Tokyo's Coolest Sound

Rocketman-produced idol trio Cosmetics have a first CD being released! This contains their two first singles, released for download earlier this year, as well as two remixes of each. One of the tracks hadn't yet been released in digital form.

This CD is to be sold only at Tower Records, which gives along a photo of the girls (while supplies last).

Cosmetics "Love Is All"

1. LOVE IS ALL
2. tomorrow
3. LOVE IS ALL ~summer breeze mix~
4. LOVE IS ALL ~Jakuzure mix~
5. tomorrow ~winter mix~
6. tomorrow ~sayonara mix~

Victor NCS-720
Out 12/2, ¥1000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order:

"LOVE IS ALL"

"tomorrow"

In his new album, Yasuda Toshiyuki (MySpace) (early Fantastic Plastic Machine) covers children's songs from around the world into his wonderful electronic sounds, featuring various singers including ROBO*BRAZILEIRA of course.

Yasuda Toshiyuki "Children's Songs 2050"

1. Ah! Vous dirai-je, maman (France) feat. Marina
2. U'sh'avtem Mayim (Israel) feat. Sananda
3. The Rainbow Connection (U.S.) feat. Clare Muldaur Manchon
4. Che Che Kule (Ghana) feat. Maimounia
5. Memories of Summer (natsu no omoide) (Japan) feat. Fernanda Takai
6. La Cucaracha (Mexico) feat. Daniel Jimenez
7. Song of the Seashore (hamabe no uta) (Japan) feat. Iwashita Seika
8. From the New World (Czech) feat. Machida Yoshio
9. Magtanim Ay Di Biro (Philippines) feat. Rina Sumaga
10. Volevo Un Gatto Nero (Italy) feat. Chicca
11. Letka Jenkka (Finland) feat. Hanna H
12. Heidenröslein (Germany) feat. Jule Kellner
13. Polyushko Pole (Russia) feat. Yelena Neva
14. When You Wish Upon A Star (U.S.) feat. ROBO*BRAZILEIRA
15. Auld Lang Syne (Scotland) feat. Sophie

monogram RBCP-2428
Out 11/25, ¥2191 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon, HMV,

Spin-off from visual artist Ukawa Naohiro's Ukawanimation! project, XXX Residents is a mysterious multimedia cosplay unit paying tribute to of The Residents. Inside of the eyeballs, it is rumored that Ukawa himself is joined by musicians from iLL, Cicada... Also featured is an appearance by Japanese "noise god" Merzbow.

This album comes as a CD+DVD package, the DVD containing a video clip (watch below) and two excerpts from live shows held this year. Tower Records offers a bonus "special DVD" (while supplies last).

XXX Residents "Attack of Killer Black Eye Ball!!!!" (CD+DVD)
XXX RESIDENTS 「アタック・オブ・キラー・ブラック・アイ・ボール!!!!」

CD
1. Black Eyeballs Are Coming!!
2. A Sneeze Smells Like Klafty Cheese
3. The Secret Seed Pick In The Public Bath
4. Sluggish Song For Stinkbugs
5. Distortional Smack Of The Lips
6. Mousetrap In Uguisudani
7. Census Taker - Merzbow
8. Harsh Noise For Hotel Missy Kyoto

DVD
1. A Sneeze Smells Like Klafty Cheese - MV / Directed By Heart Bomb & XXX Residents
2. Ebis Residents - Live Action 02
3. Mito Residents - Live Action 03

Yamaha A&R QACR-30007
Out 11/18, ¥3200 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Play-Asia, Amazon (18% off *), HMV (10% off *), YesAsia
* Discount at time of writing

Music video "A Sneeze Smells Like Klafty Cheese"

Sunaga t Experience (MySpace), the club-jazz-turned-real-jazz solo unit of Sunaga Tatsuo, has a 4th album coming! This comes 3½ years after the previous, "A Letter from Allnighters" that was very jazzy, entirely recorded with a full band.

