Tokyo's Coolest Sound

After 2 albums of only covers, here's a first original song from Maezono Naoki Group, coming as a 7" and a few days later for download. The title track has music written by Kirinji's Horigome Takaki and lyrics by the band's pianist Konishi Yasuharu. The B-side is a cover of Araki Ichirō's "itoshi no Macks" (1976, original on YouTube).

The whole is produced by Mizumoto Akira, and the 7" is limited to 500 copies.

Maezono Naoki Group "tabun modotte mairimasu / itoshi no Macks" (7")
前園直樹グループ 「たぶん戻って参ります／いとしのマックス」

A. tabun modotte mairimasu (I'll be back)
B. itoshi no Macks (Macks a go go)

Good Neighbors GNHG-001
Out 10/2, ¥1000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Jet Set, (World), (Japan)

And here's a 4th album by Perfume! The title is "JPN". Has it already been over 2 years since "⊿"? Included are all 8 songs from the 4 singles released since ("fushizen na Girl / Natural ni koi shite", "VOICE", "nee" and "Laser Beam / kasukana kaori"), but we still have 8 new tracks to look forward to, for a big total of 16! This counts a cover of The Cardigans' "lovefool" that showed up in a Pepsi Nex commercial last year, and upcoming single B-side "Glitter" (released earlier in November).

Fans should pre-order that limited edition while it's still available!

Perfume "JPN"

1. The Opening
2. Laser Beam (Album-mix)
3. GLITTER (Album-mix)
4. Natural ni koi shite
5. MY COLOR
6. toki no hari
7. nee
8. kasukana kaori
9. 575
10. VOICE
11. kokoro no Sports
12. Have a Stroll
13. fushizen na Girl
14. Spice

DVD (Limited edition only)
1. Spice -Video Clip-
2. Natural ni koi shite -Video Clip-
3. Laser Beam -Video Clip FULL Ver.-
4. kasukana kaori -Video Clip TV Ver.-
5. kasukana kaori -Video Clip-
6. fushizen na Girl / Natural ni koi shite -TV SPOT-
7. VOICE -TV SPOT-
8. nee -TV SPOT-
9. Laser Beam / kasukana kaori -TV SPOT-
10. Spice -TV SPOT-

Limited edition (CD+DVD)
Tokuma Japan TKCA-73730
Out 11/30, ¥3143 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Play-Asia, Amazon (16% off *), HMV, Tower Records (Japan only) ^†, YesAsia
* Discount at time of writing
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

Regular edition (CD only)
Tokuma Japan TKCA-73735
Out 11/30, ¥2667 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records (Japan only) ^†, YesAsia, (world except Japan)
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

"kasukana kaori"

Other videos after the jump...

It's a Perfume release rush! New album "JPN" is dropping at the end of November, but first comes this single of two tie-ups. Title track "Spice" is the theme song for new TV drama series "sengyō shufu tantei ~ watashi wa Shadow" ("Housewife detective ~ I am shadow") feat. Fukada Kyōko. B-side is "Glitter", a song recently heard in a TV commercial for Kirin's Hyōketsu alcohol drink (watch below). Now is the right time to pre-order those limited editions! (Online pre-orders are already running out on some sites.)

Perfume "Spice"
Perfume 「スパイス」

1. Spice
2. GLITTER
3. Spice -Original Instrumental-
4. GLITTER -Original Instrumental-

DVD (Limited edition only)
1. GLITTER (Video clip)

Limited edition (CD+DVD)
Tokuma Japan TKCA-73720
Out 11/2, ¥1429 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Play-Asia, Amazon (11% off *), HMV, Tower Records (Japan only) ^†, YesAsia
* Discount at time of writing
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

Regular edition (CD only)
Tokuma Japan TKCA-73725
Out 11/2, ¥953 (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.

"Spice"

Kirin Hyōketsu TV commercial ("Glitter")

Making of...

Osaka indies electro-punk girl-boy double-vocal unit Applecider has a 2nd album coming, and The Aprils' Imai Kentarō has done mixing and arrangement for all tracks!

Check out video below for song "wear dischord", and then go hear more samples over at MySpace. The spaciness sure makes it sound like a must for Aprils fans who don't mind a bit more of an electro-rock sound.

