Tokyo's Coolest Sound

Here's a 2nd album by Osaka instrumental jazz-rock band Calmera (MySpace) on Orange Records, coming a year after debut album "Hello!! Worldwide". This one contains a cover of "Everybody Loves My Baby" feat. Maki Rinka, released on 7" earlier this year, as well as remixes by Groove Unchant and Arai Toshiya (Missing Linc).

Hear some audio samples at Calmera's official MySpace.

Calmera can be caught live in Tokyo on July 22 (at Shimokitazawa Three), part of their release tour that will also take them to Osaka and Fukuoka.

Calmera "Knack Is The Ketchup"

1. Flamingo
2. Amida Ikesuji wa koi no michi
3. Everybody Loves My Baby feat. Maki Rinka
4. yūgiri shikauta -Interlude-
5. No Way Would Tim Die
6. Tour Of Jamaica
7. Hotel Jazz #2 -Interlude-
8. Subway
9. Midōsuji Jive
10. Swallow -Groove Unchant Man Tech MIX-
11. Amida Ikesuji wa koi no michi -Toshiya Arai 3chōme Mix-

Orange Records ORGR-37
Out 7/2, ¥1900 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon, HMV, Tower Records (Japan only) ^†
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

Album promo clip

Live clip from last week June 24 at Liquidroom

Just weeks after the release of album "RundSkipper" under the name MimiCof, Berlin-based electronic artist Midori Hirano now has a new 4-song EP of acoustic sounds wrapped into warm electronic landscapes.

Out now on Overlap, the digital label of Christopher Willits.

Midori Hirano "Magnetic Visionaries" (Download)

1. Saiboh
2. FFFound
3. Flux
4. Aros

Overlap
Out 6/28, $5 USD
Sample/buy: Overlap

Nakatsuka Takeshi has a brand new club track available on iTunes (Japan) only. The song was made especially for a TV commercial for DoCoMo's SH-12C phone, which can be viewed here.

A music video is planned to be made available also on iTunes at the end of July.

Nakatsuka Takeshi "Black Screen" (Download)
中塚武 「Black Screen」

Delicatessen Recordings
Out now (6/22), ¥150
Sample/buy:

How to buy from iTunes Japan from overseas

Kaseki Cider is a rapper who debuted in the mid-90's with ties to the Shibuya-kei scene but then went into a long hiatus, 13 years later he's now back with a 3rd album that promises a lot of fun! This is full of new original songs, except maybe for a cover of anime theme song "tokimeki Tonight".

This album features guests such as Scha Dara Parr's Bose and Shinco, Kawanabe Hiroshi (Tokyo No.1 Soul Set), Illicit Tsuboi and Dub Master X, as well as Cider's official backband the Hugtones. The package comes with a DVD with 2 videos (watch "Cider ga tomaranai" below), live footage and mini-movies with cute original character Hugton.

Kaseki Cider "Sound Burger Planet"

1. Intro
2. Sound Burger Planet
3. Cider ga tomaranai
4. natsu o Playback
5. ashita Ride On Time
6. tokimeki Tonight
7. koi no Anything Go!
8. nee What do you want?
9. STAYTUNE
10. ame no biito
11. GO! GO! Hugtones
12. natsu o Playback (Dub's DUB)

AWDR/LR2 DDCB-12039
Out 6/29, ¥3000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records ^†
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

"Cider ga tomaranai"

"GO! GO! Hugtones"

Vanilla Beans are back this summer with a 2nd original album coming in July, but first here's a "one-coin" single that contains new covers of Led Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven" (!) and Pizzicato Five's "Baby Portable Rock", along with two of their previously released songs. "Stairway To Heaven" is said to be a full cover of some 8 minutes, although they said that it's been adapted to their style..!? Can Vanilla Beans manage such a tour de force? As for "Baby Portable Rock", they had already been singing it for a little while at their shows.

"Stairway To Heaven" will be included on the new album, "Vanilla Beans II" (stay tuned for details), but "Baby Portable Rock" is only available here for the time being, making this cheap release a must for all fans, especially at this price!

Also check out this press conference held at the beginning of June.

Vanilla Beans "tengoku e no kaidan (Stairway To Heaven)"
バニラビーンズ 「天国への階段」

1. tengoku e no kaidan (Stairway To Heaven)
2. Baby Portable Rock
3. Nicola
4. a little crying

T-Palette Records TPRC-001
Out 6/29, ¥477 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon, Tower Records ^†
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

Here's what looks like a pretty good mix CD on the Shibuya-kei perspective, mixed by DJ Souljah.

