Tokyo's Coolest Sound

Nagoya-based unit Lullatone has already been around for 20 years (when counting their early days)! It seems like it was the right time to revisit their vast repertory, as does this 52-song album of almost 2½ hours. All songs were newly recorded with just simply piano, turning them into BGM perfect for any other situation of daily life. It's available digitally or also a nice-priced 2-CD set (even directly at Bandcamp, with cheap shipping fees).

Official info:

"Music for Museum Gift Shops" finds Nagoya, Japan-based band Lullatone revisiting songs from their adventurous 20 year-long career on solo piano.

The melodies in these 52 songs shine in the new subtle, simple renditions. The innocence of past albums is illustrated here with intimate recordings - a kind of cozy minimalism that is warm and familiar. This is Lullatone all grown up - at home, with two kids, helping them with their homework - making music that sounds like an informal, unaffected take on classical music. Homemade classical - for fans of Erik Satie but in a better mood, a more naive Goldmund or Hauschka, or maybe even a Wes Anderson soundtrack if the whole film was set in a light-soaked living room.

Recently Lullatone has been hired to soundtrack films and TV. But, for this project they wanted to make more personal soundtracks for riding a bike to the library, making a late breakfast on a weekend afternoon, studying another language, or browsing through books in a museum gift shop.

Lullatone can next be seen in Tokyo opening for I Am Robot And Proud, on May 16 at Shibuya O-Nest (details here), or closer to home at the "Mori, Michi, Ichiba 2019" festival on June 1st at Laguna Beach & Lagunasia in Aichi pref.

Lullatone "Music for Museum Gift Shops"

Disc 1
1. trying something again again (piano version)
2. my second favorite song in the world (piano version)
3. an ode to eaten snowflakes (piano version)
4. a blanket of snow spotted from under the blankets in bed (piano version)
5. morning coffee (piano version)
6. fleeting years (piano version)
7. an older couple holding hands (piano version)
8. icicles melting (piano version)
9. for all the forgotten resolutions (piano version)
10. wake up wake up (piano version)
11. another word for productivity (piano version)
12. waking up on a picnic blanket (piano version)
13. going to buy some strawberries (piano version)
14. second day of school (piano version)
15. sad grass (piano version)
16. the biggest pile of leaves you have ever seen (piano version)
17. thursday inverse (piano version)
18. gathering sticks for a nest (piano version)
19. afternoon nap for pets (piano version)
20. a runaway kite (piano version)
21. origami tulips (piano version)
22. wet grass (piano version)
23. starlight (piano version)
24. make believe melody (piano version)
25. we're better than this, were better than this (piano version)
26. little by little (piano version)
27. checking things off of a to-do list early in the morning (piano version)
28. umbrella (piano version)

Disc 2
1. good morning melody (piano version)
2. race against the sunset (piano version)
3. the kind of song you make up in your head when you are bored (piano version)
4. fireflies and lightning bugs (piano version)
5. the existential dilemma of a melting ice cream cone (piano version)
6. perfectly organized cleaning supplies (piano version)
7. still feeling the waves when you go to bed (piano version)
8. September Affective Disorder (piano version)
9. a picture of your grandparents when they were young (piano version)
10. falling asleep with a book on your chest (piano version)
11. growing up (piano version)
12. every little moment (piano version)
13. stars on the ceiling of a planetarium (piano version)
14. floating away (piano version)
15. leaves falling (piano version)
16. here comes the sweater weather (piano version)
17. adventure music for migrating birds (piano version)
18. finding a leaf in your girlfriend's hair (piano version)
19. an awkward dinner conversation at a family gathering (piano version)
20. a curtain dancing in the wind (piano version)
21. how to tie a scarf (piano version)
22. prelude for a single snowflake under a streetlight, falling like a star (piano version)
23. a slow waltz (piano version)
24. a little song about snowdrops (piano version)

lulla-label LULLA010
Out now (3/22), ¥2200 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Bandcamp, CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records ^†, , Spotify, Amazon MP3 Japan, Amazon MP3 U.S.
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

"a curtain dancing in the wind (piano version)"

"finding a leaf in your girlfriend's hair (piano version)"

"falling asleep with a book on your chest (piano version)"

Director Kawasaki Minoru is known for making comedy sci-fi films such as "Calamari Wrestler" and "Executive Koala". This time he brings a short movie starring Soleil (Instagram), the 15-year-old singer of band SOLEIL. The movie starts out at a countryside villa, and while the story may first seem very down-to-earth, a strange mystery awaits. There's even a special appearance by Tezka Macoto (son of Tezuka Osamu ("Astro Boy")).