Applecider "Star Black"

1. wear dischord
2. Laser
3. slow rider
4. Fighting Gum
5. star black
6. MAX
7. Don't Change (INXS cover)
8. kaiten
9. conversation
10. hoshizora Walkin'

Starball Disc DDCZ-1766
Out 9/7, ¥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.

"wear dischord"

Following their fun debut single "Go Around" release in June, girl-boy duo DadaD (pronounced "Da da da") finally has a full-length album coming this week! DadaD makes guitar-driven pop songs with soft beats and a slight touch of electro.

"Go Around" and also the song "Sing with me" used in a recent Uniqlo bratop commercial are included. All tracks can be sampled here (click the green "WMP" links).

DadaD can be caught live at Bad Noise Fes. 2011 on September 11 at Club Asia, along with many other great bands.

DadaD "Touch Touch Touch"

1. Wind Letter
2. Touch Touch Touch
3. Sing with me
4. Go Around
5. What to do
6. Forget
7. Beautiful Star
8. Monday
9. Hop Step Jump
10. E.G.B.A.

Flyingstar Records VICB-60078
Out 9/7, ¥2191 (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.

Uniqlo bratop TV commercial

"Go Around"

Shibuya-kei-friendly Spanish band La Casa Azul has what I believe is a first Japanese release out just last week. The title translating to "Somewhere near Shibuya", this comes as a greatest hits album of songs from their previous Spanish releases on Elefant Records, including a remix by The Aprils as well as a remix of The Aprils by the band's leader Guille Milkyway, and also guest appearances by members of Linus Blanket (Korea) and BMX Bandits (UK).

La Casa Azul "Cerca de Shibuya"
ラ・カーサ・アズール 「Cerca de Shibuya 渋谷の近くで」

1. Intro
2. Hoy me has dicho hola por primera vez
3. Galletas
4. Viaje a los sues polares
5. Como un fan
6. En noches como la de hoy.
7. Esta noche solo cantan para mi
8. Superguay
9. Sin canciones
10. Me gustas
11. Cercade Shibuya
12. El sol no brillara nunca mas.
13. Cambia tu vida
14. El secreto de Jeff Lynne
15. Prefiero bailar
16. C'est fini
17. El momento mas feliz
18. Viva [un poco mas] el amor.
19. Deberia plantearme cambiar
20. La nueva Yma Sumac
21. La nueva Yma Sumac (featuring The Aprils)
22. SHINE x SHINE x SHINE x SHINE (The Aprils) (remixed by Guille Milkyway)
23. Sexual revolution (feat. Yeongene on vocals)
24. Bad guys (feat. Duglas T. Stewart on vocals)

TKO new music corporation TKOK-0008
Out 8/31, ¥2191 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon, HMV, Tower Records (Japan only) ^†
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

"La nueva Yma Sumac"

"La nueva Yma Sumac (feat. The Aprils)"

Many more videos after the jump...

Nakatsuka Takeshi has produced the soundtrack for new TV series "barairo no seisen", about a 30-year-old mother who wants to become a model.

Subtitled "The Future Is In Our Hands", the pop and jazzy soundtrack features jazz musicians such as trumpeter Sasaki Shirō of nettai Jazz gakudan (Tropical Jazz Big Band), DJ & percussionist Matsuoka "matzz" Takahiro of Quasimode, and saxophonist Yamamoto Takuo.

The TV series starts tonight September 4 at 23:00 on TV Asahi, and the soundtrack will be available on iTunes from September 7.

Nakatsuka Takeshi "barairo no seisen -The Future Is In Our Hands-"
中塚武 「バラ色の聖戦 -The Future Is In Our Hands-」

1. The Future is in Our Hands!
2. Awakening of a Woman
3. La Vie en Rose
4. Catwalk
5. Family
6. The Future is Almost in Our Hands!
7. Someday My Dream Will Come True (guitar)
8. Awakening of a Woman (bossa nova)
9. rose petals
10. La Vie en Rose (piano)
11. Artificial Women
12. The Future is in Our Hands! (strings)
13. Aura
14. Anxiety
15. Catwalk (piano)
16. The Future is in Our Hands! (acoustic guitar)
17. Someday My Dream Will Come True

Delicatessen Recordings
Out 9/7, ¥1500
Sample/buy:

How to buy from iTunes Japan from overseas