The new album features dahlia, mama! milk, Akiko Grace, Toyama Takeo, Likkle Mai, Timo Rassy, Sofia Finnila, arlie, Gerardo Frisina, and more... A few tracks can be sampled at MySpace.

Tower Records and HMV offer a bonus free 7" record (while supplies last)! Be sure to pre-order early!

Sunaga t Experience "jazz et jazz"

1. Autumn Frost
2. Confidential
3. Lilian Mode
4. The St. Vitus Dance
5. Brighter Bossa
6. Sketches Of TY
7. On The Corner Where You
8. A Kite
9. Atmosphere
10. Gold 'n' Silver
11. Hats off to Luciano Berio
12. Kōshukaidō wa mou aki na no sa

Geneon Universal Entertainment GNCL-1228
Out 12/2, ¥2800 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, YesAsia

Sunaga Tatsuo (Sunaga t Experience) brings this new mix CD series inspired from his monthly party "moderno" held once every 2 months at Velours. This is a selection of club-jazz, and instead of having the songs mixed together it's said to be mixed with original sounds in-between the tracks.

Tower Records and HMV both offer a bonus DVD-R (while supplies last). Tower's contains a video clip, while HMV's has some video from the event. Both of these contain a video comment by Sunaga Tatsuo.

Sunaga t Experience is back this December with a 4th album. Stay tuned for details!

Various Artists "modal sound from Velours, Tokyo 01. moderno"

1. Wordless from moderno ~ modal sound from Velours,Tokyo
2. Piero Piccioni / Samba della ruota
3. Zavoloka - AGF / AIR
4. Chicago Underground Trio / slon
5. Wordless
6. Nils Petter Molvaer / Water
7. Vertigo Dance
8. mama! milk / the moon
9. Takeo Toyama Ensemble / Orbit
10. Helge lien trio / diverted dance
11. Sunaga t experience / Call from NRT feat. Sebastian Studnitzky
12. Mike Monday / Zwubetty
13. Paolo Mojo / Play your hand
14. Leap in the Swirl
15. Hideko Okiyama / Summertime

Vithmic Music VMPC-10001
Out 11/18, ¥2753 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV

See also:
"World Standard.08 -A Tatsuo Sunaga Live Mix-"
"World Standard.07 -A Tatsuo Sunaga Live Mix-"
Wada Akiko "World Standard Wada Akiko -A Tatsuo Sunaga Live Mix-"
"World Standard.06 -A Tatsuo Sunaga Live Mix- Sunaga t̀ Experience works -pièces pour les femmes-"
"World Standard Schema"
"World Standard.05 -A Tatsuo Sunaga Live Mix-"
"World Standard.04 -A Tatsuo Sunaga Live Mix-" (CCCD)

Denki Groove is back again with a brand new single called "Upside Down", a previously unreleased song being used as the opening theme of anime "kūchū buranko". The B-side here is hit song "Shangri-La" in a new "remodeled" version by Sunahara Yoshinori (ex-DG)! This one can be heard as the ending theme of the same anime series.

Both songs can be heard at MySpace. Also watch the "Upside Down" video below, showing many cute girls dancing in their bedrooms, directed by Tanaka Hideyuki.

The limited edition comes with a DVD containing 3 songs from a recent live show held at Liquid Room on July 11, 2009.

Denki Groove "Upside Down"
電気グルーヴ 「Upside Down」

1. Upside Down
2. Shangri-La (Y.Sunahara 2009 Remodel)
3. yarisugi ko-ji- OP
4. Upside Down -TV Version-

DVD (Limited edition only)
1. Jumbo tanishi
2. dareda!
3. kakkoii Jumper

Limited edition (CD+DVD)
Ki/oon Records KSCL-1497
Out 11/18, ¥1429 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon (15% off *), HMV (10% off *), YesAsia
* Discount at time of writing

Regular edition (CD only)
Ki/oon Records KSCL-1499
Out 11/18, ¥1165 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, YesAsia

Hazel Nuts Chocolate is back with a 3rd album as HNC! Yuppa said somewhere that you can call her "H.N.C." or any old names you got used to. As heard on some demo tracks at MySpace, she continues doing fun danceable electro sounds while heading in some new directions, one of which seeming to be that she sings only in English. Without a doubt this sounds like we're in for a lot of fun and surprises!