A good amount of the footage actually shows Soleil hanging out while singing some of her band's songs, from first album "My Name is SOLEIL", so the movie watches sort of like a music video feature film, making it a must for fans of the singer and the band.

"Éternelle Lunna" (DVD)
「永遠のルンナ」
(Japanese title: "eien no Lunna")
(Region 2 NTSC, 16:9, 24 minutes, no sub-titles)

Rivertop DEN-014
Out 3/29, ¥2315 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV (13% off *), Tower Records ^†
* Discount at time of writing
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

Hoshikuzu Scat has a brand new single out today! The title song is a dance track written by member Mitz Mangrove, with music co-written by Nakatsuka Takeshi (Qypthone), while the B-side is a cover of Wada Kanako. Both were arranged by Nakatsuka Takeshi.

Hoshikuzu Scat's upcoming tour's Tokyo dates have already sold out, but they can be seen on the stage of Tokyo Rainbow Pride 2019's Pride Festival to be held on April 28 and 29 at Yoyogi Park.

Hoshikuzu Scat "Absolutely Adorable"
星屑スキャット 「Absolutely Adorable」

1. Absolutely Adorable (2019 mix）
2. kanashii Heart wa moeteiru

Kuchibiru Records KCBR-0004
Out now (3/25), ¥1204 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records ^†
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

Upcoming tour trailer clip

Singer Gallantique Kazue has two new albums being released at the same time! One is an album of her original songs, while the other is a collection of covers.

"Original Collection" is actually her 2nd original album, the previous dating back to 2007 ("Beautiful Album", Amazon). Included are songs from several singles that were released meanwhile (such as the recent "kagayaite Night Flight" and "yoru ni okiru Patron"), but also two brand new songs ("ashita wa ame" and "fuminshō no Pensée") and three new mixes. Arrangers/songwriters include Gary Ashiya (La veuve moustachue), Takanami Keitarō, Shirane Kenichi (GREAT3), Kashif (PPP), Horigome Takaki (Kirinji), and more.

"Cover Collection" takes 10 songs from the five 3-song cover mini albums with the title "Anthology" that she released in 2016 and 2017 (details). These recordings feature musicians including Nakayama Tsutomu (The Scooters), Sally Kubota (SOLEIL, The Scooters), Nakamori Yasuhiro (SOLEIL, Hicksville), Shirane Kenichi, Itani Takashi and Matsumoto Kenichi among others.

Check out the release special page.

A show titled "Electric Shock Kayo World II" backed by a band of seven will be held on Wednesday May 15 at Shibuya WWW. Tickets are on sale. Details here.

Gallantique Kazue "Original Collection"
ギャランティーク和恵 「オリジナルコレクション」

1. kagayaite Night Flight
2. hitohada chūdoku <2019 new mix>
3. yoru ni okiru Patron
4. akirame no Bon Voyage
5. hateshinaki yokubō <2019 new mix>
6. jūnenme no dokuhaku
7. mayonaka no nadeshiko
8. koi no Double Booking <duet with Takigawa Maiko>
9. ashita wa ame
10. mō hitori no watashi <2019 new mix>
11. fuminshō no Pensée
12. yoru ni okiru Patron <Cherryboy Function Remix>

More More Love MLCD-0010
Out 3/27, ¥2778 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records ^†, (Japan ^‡), Spotify
† Tower Records ships within Japan only
‡ How to buy from iTunes Japan?

Gallantique Kazue "Cover Collection"
ギャランティーク和恵 「カバーコレクション」

(Original artist in parentheses)
1. My Jewelry Love (Daichi Mao)
2. kujaku no hane (Abe Ritsuko)
3. ashita no tame ni egao o ~ai no sanka~ (Peter)
4. rengasō (Ohta Hiromi)
5. mō umi e nanka ikanai (Ishii Akemi)
6. Chigasaki Memory (Horie Mitsuko)
7. mado akari (Shuri Eiko)
8. Christmas Eve Sick (Azusa Michiyo)
9. Hot Spot ~One Night at Othello~ (Nishida Sachiko)
10. kodoku na tabibito (Ishida Ayumi)

More More Love MLCD-0011
Out 3/27, ¥2315 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records ^†
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

Here comes a massive compilation of the Non-Standard label, which was produced by Hosono Haruomi (YMO) during the 80's. With genres covering techno-pop, ambient and improvised music, the label featured artists such as World Standard, Koshi Miharu, Mikado, Urban Dance, Hosono's unit Friends of Earth (F.O.E.), Shi-Shonen, and of course Pizzicato Five.

