE-B feat. Enjo-G
10. anime kentei / BUBBLE-B
11. boku, arubaito / BUBBLE-B
12. buchikire Hors d'oeuvre / BUBBLE-B
13. hashiri no Sedan "Driving Pleasure" / BUBBLE-B feat. Enjo-G
14. Road Boxer / BUBBLE-B
15. BUBBLE-B no yukutoshi kurutoshi / BUBBLE-B
16. MOMO0WY (Skapellers REMIX) / BUBBLE-B
17. ganbare!! Sakichi ttsan (Doravideo REMIX) / BUBBLE-B
18. Dagon (PV by BUBBLE-B) / m2dy (MADDEST CHICK'NDOM)
Live at Yoyogi Labo 2007.1.20
19. zokkon! Barbecue / BUBBLE-B feat. Enjo-G
20. ENJOY! chūka / BUBBLE-B feat. Enjo-G
21. Set de Drink Bar / BUBBLE-B feat. Enjo-G
22. baribari Snack / BUBBLE-B feat. Enjo-G
23. BUBBLE FEVER 1990 / BUBBLE-B feat. Maō Gen

Toy Label TOY-044
Out 10/21, ¥2000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon (12% off *)
* Discount at time of writing

BUBBLE-B feat. Enjo-G "hashiri no Sedan 'Driving Pleasure'" video clip
(Search YouTube for much more)

See also "Speedking presents: 8bit Rave" out at the same time.

One year since "Lollipop", here's a brand new album from Kaji Hideki (MySpace)! This includes the song "Passion Fruits" (see video below) which was released on a "Blue Boys Don't Cry e.p." earlier this year. Guest musicians include Hidaka Tōru (Beat Crusaders), Horie Hirohisa (pupa, Neil & Iraiza), and Sweden's Eggstone.

Hear audio samples at Tower Records or HMV

Kaji Hideki "Strawberries and Cream"
カジヒデキ 「ストロベリーズ アンド クリーム」

1. Mini Skirt
2. Passion Fruits
3. Wicked, Smashing, Action
4. Here Comes the Sunny Beat!
5. Brave Our Hearts
6. Have a Lovely Day!
7. Heaven Only knows
8. Koi wa Check This Out
9. The Sweetest Love - New Version
10. Ska Vi Fika?
11. Alright!
12. Strawberries and Cream
13. Love Is All
14. Duffle Coat ~ Here Comes the Winter

felicity PECF-1014
Out 10/21, ¥2667 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV

A sequel to the popular cute stop-animation movie "Komaneko" (2006), featuring a cat who in turn created stop-animation, is coming in time for Christmas! The title translates to "Komaneko's Christmas: The Lost Present". The previous movie had no dialog, except for the cat's occasional "nyanya--".

This will be available on DVD next month, in a regular edition but also a limited edition containing a doll, original picture book and Christmas card. To get the limited edition it's advised to pre-order by November 19 (after which it will be up to each retailer's stock).

The movie will also be shown on the big screen at Shibuya Rise X from November 7 to December 4, as well as in other large cities in Japan durin November and December.

Komaneko official site

"komadori eiga: Komaneko no Christmas ~maigo ni natta Present~" (DVD)
「こま撮りえいが こまねこのクリスマス ～迷子になったプレゼント～」
(20 min. main feature + 60 min. bonus features, color, Japanese 5.1 ch., widescreen 1.78:1, region 2)

Main feature:
- Komaneko no Christmas ~maigo ni natta Present~
(with optional commentary audio)

Bonus features:
- Making ~manatsu no Christmas~ (Making of... ~Christmas in summer~)
- Video conte
- Music clip: Solita "Winter Wonderland"
- Koma-chan short movie

Limited edition:
- itsumo miteru yo takujō Koma-chan (Present pose) ( "always watching" desktop Koma-chan)
- DVD original Komaneko no Christmas no ehon (Picture book)
- Christmas card (set of 2, one of which is also included in the regular edition)

Limited edition box
Geneon GNBD-1554
Out 12/2, ¥6800 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon (27% on pre-orders)

Regular edition (DVD only)
Geneon GNBD-1553
Out 12/2, ¥3800 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon (27% on pre-orders)

Movie trailer:

Aira Mitsuki, techno-pop idol who is also popular with the club scene, is having a first ever vinyl release thanks to Dance Music Records. Included are selected tracks from her two albums "Copy" and "Plastic", as well as two previously released remixes.

While a bit pricey, it will probably fly off the shelves... or the shelf?... as it's not clear if it will be only be sold at DMR. Pre-orders are being taken on the shop's web site (Japan only).