Lately she has also been active with her 2-girl DJ unit Love and Hates that appears on one track of the album. The unit has been releasing "mix tapes" (in the real sense, cassette tapes) at Jet Set Records, which always sell out quickly. Jet Set does offer a bonus something when buying "CULT" with them.

The album is out in advance at iTunes!

HNC "CULT"

1. Introduction
2. Kitten's Breaks (shout. Love and Hates)
3. Witches' Party
4. Moon Song
5. Next M (shout. Miila)
6. Girl Things
7. Arabian Nights
8. Kira-Kira
9. Figure Shout (Mix by Hidenobu Ito)
10. Kitten's Breaks Dub (reconstruct by HiBiKi MaMeShiBa)
11. Girls Don't Cry (F**cked up by TBA)
12. Mango
13. A Troll's Dream

WHITE LILY RECORDS DQC-394
Out 12/2, ¥2000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Jet Set, CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, YesAsia, (World), (Japan)

This made it too late, although maybe just at the right time for listeners. Coldfeet's monster 2-year project to cover Michael Jackson's best hits features some of Japan's best club scene artists, making many of these great songs more danceable than ever.

Hear a few sound samples at Tower Records. Tower offers a bonus promo CD-R with an extended version of "Billie Jean" (while supplies last).

Coldfeet "MJ The Tour"

1. Billie Jean / w/ Tomita Lab & Nakamura Hiroshi (i-dep)
2. Working Day And Night / w/ The Sun Paulo (Satō Taiji & Mori Toshiyuki)
3. Rock With You / w/ blanc. & Kinbara Chieko
4. Beat It / w/ Jōsei (Soil & "Pimp" Sessions) & Lew Soloff (M.J.Q.)
5. Thriller / w/ Terrassy
6. The Girl Is Mine / w/ arvin homa aya, TOKU & Tanaka Yoshito
7. Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground) / w/ Tsuchiya Kohey
8. BAD
9. Off The Wall / w/ RYUKYUDISKO
10. You Rock My World / w/ Imai Ryōsuke
11. Billie Jean (Taku Takahashi Remix)
12. Rock With You (Daishi Dance Remix)
13. Shake Your Body "Down To The Ground" (Sugiurumn Remix)
14. BAD (World Sketch Remix)

ROTH PROJECT XNAE-10025
Out 11/4, ¥2667 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, YesAsia

Club-style violinist Kinbara Chieko has a new remix album out now, covering her two previous albums "Sweetest Day" and "Velvet Night" both released last year. Remixers include some of Japan's top club artists, such as Daishi Dance, Coldfeet, Jazzin' park, along with the world famous Jeff Mills and Eric Kupper.

Kinbara Chieko "Night & Day Remixies"
金原千恵子 「Night & Day Remixies」

1. Romance For Strings / Daishi Dance Remix (Remix by Daishi Dance)
2. Sweetest Day Of May feat. Kimara Lovelace / EK Club Mix (Remix by Eric Kupper)
3. 7 Days feat. Jaqui Williams / Coldfeet Remix (Remix by Coldfeet)
4. Starlight / The Movement (Remix by Jeff Mills)
5. Live Your Life Today feat. DEE 7 / Jazzin' park 31 Remix (Remix by Jazzin' park)
6. Changed My Life feat. Sharon Adams & Lisa Mack / Code Red Alternate (Remix by DJ Spen)
7. hikari feat. Kaori Takeda (TICA) / macrophage lab. Dub House Remix (Remix by macrophage lab.)
8. Autumn Moon feat. Heather Johnson / Sakura&Co. Remix (Remix by Sakura&Co.)
9. Strings Of Life 2009 / Mitomi Tokoto 909 Remix (Remix by Mitomi Tokoto)