This compilation was selected and supervised by World Standard's Suzuki Sōichirō. Among the large number of essentials and rarities that are featured, included are three previously unreleased Pizzicato Five demos ("Vacance", "Algonquin Hotel" and "dōbutsuen no wani" (later sung by Togawa Kyōko)) and two outtakes of Hosono's "S-F-X". Coming as a limited edition of 4 CDs packaged in a large 144-page book, the compilation is said to be great of course for those who were fans back in the day, but also for those who missed experiencing the label in real time.

Check out label Teichiku's official release page.

Various Artists "NON-STANDARD collection - Non-Standard no hibiki -"
オムニバス 「NON-STANDARD collection -ノンスタンダードの響き-」

Disc 1
(Title / Artist)
1. goaisatsu / Ibu Masato (Promo recording)
2. Non-Standard Mixture / Hosono Haruomi
3. Mariange / Koshi Miharu
4. yoake no iro / Mikado
5. Boy Meets Girl / Pizzicato Five
6. seishun gunzō / World Standard
7. mizu no shazō / SHI-SHONEN
8. HAMMER / Urban Dance
9. fuyu no Naufrage / Mikado
10. Androgena / Hosono Haruomi
11. nobara / Koshi Miharu
12. The 59th Street Bridge Song <Clubmix '87・Bitter End> / Pizzicato Five
13. Medium Composition #2 / Hosono Haruomi
14. Pasio / World Standard
15. Lovely Singin' Circuit / SHI-SHONEN
16. Right Place, Wrong Time / Friends of Earth
17. Remaking of Non-Standard Music / Urban Dance

Disc 2
1. 3・6・9 / Hosono Haruomi
2. tanpopo no osake / World Standard
3. bara no Emilia / Urban Dance
4. 2001nen no koibitotachi / SHI-SHONEN
5. Dance Hall / Friends of Earth
6. Body Snatchers <Japanese Version> / Hosono Haruomi
7. Action Painting <1985.9.29 Mix> / Pizzicato Five
8. Si tu m'aimes / Mikado
9. hashire usagi / Koshi Miharu
10. hito koma no ame / Urban Dance
11. teami no tenshi / SHI-SHONEN
12. Let's Go Away For Awhile / Pizzicato Five
13. La pagaj / World Standard
14. 5kaime no Kiss / SHI-SHONEN
15. Interlude / Ibu Masato (Promo recording)
16. TV-CM "Pal Sweet Slim" / Mikado (Promo recording)

Disc 3
1. Strange Love <Fonk Version / Other Mix> / Friends of Earth (Previously unreleased)
2. kanashimi no Carnaval / Mikado
3. September Song <manufacture mix> / Pizzicato Five
4. subete wa himitsu no yoru / Urban Dance
5. Lip Shütz / Koshi Miharu
6. ongaku ressha / World Standard
7. kare to koinu to watashi / SHI-SHONEN
8. akuma no hatsumei / Hosono Haruomi (Previously unreleased)
9. Ceramic Love / Urban Dance
10. Audrey Hepburn Complex <billy wilder mix> / Pizzicato Five
11. watashi no unmeisen / World Standard
12. Ave Maria / Koshi Miharu
13. Dark Side of the Star / Hosono Haruomi
14. Sex Machine / James Brown & F.O.E
15. Sex Machine <instrumental> / James Brown & F.O.E

Disc 4
1. La fille du soleil <taiyō no Duo> / Mikado
2. Mademoiselle Juju / Koshi Miharu
3. SFX / Hosono Haruomi
4. Camp / Urban Dance
5. Bye Bye Yuppie / SHI-SHONEN
6. taiyō wa oshiete kurenai / World Standard
7. What's New Pizzicato? / Pizzicato Five
8. Vacance / Pizzicato Five (Previously unreleased)
9. Algonquin Hotel / Pizzicato Five (Previously unreleased)
10. dobutsuen no wani / Pizzicato Five (Previously unreleased)
11. Kitchen Music / World Standard (Previously unreleased)
12. dai 3 no sentaku / Hosono Haruomi
13. hokkyoku / Hosono Haruomi
14. hitomi wa Sunset Glow / SHI-SHONEN
15. Camera Obscura / Urban Dance
16. taiyo to Dahlia / World Standard

Non-Standard / Teichiku TECI-1624
Out 3/27, ¥12000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records ^†, Far Side Music (UK)
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

Techno rap group Chimidoro has just released a 2nd album this month! This is their first in 12 years, the follow-up to debut album "minna no uta" (2007). Check out this special release page, and also the sampler clip below. A CD edition is also available, although there might not be a way to order it internationally at this time, but still it can be enjoyed by download/streaming.

