Tokyo's Coolest Sound

Guitarist Hotei (aka Hotei Tomoyasu, ex-BOØWY) has a new solo album being released, the 6th of his "GUITARHYTHM" series, and it features Cornelius on one song! "Clone (feat. Cornelius)" is available digitally in advance (, Spotify).

The limited edition comes with a Blu-ray or DVD of the last show of the "HOTEI Live In Japan 2018 ~Tonight I'm Yours Tour~", held on December 30, 2018 in Osaka. Check out the release official page.

A Japan tour will be held from June to August, followed by two shows in the UK in September. Find details at the official site.

Hotei "GUITARHYTHM VI"
布袋寅泰 「GUITARHYTHM VI」

1. Welcome 2 G VI
2. Middle Of The End
3. Doubt
4. Shape Of Pain
5. Black Goggles
6. Give It To The Universe (feat. MAN WITH A MISSION)
7. Calling You, Calling Me
8. Thanks a Lot
9. Clone (feat. Cornelius)
10. Secret Garden
11. Freedom In The Dark
12. 202X
13. Tracker

Regular edition (CD only)
Universal Music TYCT-60138
Out 5/29, ¥3000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records ^†,
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

Blu-ray limited edition (CD + Blu-ray)
Universal Music TYCT-69141
Out 5/29, ¥8900 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Amazon (19% off *), HMV (13% off *), Tower Records ^†
* Discount at time of writing
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

DVD limited edition (CD + DVD (Region 2 NTSC))
Universal Music TYCT-69142
Out 5/29, ¥8400 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Amazon (16% off *), HMV (13% off *), Tower Records ^†
* Discount at time of writing
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

"Thanks a Lot"

"Give It To The Universe (feat. MAN WITH A MISSION)" teaser clip

SOLEIL, whose next album "Lollipop Sixteen" is expected for July, has a new 7" single being released in advance! The A-side is a new original song that reminds of mid-career Beatles, with music written by Okada Yumi (the band's arranger, who previously wrote "Good Bye, Teddy Bear" ("My Name is Soleil") and "La Petite Voleuse" ("SOLEIL is Alright")) and lyrics by Iizumi Yūko (microstar). The B-side is a high-speed ska cover of Imo-kin Trio's hit song "High School Lullaby", which coincides with the singer having entered high school just recently. As always these are recorded in mono. A must!

SOLEIL is 15-year old singer Soleil, bassist and producer Sally Kubota (The Scooters, Sally Soul Stew, Les 5-4-3-2-1, ex-The Phantom Gift), and guitarist Nakamori Yasuhiro (Hicksville). It has however been announced that the guitarist is leaving the group after completing the new album.

Upcoming events include "Mods Mayday Nagoya 2019" in Nagoya this Saturday May 25 (details), and "RYUTist presents 'Hi, How Are You'" on Saturday June 1st at Shinjuku Marz (with RYUTist) (details). A tour for the new album will be held in July, with a show at Shibuya WWW X on July 20 (tickets go on sale June 1st).

SOLEIL "Mellotron Girl c/w High School Lullaby" (7")
SOLEIL 「メロトロンガール c/w ハイスクールララバイ」

A. Mellotron Girl
B. High School Lullaby

Vivid Sound / High Contrast HCR-9684
Out 5/29, ¥1800 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records ^†
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

"Mellotron Girl"

"High School Lullaby"

xiangyu (Twitter, Instagram) is a newcomer solo female artist who debuted last year. Her music is produced by Kenmochi Hidefumi (Wednesday Campanella). Following a few digital releases since October 2018, here comes her first physical mini-album! You can also enjoy all of the songs below on YouTube in their music video form, of which "Gyouza" is the latest.

