Tokyo's Coolest Sound

Electric piano player Ino Hidefumi has a new album out now! "New Morning" contains 8 new original songs, and also 3 covers of songs by Todd Rundgren ("Hello It's Me"), Julie London ("Cry Me A River" written by Arthur Hamilton) and Shuggie Otis ("Island Letter").

Two songs feature Suzuki Shigeru (Happy End, Tin Pan Alley) on electric guitar, and another has Fujiwara Hiroshi playing acoustic guitar. The album also marks Ino's first vocal efforts, again turning his career towards new exciting directions.

A special show will be held at Liquid Room on June 14 (Pia 197−898, Lawson 75587, e+).

Ino Hidefumi "New Morning"
Ino hidefumi 「NEW MORNING -新しい夜明け-」

1. From Darkness To The Light
2. Green Tea
3. Hello It'S Me
4. Cry Me A River
5. A Tree Of Awakening
6. The World Is So Beautiful If You See
7. The Trip Carpet
8. In Abundance Freedom
9. Howling At The Moon
10. Island Letter
11. To Love Is Happier Than To Be Loved

Innocent Record IRCD-005
Out now (5/30), ¥2800 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon, HMV, Tower Records (Japan only) ^†, YesAsia,
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

Album trailer

This new single from idol trio Negicco has a lead track written & produced by Konishi Yasuharu (ex-Pizzicato Five)! This clavinet and violin-led upbeat pop tune is sure to please P5 fans! The song tells listeners not to listen to just idols, with a title that nods to France Gall's "N'écoute pas les idoles". The B-side is written by Negicco's usual producer connie.

The CD comes in 2 formats, of which the limited edition comes with a DVD of the full-length music video and making-of footage. Released at the same time is a limited pressing 7" of the two songs, be sure to get it before

Negicco "Idol bakari kikanai de"
Negicco 「アイドルばかり聴かないで」

1. Idol bakari kikanai de
2. atarashii koi no uta
3. Idol bakari kikanai de (inst)
4. atarashii koi no uta (inst)

Limited edition (CD+DVD)
T-Palette Records TPRC-0043
Out now (5/29), ¥1452 (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.

Regular edition (CD only)
T-Palette Records TPRC-0044
Out now (5/29), ¥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.

A. Idol bakari kikanai de
B. atarashii koi no uta

Limited pressing 7"
T-Palette Records TPRV-0002
Out now (5/29), ¥1452 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon, HMV, Tower Records (Japan only) ^†
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

"Idol bakari kikanai de" (short version)

Live performance

This is the new single by lyrical school, rap idol unit produced by tofubeats. "Parade" marks the welcoming of new member Hina. Also included is a self-cover of theme song "tengal6" (the former name of lyrical school) in a new version together with Hina.

The limited edition contains bonus track "S.T.A.G.E feat. Fukase Chisei (from LinQ)". This is a new track that samples from the song "4gatsu" (YouTube) that was released as an April Fool joke saying that lyrical school member Yumi started a rock band and wrote the song herself.

lyrical school "Parade"

1. Parade
2. tengal6 take2
3. S.T.A.G.E feat. Fukase Chisei (from LinQ)
4. Parade (inst)
5. tengal6 take2 (inst)
6. S.T.A.G.E feat. Fukase Chisei (from LinQ) (inst)

Limited edition (w/ bonus track)
T-Palette Records TPRC-0041
Out now (5/15), ¥1429 (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.

1. Parade
2. tengal6 take2
3. Parade (inst)
4. tengal6 take2 (inst)

Regular edition (no bonus track)
T-Palette Records TPRC-0042
Out now (5/15), ¥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.

"Parade"

"S.T.A.G.E feat. Fukase Chisei (from LinQ)"

fox capture plan is a new jazz band formed of Kishimoto Ryo on piano (Jabberloop), Kawai Hidehiro on double bass (Immigrant's Bossa Band) and Inoue Tsukasa on drums (direction of the chord, nhhmbase). A first album is coming on May 15!

A release party one-man show will be held at Shibuya O-nest on June 20.

fox capture plan "trinity"

1. polynity
2. shōdō no ryūshi
3. Reincarnation
4. Exceed the Limit
5. trinity
6. white ambience
7. dark matter
8. wonderwall
9. good night.
10. the beginning of the myth

Playwright PWT-004
Out 5/15, ¥1905 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records (Japan only) ^†
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

"shōdō no ryūshi ~The particle of impulse~"

Perfume is back with a double release. Both coming on May 22 are new single "Magic of Love", and a DVD of Perfume's 1st world tour, more specifically a show held in Singapore.

There's a limited edition of the single which contains a bonus DVD with the title track's music video. The video is getting a buzz as Perfume accomplished a big feat of recording the dancing backwards! See this behind the scenes clip.

Perfume's 2nd world tour has also been announced, stopping in Köln (Germany) on July 3, London (UK) on July 5, and Paris (France) on July 7. Get your tickets while/if it's still time.

Perfume "Magic of Love"

1. Magic of Love
2. Handy Man
3. Magic of Love -Original Instrumental-
4. Handy Man -Original Instrumental-

Limited edition (CD+DVD)
Universal UPCP-9004
Out 5/22, ¥1429 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV (15% off *), Tower Records (10% off *) ^†, YesAsia
* Discount at time of writing
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

Regular edition (CD only)
Universal UPCP-5004
Out 5/22, ¥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.