Various Artists "Mellow Back 2011 Mixed by DJ Souljah"

1. WISE × underslowjams / City Lights
2. Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra / utsukushiku moeru mori
3. Wack Wack Rhythm Band feat. Rhymester / Wack Wack Rhythm Island
4. Cosa Nostra / Jolie
5. Original Love / asahi no ataru michi
6. The Brand New Heavies feat. N'Dea Davenport / Never Stop
7. Towa Tei / Luv Connection
8. Old Nick / Sunday Morning
9. MiChi / You Gotta Be
10. Muro feat. Boo / Jah Music
11. DJ Deckstream feat. Mos Def / Life is Good
12. Ino hidefumi / Spartacus
13. Mondo Grosso / Family (Hiroshi Fujiwara Remix)
14. Love Tambourines / Spend The Day Without You
15. Yakenohara / Good Morning Baby
16. Mayer Hawthorne / Just Ain't Gonna Work Out
17. Scha Dara Parr / Summer Jam '95
18. Sokabe Keiichi feat. PSG / Summer Symphony Ver.2
19. DJ Hasebe feat. Sugar Soul / itoshisa no naka de
20. Dwele / Open Your Eyes
21. Soul Scream / kuroi tsuki no yoru
22. Microphone Pager / Two Night
23. Nanao Tavito × Yakenohara / Rollin' Rollin'
24. Aco / Lady Soul (Day Lite Version)
25. JUJU / I Like it
26. Cagnet / Deeper And Deeper
27. Chara / Junior Sweet
28. Les Nubians / Tabou (Roots Remix with Rap)
29. Hasani / Baby Be Mineb
30. Ellie / I'll Be Anything
31. Cut Creater$ feat. underslowjams / ikareta Baby (Remix)
32. Jay'ed/ zutto issho (Cut Creater$ Remix)
33. Dreams Come True / Sweet Dream -06 Akon Mix-
34. Hiroshi Fujiwara / I Dance Alone

Manhattan Recordings LEXCD11006
Out 6/22, ¥2500 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records (Japan only) ^†
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

WISE × underslowjams "City Lights"

WISE × underslowjams / City Lights (Pro. BACHLOGIC) by manhattan recordings

Here's another release from the "Kirakira Ghibli" series, this time featuring covers and remixes by various young artists from the club, chip-tune and electronic scenes such as Tofubeats, Novoiski, Idiot Pop, and many more. Check out the sampler clip below.

Thanks to Mexican Flyer for the heads up!

Various Artists "kirakira Ghibli -Returns-"
オムニバス 「キラキラジブリ -RETURNS-」

1. sasakure.UK / Country Road (Nostronik remix) (from "Whisper of the Heart")
2. DJ OMKT / tenkū no shiro Laputa (DJ OMKT & MJ "Ur Laputa remix") (from "Laputa: Castle in the Sky")
3. tofubeats / sanpo (tofubeats Remix) (from "My Neighbor Totoro")
4. YO-C + B.U.S / jinsei no Merry-Go-Round (from "Howl's Moving Castle")
5. Novoiski / kaze no tani no Nausicaa (from "Nausicaa of the Valley")
6. Idiot Pop / kaze no tōrimichi (from "My Neighbor Totoro")
7. DJ MITSU from nobodyknows+ / umi no mieru machi (Toy Piano RMX) (from "Kiki's Delivery Service")
8. Valentin / ano natsu e (from "Spirited Away")
9. sylcmyk / tonari no Totoro (sylcmyk Purple magic Remix) (from "My Neighbor Totoro")
10. RE:NDZ / Country Road (RE:NDZ Remix) (from "Whisper of the Heart")

Happinet HMCH-1035
Out 6/22, ¥1800 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records (Japan only) ^†,
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

See also:
"kirakira Ghibli"

DadaD (pronounced "da da da") is making a major debut with this new maxi-single. The girl-boy duo makes guitar-driven pop songs with non-intrusive beats and an amount of synths. Singer Kate, who is half-Taiwanese and half-Japanese, sings in English and Japanese.

"Go Around" is a catchy song that you can hear in the two video clip versions below. Also check out their MySpace for more tunes.

DadaD "Go Around"

1. Go Around
2. Rainbow's End
3. Cowboy

FlyingStar/Victor VICB-35028
Out 6/22, ¥953 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records (Japan only) ^†, YesAsia,
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

"Go Around" music video

"Go Around" music video (Touch Touch Touch ver.)