Upcoming shows include an appearance at the "Shimokitazawa Sound Cruising 2019" festival tomorrow May 25 (at Rockaholic from 21:00) (details at event site), and also event "tenka" on June 21 at Ebisu Batica (a release party for Kenmochi Hidefumi's new album "Footwork" also just out) which will also feature Dé Dé Mouse. She will also perform a free set on Sunday June 2 part of "Hibiya Music Fes", from 18:00 at Tokyo Midtown Hibiya's Hiroba stage (event site).

xiangyu "The First ○○ Picture Book"
xiangyu 「はじめての○○図鑑」
(Japanese title: "hajimete no ○○ zukan")

1. Go Mistake
2. Poo Pad Pong Curry
3. Mycorrhizal Fungi (kinkonkin)
4. 31
5. I Went to Sleep Without Taking a Bath (furo ni hairazu nechimatta)
6. Human Evolution
7. Gyouza

KUJAKU CLUB KJKC-0002
Out now (5/22), ¥2200 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon, HMV, Tower Records ^†, (World), (Japan), Spotify
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

"Go Mistake"

"Poo Pad Pong Curry"

"Mycorrhizal Fungi (kinkonkin)"

"31"

"I Went to Sleep Without Taking a Bath (furo ni hairazu nechimatta)"

"Human Evolution"

"Gyoza"

Mia Nascimento (Milli Milli Bar, ex-Especia) (Twitter) has a new song out now digitally! It was written and produced by Yafune Tatsurō.

Upcoming shows include event "otonanbo Fest." on Saturday May 25 at Asagayake Gekijō in Asagaya (details), and her own regular event "Shimokita Seleção vol.8" on Tuesday June 18 at BAR?CCO in Shimokitazawa (details).

Mia Nascimento "Lucky Girl" (Download)

crooners
Out now (5/21)
Sample/buy: , Spotify, YouTube Music

Masanori Ikeda's cover of William Pitt's "City Lights" is being released on 7". First released part of compilation "Grand Gallery presents New Wave" in 2007 and then on 12" vinyl in 2009, this time it has been re-mixed into a 7" version. This features the Beautiful Losers' Raj on vocals. The B-side is "Seeds" which also appeared on album "The Loud Works" (2013) but here it is being released on vinyl for the first time.

Also look out for a first full-length album by Ikeda's chill-out project Coastlines (with Kaneko Takumi), expected to be released on June 26. Details will be posted later.

Masanori Ikeda "City Lights" (7")

A. City Lights (7" Edit)
B. Seeds

Flower Records FLRS-121
Out 5/22, ¥1500 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Jet Set, HMV, Tower Records ^†
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

This compilation 7" that comes as a beautiful shaped picture disc features 3 dog-themed songs, by Halfby + EMC (Enjoy Music Club), The Natsuyasumi Band and Tōgō Kiyomaru. The disc was illustrated by Norwegian artist Bendik Kaltenborn.

Various Artists "inu Inch Wan P" (7" shaped picture disc)
オムニバス 「犬吋ワンP」

A1. HALFBY+EMC / NICE BUDDY!!!
A2. The Natsuyasumi Band / utsukushiku ikiru mono no hanashi
B1. Tōgō Kiyomaru / Wan Chance

Second Royal/Jet Set EMF-088
Out now (4/24), ¥2200 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Jet Set, HMV, Tower Records ^†
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

Nakata Yasutaka (CAPSULE) has just released a brand new song under his own name. The track features singer Mashiro Momo (Twitter), the result of her winning an audition that promised a debut produced by Yasutaka. Check out the music video below, directed by LA-based Somehoodlum!

To those in L.A.: CAPSULE, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, m-flo and more will appear at event "Otaquest Live" on July 3 at The Novo by Microsoft (details). The event is followed by night event "Otaquest Kick Off Party" from 22:00 at the same place, with DJs Nakata Yasutaka, Taku Takahashi and TeddyLoid (details).

Yasutaka Nakata "Pico Pico Tokyo feat. Momo Mashiro" (Download)
中田ヤスタカ 「ぴこぴこ東京 (feat. 眞白桃々)」

Warner Music
Out now (5/17)
Sample/buy: , Spotify

Maika Loubté has a brand new song out now digitally! "Nobara" had been often performed in her shows for about two years, and it's finally available.

A limited CD edition will be sold from May 15 only at Tower Records, online and at the Shinjuku store.