Upcoming events include a joint release party with 6EYES and many others on Saturday March 30 from 15:00 at Shibuya clubasia (details), and on Saturday April 6 a special edition of event "Ghetto Sakaba" will be held at Shibuya 7th Floor with friends Nakayoshi Group and more (details).

Chimidoro "nanokana?"
チミドロ 「なのかな？」

1. Tokyo Tokkyo Kyokakyoku
2. Sake Jizou
3. Tada No Sakkaku
4. 2 Pattern
5. Skit
6. Wan Nyan Park
7. Ghetto Sakaba
8. Braker
9. Shigoto Shitakunai Again
10. Just High Heaven
11. Shine Ryokou

Shikaku Ongaku SKOG-002
Out now (3/15), ¥2000 (excl. 10% tax)
Sample/buy: , YouTube Music, OTOTOY, Amazon MP3 Japan, Amazon MP3 U.S.

Sampler clip

18-year-old DJ/trackmaker Yackle has just released a 1st full-length physical album. Every track features various singers and collaborators that he chose, and those include DÉ DÉ MOUSE, MANON and many more. Check out the video for "Feel Me" (with Dé Dé Mouse) below, and also the sampler clip.

A tour of three cities is about to start, with a show in Tokyo on March 31 at Shibuya Glad with Dé Dé Mouse and many more artists who appear on the album (details). On March 24, Manon will take part in the Fukuoka show (details), and on April 6 another show will be held in Osaka (details.

Yackle "FRANK THROW"

1. Feel Me (feat. DÉ DÉ MOUSE & Misaka Saki)
2. Coconut (feat. Chanmomo◎ & Carlos Ma-chan)
3. Thug Life (feat. BLACKNAZARENE)
4. SUGAR HIGH WONDERLAND (feat. MANON)
5. chōgōhōteki kyōbō (feat. yunovation) -Album ver.-
6. BLOCK (feat. JIN & Nakamura Minami)
7. Highlander (feat. Kamei)
8. Running Away (feat. YOCO ORGAN)
9. Judge (feat. GOMESS & Utae)
10. Supper! Supper! Supper! (feat. Public musume.)
11. SnowyNight (feat. powaramiu) -Album ver.-

Perfect Music PMFL-0010
Out now (3/20), ¥2315 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records ^†, , Spotify, YouTube Music
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

"Feel Me (feat. DÉ DÉ MOUSE & Misaka Saki)"

Sampler clip

This new song by YonYon, a DJ and singer-songwriter born in Seoul and raised in Tokyo, is the 3rd of her "The Link" project in which she collaborates with other singers and producers. This time her new song features Hitomitoi, and it's produced by Moon Yirang (from Korea). Check it out on iTunes, Spotify, etc., as well as in the video below.

YonYon x Hitomitoi "Overflow (henshin)" (Download)
YonYon × 一十三十一 「Overflow (変身)」

MCJP Inc.
Out now (3/21)
Sample/buy: , Spotify

Singer Suzuki Masayuki has a new album released just recently. The album's last song, "Sugar Pie Honey Bunch Marching Band", which was written and produced by Konishi Yasuharu and it features chorus by Nomiya Maki (!) and Yoshikawa Tomoko (of Amazons, also featured on Pizzicato One's "watakushi no nijuseiki").

The album also contains tracks by producers such as Nishidera Gōta (Nona Reeves) and Hotei Tomoyasu among many others.

A limited edition contains a bonus DVD of recording footage of song "ai no Funky Flag", with Hotei Tomoyasu, and live footage from the "DJ III 2017" tour.

Check out the album's special site.