Perfume "Perfume WORLD TOUR 1st" (DVD)

Opening
Night Flight
Computer City
Electro World
Laser Beam (Album-mix)
Spending all my time
love the world
Butterfly
edge
Secret Secret
Dream Fighter
"P.T.A." no Corner
Fake It
nee
Chocolate Disco
Polyrhythm

-Encore-
Spring of Life
kokoro no Sport
My Color

World Tour 1st Making

DVD (Region 2 / NTSC / 140 min.)
Universal UPBP-1002
Out 5/22, ¥5000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV (10% off *), Tower Records (10% off *) ^†, YesAsia
* Discount at time of writing
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

"Magic of Love" TV commercial

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu has a new single coming, for the song "Invader Invader" that's being heard in TV commercials for the GU fashion brand (by Uniqlo). She has already been performing the song on stage starting her 2nd world tour. The single includes another new song as well as an extended mix of "Fashion Monster". Needless to say this is produced by Nakata Yasutaka (capsule).

As usual, there's a limited edition that comes as a tall photo book package from which unfold shots of Kyary's latest fashion.

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu "Invader Invader"
きゃりーぱみゅぱみゅ 「インベーダーインベーダー」

1. Invader Invader
2. Point of view
3. Fashion Monster -extended mix-

Limited edition (CD+Photo book)
Warner WPCL-11417
Out 5/15, ¥1715 (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.

Regular edition (CD only)
Warner WPCL-11418
Out 5/15, ¥1143 (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.

"Invader Invader"

GU TV commercial

Fender Rhodes player Ino Hidefumi will be back this month with a new album, but first comes this 7" of a Japanese lyrics cover of "Cry Me A River" (originally sung by Julie London).

This song features Suzuki Shigeru (Happy End) on guitar, and also marks Ino Hidefumi's first vocal recording which he sings himself! The 7" includes a non-album instrumental version.

5th album "New Morning" will be released on May 30. Stay tuned for all details!

Ino Hidefumi "Cry Me A River" (7")

A. Cry Me A River
B. Cry Me A River (Version)

Innocent IREP-009
Out 5/10, ¥1200 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Jet Set

Nakatsuka Takeshi (Qypthone), whose latest album "Lyrics" was released last February, has a 7" cut of two songs being released. One of the chosen songs is a cover of Flipper's Guitar "Young, Alive, in Love"! This release comes from Groove Unchant's Unchantable Records (a sub-label of Orange Records).

Audio samples at Jet Set.

Nakatsuka Takeshi "Young, Alive, in Love / Have you ever seen the rainbow?" (7")
中塚武 「恋とマシンガン／虹を見たかい」

A. Young, Alive, in Love
B. Have you ever seen the rainbow?

Unchantable Records UCT-014
Out 5/8, ¥1300 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Jet Set, Amazon, Tower Records (Japan only) ^†
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

(((sssurrounddd))), the band of rapper Illreme, with Track Boys' K404 and Crystal, has a new single just out on 12". The B-side is a remix by Sunahara Yoshinori! The 12" comes with a MP3 download code.

Jet Set has an audio sample of the remix.

(((sssurrounddd))) "kūchū bunkai suru I Love You" (12")
(((さらうんど))) 「空中分解するアイラビュー」

A. kūchū bunkai suru I Love You
B. kūchū bunkai suru I Love You (Yoshinori Sunahara Remix)

Kakubarhythm KAKU-054
Out now (4/26), ¥1400 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Jet Set

"kūchū bunkai suru I Love You"

This is a 2nd release part of White Lily Records' "Cult Club Manners" mix CD series (the first was by YO!HEY!! in 2011). Cold Name is the solo project of Nobuyuki Sakuma who is mainly active as the lead member of Jesse Ruins. This mix CD contains several original tracks, remixes and re-edits.

See the official release page for a tracklist, and go hear an sampler at Jet Set Records.

Also, there's an English interview with the artist over at Make Believe Melodies (November 2012).

Cold Name "Few Of Us"

White Lily Records WLEX-011
Out now (4/26), ¥1300 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Jet Set

Cold Name "You Will Not See"

Vanilla Beans have a new single coming, this time a new song produced by Kaji Hideki who Rena and Lisa like to call "Mr. Sweden". This release follows album "Vanilla Beans III" released in November 2012, while the previous single was "Non-Section" in July 2012.

The new single comes in 3 different editions. Two limited editions include a bonus DVD with different content: limited edition "A" has a music video for the title song, and limited edition "B" has footage from Vanilla Beans' recent visit to France. There's also a regular edition of the CD only. All three have different artwork, all by photographer Leslie Kee. I like the high impact pose on limited edition A!

Vanilla Beans "Muscat Slope Love"
バニラビーンズ 「マスカット・スロープ・ラブ」

1. Muscat Slope Love
2. Jewel Memories
3. Muscat Slope Love (Instrumental)
4. Jewel Memories (Instrumental)

Limited edition A (CD+DVD (music video))
T-Palette Records TPRC-0038
Out 5/8, ¥1429 (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.

Limited edition B (CD+DVD (France footage))
T-Palette Records TPRC-0039
Out 5/8, ¥1429 (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.

Regular edition
T-Palette Records TPRC-0040
Out 5/8, ¥1429 (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.

"Muscat Slope Love"

8-bit unit Sexy-Synthesizer (official Facebook page) has a new mini-album out now, with the tag line "This is not 'ROCK' but 'POP!'" This features singer Chihiro who has appeared before on 2008 album "Sexy-Synthesizer presents Funky-Bit" (Amazon).

The CD is available through Amazon Japan, but if you just want the music then get it at Bandcamp for $10!

Sexy-Synthesizer feat. Chihiro "POP!"

1. Circus
2. Somebody
3. Superstar
4. Angel From The Dark
5. Theme
6. Somebody (8bit Mix) (Bonus Track)

Eau Rouge Recordings
Out now (5/1), ¥1050
Order: Amazon, Bandcamp

Sampler