Maika will tour Spain in June. Find details here or in her Facebook page's events. Meanwhile she will host DJ event "Mix Juice Radio presents '45rpm with M.N.M'" on May 30 at Aoyama Zero. Details and full schedule here.

Maika Loubté "Nobara" (Download)

Out now (5/10)
Sample/buy: , Spotify, YouTube Music

"Nobara" featured in "Flags Channel Spring/Summer 2019" promotional clip

Live performance of "Nobara" in 2017

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu has a new single out now digitally! "kimi ga iine kuretara" translates to "If you gave me a 'Like'". It's the theme song of TV drama "mukai no Buzz-ru kazoku". As always, it's written and produced by Nakata Yasutaka.

Check out the new music video below, directed by "Nakayaman*tasista Utamaro" (unit of director Fantasista Utamaro ("oto no kuni") and artist Naka_yamaN).

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu "kimi ga iine kuretara" (Download)
きゃりーぱみゅぱみゅ 「きみがいいねくれたら」

Out now (5/10)
Sample/buy: , Spotify, OTOTOY

HALLCA (aka Tominaga Haruka, ex-Especia) has just released a new track digitally! "Show the Night" is a brand new song written by herself and arranged by PellyColo.

HALLCA's next show will be her self-organized event "Tipsy Bar Vol.4" on Monday June 10 at Ebisu Batica. Find details here.

HALLCA "Show the Night"

HALLCA
Out now (5/6)
Sample/buy: , Spotify, OTOTOY, YouTube Music

21-year-old singer-songwriter/trackmaker Mom has a new 2nd album being released this month! Check out his cool tracks & smooth vocals that are quite irresistible. This album follows "Playground" released in November 2018 (CDJapan, Spotify, ).

HMV gives away a promo badge (while supplies last).

A release party will be held on Friday June 14 at Shibuya WWW, with guest act chelmico. Also on May 8 a pre-release listening party will take place at Ebisu Batica, where an exclusive cassette tape edition will be sold. Check out Mom's full schedule here.

Mom "Detox"

1. Spike Jonze
2. 6
3. sotsugyō
4. Private Beach Song
5. Boys and Girls
6. talkaboutmyteacher
7. Superstar
8. Blue
9. Good Thinking
10. Sing Street
11. Anonymous
12. himitsu no futari
13. Mr.Lonely
14. Freaks Tokyo
15. tsumetaku moeru hoshi no shita de

Life Is Craft LIC-002
Out 5/22, ¥2300 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records ^†
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

"himitsu no futari"

"Boys and Girls"

"Superstar"

"6" + "sotsugyō"

Tokyo rock'n'roll band Magic, Drums & Love has a brand new album coming this month! The whole was produced by Matsuda "Chabe" Gakuji (Learners, Cubismo Grafico). With a base sound of soul/disco, there are felt influences of exotica, city pop and idol pop.

A special release event will be held on June 30 at Shimokitazawa Basement Bar from 18:00. Meanwhile there are several other shows including "hayatei vol.36 ~ERA 17th Anniversary" on May 6 at Shimokitazawa ERA, "Basement Bar 24th Anniversary Party!" on May 11 at Basement Bar, and "Feelin' Fellows 2019" on May 19 at Ebisu Liquidroom and adjacent venues. Find all details here.

Magic, Drums & Love "HURRICANE UPSETTER"

1. -Voyager 1928-
2. Meteo Flight
3. dai Tokyo konya teki ai
4. MOMONA
5. -Pilot 1942-
6. nagisa no Happy daisakusen
7. °Capital °City °Crawl
8. koi wa Paradiso
9. -Explorer 1963-
10. HURRICANE VOYAGE -kiken na kōkai- feat. Miwa Jirō
11. isshō tokenai mahō to wa.
12. DEATH COUNT
13. -Upsetter 1968-

High Contrast/Vivid Sound HCCD-9605
Out 5/15, ¥2500 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records ^†, , Spotify, YouTube Music
† Tower Records ships within Japan only

"MOMONA"

"dai Tokyo konya teki ai"

Single "koi wa Paradiso / isshō tokenai mahō to wa." sampler clip