Fun indies techno-pop/electro-pop unit spoon+ (MySpace) has a first album coming next week. They have been quite active performing many shows, in which singer-songwriter aco dances and sings in front of a large screen of synchronized video. Before this album their only release was a 4-track DVD titled "Passport" (still available at Amazon Japan).

Several tracks can be sampled at the band's MySpace.

spoon+ "birth"

1. 99's climax
2. MOVIESTAR
3. ←Left Right→
4. Chameleon
5. yamemashita.
6. sekai no oshimai ni wa awaburo de Kiss o shiyō
7. hajimemashite sayōnara
8. secret skirt
9. sugar-glitter
10. hatsunetsu
11. jenisurakku

spoon+
Out 6/21, ¥2500
Order: Amazon,

"Chameleon"

This is the 2nd mini-album from Merpeoples, is an indie-pop band of 4 girls in their 20's formed in 2008.

This release contains a cover of "i-ke-na-i Rouge Magic", a classic techno-kayō track by Imawano Kiyoshirō and Sakamoto Ryūichi. Watch the video below that features Love And Hates, Twee Grrrls Club and other friends who can be heard on the song.

Merpeoples "Metropolis"
Merpeoples 「メトロポリス」

1. Metropolis
2. kimi no subete
3. mamoranakute wa iranai ashita e no tenbō
4. Program
5. Mutter
6. tsukawarenai tobira
7. maboroshi
8. i-ke-na-i Rouge Magic

Greed Music GMC-0006
Ot now (4/13), ¥1500
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Amazon, HMV, Tower (Japan only)

"i-ke-na-i Rouge Magic"

Thanks to Neaux for the heads up with this clip in which he opens a freshly received CD.

Furukawa Honpo, the solo unit of Vocaloid-style producer Furukawa P, has a first album coming that will feature various vocalists. While most seems to have a standard J-pop tone, there are tracks sung by Nomiya Maki and Kahimi Karie (both funnily singing different versions of the same song, "Piano Lesson") that can hardly be ignored. Check out the sample clip below (Kahimi's song is first, and Maki's is last).

Furukawa Honpo "Alice in wonderword"
古川本舗 「Alice in wonderword」

1. Piano Lesson feat. Kahimi Karie
2. mugs feat. 630
3. CRAWL feat. acane_madder
4. Good Morning EMMA Sympson feat. Madoka Ueno
5. envy. feat. Hoshino Nanako (from yurushikute♪)
6. guriguri megane to gekkōchū feat. Kuwagata P
7. 3gatsu wa yoru no soko feat. Kakin
8. Doors feat. Erusi
9. Super Nova feat. Mikito
10. Moonside e yōkoso feat. Chibita
11. Alice feat. Haigō Meiko
12. Piano Lesson feat. Nomiya Maki with BaguettesEnsemble

Balloom DGLA-10004
Out 6/15, ¥2191 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records ^†, YesAsia
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

Sample digest clip
(Kahimi Karie at 0:10, Nomiya Maki at 3:43)

Terukado-produced techno-pop singer Saori@destiny has a new mini-album coming this month. The song "Klaxon" is produced by singer-songwriter G.Rina.

Check out the samples below. More are expected as long as people keep retweeting from Saori's Twitter account (the posts with a video link and the tag #domesticdomain). Every 100 retweets of the latest posted song get one more.

Saori@destiny "Domestic domain"

1. BEATBOP
2. Domestic domain
3. GAMBA JAPAN
4. COLLAGE
5. OFF THE WALL
6. Pray
7. Klaxon

D-topia POCS-1202
Out 6/15, ¥1800 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records (Japan only) ^†, YesAsia
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

"BEATPOP"

"GAMBA JAPAN"

"OFF THE WALL" (added June 5 at 18:53)

"Klaxon"

Berlin-based electronic artist Midori Hirano has a new solo project going under the name MimiCof in which she says she focuses more on electronic textures and beat-oriented music. Here's a first album coming on Japanese label Progressive Form.

Check out the trailer below, and also her SoundCloud for more.

The album will be available on iTunes worldwide later.

MimiCof "RundSkipper"

1. Borderline
2. Foil
3. Sea And Sun
4. Pulled Up
5. Tunnel
6. Skipper
7. Hills In The Ocean
8. Aria, But Secret
9. Neutron Star
10. Pulled Up (Serph Remix)
11. Tunnel (Frank Bretschneider Remix)
12. Return Journey
13. Hills In The Ocean (Fugenn & The White Elephants Remix)
14. Aria, But Secret (Go-qualia's Sweet Cinnamon Sugar Raised Unhappiness-mix)

Progressive Form PFCD-25
Out 6/15, ¥2200 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon, HMV, Tower Records (Japan only) ^†,
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

Following the release of "RE:SUPERCAR 1", here's a 2nd album of "redesigned" tracks by Nakamura Kōji (aka Nakakō aka iLL). This time the album focuses on the later Supercar releases.