Suzuki Masayuki "Funky Flag"
鈴木雅之 「Funky Flag」

1. Love Parade
2. ai no Funky Flag
3. Secret Boogie
4. Love Dramatic feat. Ihara Rikka (Funky Flag Version)
5. Scramble kōsaten
6. Turn off the light
7. BAZOOKA
8. donsuta
9. Delicate na uso
10. boku ni tsuite oide
11. Sugar Pie Honey Bunch Marching Band

DVD (Limited edition only)
1. "ai no Funky Flag" Recording footage
2. Live Digest (DJ III 2017 tour)
3. chigau, sō janai (DJ III 2017 tour)
4. megumi no hito (DJ III 2017 tour)

Limited edition (CD+DVD)
Epic Sony ESCL-5205
Out now (3/13), ¥3426 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records ^†
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

Regular edition (CD only)
Epic Sony ESCL-5207
Out now (3/13), ¥2963 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records ^†, (Japan ^‡), Spotify
† Tower Records ships within Japan only
‡ How to buy from iTunes Japan?

"Love Dramatic feat. Ihara Rikka" spin-off movie
(Probably different from the album)

Hachimitsu Rocket is an idol group of 7 members that was formed in 2014 and did a major debut last year. This 4th single's A-side is a fun song of which the music video shows the girls in Twiggy-like outfits. Watch it below!

Coming in 3 editions with different B-sides, of which the "Limited Edition A" contains one written and produced by Konishi Yasuharu, titled "nakayoshi Group"! It is said to be of garage rock style, and it's programmed by Fukutomi Yukihiro. So of course this is the edition that's recommended here. Both of these songs, and also two from the other editions are also available digitally on iTunes and Spotify.

Also check out this special site to find out more about the release and other editions as well as upcoming events.

Hachimitsu Rocket "chūken Hachikō"
はちみつロケット 「忠犬ハチ公」

1. chūken Hachikō
2. nakayoshi Group
3. chūken Hachikō (off vocal)
4. nakayoshi Group (off vocal)

"Limited edition A" bonus Blu-ray disc:
chūken Hachikō Music Video, Making Video

Limited edition A (CD + Blu-ray)
Pony Canyon PCCA-04769
Out 3/20, ¥1667 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records ^†
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

"chūken Hachikō"

Self-produced singer-songwriter Kanou Emiri (Twitter), who takes a lot of her inspiration from 80's new wave, has a brand new song titled "Friday Night" now available on iTunes, Spotify, etc.!

A CD edition was also just released, containing other new song "Lucky" and an instrumental, although the CD seems to be only available at Emiri's >online shop (which also seems to only ship to Japan), at Tower Records Shibuya, or apparently via CDJapan's proxy shopping service. It's the first release on her own label Emirika Disc.

At the same time, the excellent song "gomenne" (released on 7" just recently) was also made available for download/streaming. A first music video by Emiri for "gomenne" has also been released. Watch it below!

On April 14, an in-store event will be held at Tower Records Shibuya's Pied Piper House (6F), with mini-live, talk show and autograph session. The event starts at 15:00. She can also be seen in various other events, including one Tuesday March 19 (tomorrow) at Shibuya Loft Event from 19:00 (details here).

Kanou Emiri "Friday Night" (Download)
加納エミリ 「フライデーナイト」

Emirika Disc
Out now (3/18)
Sample/buy: , Sportify, OTOTOY, YouTube Music

Kanou Emiri "gomenne" (Download)
加納エミリ 「ごめんね」

Emirika Disc
Out now (3/18)
Sample/buy: , Spotify, OTOTOY, YouTube Music

Kanou Emiri "Friday Night" (CD)
加納エミリ 「フライデーナイト」

1. Friday Night
2. Lucky
3. Friday Night (instrumental ver)

Emirika Disc EMRK-1903
Out now (3/15), ¥1000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, >Emirika

"Friday Night" sampler clip

"gomenne"

HALLCA (aka Tominaga Haruka, ex-Especia) has a new track out now digitally! "burning in blue" is a track arranged by Rillsoul, who also produced "guilty pleasure" on "Apéritif e.p".

One more song is to follow on April 1st. Stay tuned!

HALLCA's upcoming shows include event "Showcase -digging up-" on Wednesday March 6 at Ebisu Batica (a ¥500 ticket must be bought in advance with muser, and there's a first drink charge of ¥1000), and another organized by Kariya Seira on Tuesday March 12 at Daikanyama Loop (details).

HALLCA "burning in blue" (Download)

HALLCA
Out now (3/1)
Sample/buy: , Spotify, OTOTOY, YouTube Music