Grand Gallery GRGA-0084
Out now (11/4), ¥2500 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, YesAsia,

This new compilation of both recent and classic Christmas-themed techno-pop songs features Nomiya Maki (with a song from her first 1980 album), Aira Mitsuki, Denki Groove, Hosono Haruomi, Takahashi Yukihiro, Logic System, and much more.

Various Artists "for winter music lovers ~ Technopop Xmas"

(Title / Artist)
1. Jingle Bells / The Electro Santa Claus
2. senjo no Merry Christmas (Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence) / Aira Mitsuki
3. kōtansetsu (Les anges dans nos campagnes/Angels We Have Heard on High) / Togawa Jun
4. I wish you a Merry Christmas / Anzai Fumitaka
5. Tokyo Christmas / Denki Groove
6. Christmas in the air / PSY-S
7. Door o akereba...... / Takahashi Yukihiro
8. Exist / Soft Ballet
9. Africa no Christmas / Hirasawa Susumu with Shimazaki Wakako
10. senjo no Merry Christmas (Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence) / Logic System
11. ehon no naka no Christmas / Nomiya Maki
12. Spoon ippai no Christmas / Moonriders
13. 25 Dec. 1983 / Hosono Haruomi
14. I wish it could be Christmas everyday / Suzuki Saeko

GT music MHCL-1629
Out 11/11, ¥2000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, YesAsia

Ino Hidefumi is back with a 3rd album, this time entirely original! Also he seems to have an intriguing space concept going, the album being described as "cosmic travel music of the 21st century"! This comes a bit over a year since his previous "Living Message".

Ino Hidefumi "Inocology"

1. kyūtai
2. Cosmocology
3. Golden Ripples
4. Innocent Devil
5. Ants Funeral Procession
6. Lost
7. Oval
8. Space Butterfly
9. Innocent Angel
10. Ultramarine Circle
11. kyūtai no kakera

innocent record IRCD-0003
Out 11/13, ¥2500 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, YesAsia,

See also:
"Living Message"
"Serendipity" (7") (2008)
"Ino Hidefumi Live Set DVD" (DVD) (2008)
"The Force of Exotic" (2007)
"Satisfaction" (2006)

Available today on iTunes are a new song by ROCKETMAN (Fukawa Ryō), and two new remixes of latest track "tomorrow" by COSMETICS, the idol trio he produces.

On non-musical news, comedian Fukawa Ryō recently cut his hair after maybe some 10 years of mushroom haircut! See before and after.

ROCKETMAN "LifegoesON2.0"

Victor
Out 11/4, ¥200
Sample/buy:

COSMETICS "tomorrow~winter mix~"

Victor
Out 11/4, ¥200
Sample/buy:

COSMETICS "tomorrow~sayonara mix~"

Victor
Out 11/4, ¥200
Sample/buy:

How to buy from iTunes Japan from overseas

Available now on iTunes Japan are these 4 live tracks, from Aira Mitsuki's last show of her recent tour supporting her 2nd album "PLASTIC". Included is "China Discotica" that opened the show with her playing an electronic drum set.

I had the chance to see the show, and it's a pleasure to get to hear these again! Read my report of the show.

Aira Mitsuki "PLASTIC Live From Tokyo" (Download)

1. China Discotica -Live mix
2. Robot Honey -Live mix
3. Summeeeeeeeer set (feat. Ayuse Kozue) -Live mix
4. Colorful Tokyo Sounds No.9 -Live mix

Out now (11/4), ¥800
Sample/Buy:

How to buy from iTunes Japan from overseas