Some audio samples can be heard at this special site where a special player allows comparing the original and new versions.

Again, a limited edition containing a bonus disc is full of previously unreleased Supercar demos and unreleased tracks is also available. The limited edition for "RE:SUPERCAR 1" sold out quickly, so it's better to order early.

Supercar "RE:SUPERCAR 2 ~redesigned by nakamura koji~"

Disc 1
1. Strobolights
2. JUSTICE BLACK
3. Everybody On News
4. WARNING BELL
5. ROLLIN' ROLLIN'
6. Flava
7. Star Fall
8. SHIBUYA Morning
9. AOHARU YOUTH
10. Free Your Soul
11. SUNSHINE FAIRYLAND
12. THE WORLD IS NAKED
13. YUMEGIWA LAST BOY
14. LAST SCENE
15. Blue Subrhyme

Disc 2 (Limited edition only)
1. Recreation (demo)
2. Deadman (unreleased)
3. i (demo)
4. Antenna (demo)
5. BGM (demo)
6. untitled #14
7. untitled #15
8. Air (unreleased)
9. Harmony (demo)
10. Warning Bell (demo)
11. Stroy writer (demo)
12. Fox,Dogs,And Doves
13. Radio (unreleased)
14. Digital Life (unreleased)
15. Rainbow Rain (demo)
16. Otogination (demo)
17. Waydo (demo)
18. untitled#16
19. untitled#17
20. untitled#18
21. Voice (demo)
22. Justice Black (demo)
23. Yumegiwa Last Boy (demo)
24. Golden Master Key (demo)
25. Gumnova (demo)
26. Stranger (demo)
27. Starline (demo)
28. VU (unreleased)
29. Tazawa's Edit (unreleased)
30. Time (demo)

Limited edition (2 CDs)
Ki/oon KSCL-1790
Out 6/15, ¥3200 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records (Japan only) ^†, YesAsia
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

Regular edition (1 CD)
Ki/oon KSCL-1792
Out 6/15, ¥2914 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records (Japan only) ^†, YesAsia
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

Here's yet another greatest hits album from Yellow Magic Orchestra selected by the 3 members. Worth of mention are the inclusions of HASYMO's "Tokyo Town Pages" (2008) and some tracks from live albums (tracks 4, 5 from "Faker Holic" and 15 from "Complete Service").

While planned to be released in some other countries at the same time, only this Japanese edition comes as a high quality Blu-spec CD (plays in normal CD players) and in a cardboard sleeve.

Yellow Magic Orchestra "YMO"

1. Firecracker
2. Cosmic Surfin'
3. La Femme Chinoise
4. Tong Poo
5. Day Tripper
6. Behind the Mask
7. Rydeen
8. Tighten Up (Japanese Gentlemen Stand Up Please!)
9. U.T.
10. 1000 Knives
11. Mass
12. Camouf lage
13. Light in Darkness
14. Epilogue
15. Key
16. Nanga Def?
17. Tokyo Town Pages

GT music MHCL-20123
Out 6/15, ¥2000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records (Japan only) ^†, YesAsia,
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

Jazztronik, the solo unit of Nozaki Ryōta, has a new album coming next week with a theme of "dancing" and sounds of funk, disco, acid-jazz, techno and hip-hop. This features guests such as Swedish-Japanese singer Maia Hirasawa, and also the song "Bedtime Story" featuring Yuki released as an EP last year.

Jazztronik "Dig Dig Dig"

1. Flash Light feat. JAY'ED
2. Deja vu intro
3. Deja vu feat. AISHA
4. Walk on
5. Today feat. Giovanca
6. Apathy feat. Maia Hirasawa
7. The Seventh Sense
8. Vamos la
9. Now's the time feat. Tommy Blaize
10. Dare feat. Mika Arisaka & Eliana
11. shuhari
12. Resolver
13. Humming Bird feat. Mika Arisaka & Eliana
14. Epiloque ~ march of the toys ~
15. Bedtime Story
16. BRA.Steppers feat. Rob Gallagher (Bonus track)

Pony Canyon PCCA-03414
Out 6/8, ¥2667 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records (Japan only) ^†, YesAsia
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

"Bedtime Story"