Aira Mitsuki "Aira Mitsuki '5' mix" (12")

Robot Honey (Sound Around rmx)
BARBiE BARBiE (80kidz rmx)
Heart Line Alive (Produced by A-bee)
China Discotica
sayonara Technopolis

D-topia DTJR-09102
Out 10/19, ¥2480
Order (Japan only): DMR

Nomiya Maki (ex-Pizzicato Five) unites with Brazilian singer Fernanda Takai (Pato Fu) for a mini-album containing songs selected by the two. Included are a new original song by Maki called "Nagoya" with Japanese lyrics, P5's "A Message Song", Ishida Ayumi's "hitori ni shite ne", Pato Fu's "Saudade", and a live version of bossa nova "O Barquinho" also sung in Japanese (according to this Japanese article).

Although the two have performed shows together in both Brazil and Japan, here the music was recorded in Brazil while Maki recorded her vocals in Japan, and the whole mixed together. The whole is produced by John Ulhoa, Pato Fu's guitarist and husband of Fernanda.

Nomiya Maki/Fernanda Takai "Maki Takai No Jetlag"
野宮真貴/Fernanda Takai 「Maki Takai No Jetlag」

1. nagoya
2. hitori ni shite ne
3. saudade
4. Message Song
5. kobune (Live)

Taiyo TAIYO-0013
Out 10/20, ¥1429 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon, HMV,

This new Japanese release contains previously released covers of The Beatles performed by Japanese artists, including Takahashi Yukihiro (Yellow Magic Orchestra), Clammbon, Hirota Mieko and many more. Nice jacket too!

Various Artists "From Us To You! The covers of the Fab Four by Japanese performers"

1. I Am The Walrus / Red Warriors
2. Martha My Dear / Tulip
3. Paperback Writer / Hirota Mieko
4. Penny Lane / Takekawa Yukihide
5. Something / Takematsu Mai
6. In My Life / Fujita Emi
7. All My Loving / Yamazaki Masayoshi
8. Hard Day's Night / Hirayama Miki
9. Let It Be (New version) / Shang Shang Typhoon
10. Get Back / Inoue Munetaka to Sharp Five
11. I Wanna Be Your Man / Mizutani Kimio to Better
12. Julia / iruka
13. Back In The U.S.S.R. / Jackie Yoshikawa & His Blue Comets
14. Norwegian Wood / Ohno Eri
15. I Need You / Takahashi Yukihiro
16. Hey Jude / Zoo Nee Voo
17. The Fool On The Hill / Moriyama Ryoko
18. Across The Universe / Clammbon
19. Strawberry Fields Forever ~ Eleanor Rigby ~ Yesterday / Takashima Chisako & mezamashi Classics Ensemble
20. Help! / Revolver
21. I Want To Hold Your Hand / Revolver

Columbia COCP-35861
Out 10/21, ¥2381 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV

From Japan's first "death techno" label SPEEDKING comes this 8-bit Famicom/Gameboy chip-tune compilation featuring Yoshida Tetsuto, BUBBLE-B, KPLECRAFT, Cherryboy Function, Bokusatsu Shoujo Koubou and many more. See the promo sampler clip at YouTube below.

This comes out at the same time as a full album by techno visual remix artist BUBBLE-B. Details coming soon.

Various Artists "Speedking presents: 8bit Rave"

(Title / Artist)
1. Take Me Higher / m2dy
2. S.I.D - sex initial drive - / Missile Chewbacca
3. Shoot the Volcano / 1H1D!!! (LMK)
4. bit chaser / Eagles become vultures (from pile of dogshit)
5. Zilog Disco / BUBBLE-B
6. We Are 8-bits! / Yoshida Tetsuto
7. MEGA RAVE DRIVE / Dee! (AVSS)
8. Bug me crazy!! / LEOPALDON
9. star gatherer / Asohgi
10. good mayo-rool / quarta330
11. one more sample / Cherryboy Function
12. S.I.D - Shousei Independence Day - / 232COMIT
13. TAMA BOMB / KPLECRAFT
14. Digital Skavsta / Bokusatsu Shoujo Koubou

Speedking Productions SPK-03
Out 10/11 10/21, ¥1890
Order: Amazon, HMV, Tower

Shonen Knife have a new song available now on iTunes Japan, titled "Capybara" this is a nice attempt at some pico-pico techno-pop! This features bassist Ritsuko on lead vocals.

Shonen Knife "Capybara" (Download)

Out now, ¥150
Sample/buy:

How to buy from iTunes Japan from overseas

Out at the same time as DG-10's "Love Synthesizer!" was another 3-song self-titled EP sold as a limited edition only at online shop (Tora no ana). Now this one is available on iTunes Japan too!

This contains a cover of Imo-kin Trio's 80's techno-kayō hit "High School Lullabye".

DG-10 "DG-10"

1. High School Lullabye
2. amefurikaeru
3. DG-10

Out now, ¥600 at iTunes Japan
Sample/buy:

How to buy from iTunes Japan from overseas

DG-10's trailer video: