YIKO "YIKO"
YIKO (đ) (pronounced "ikĆ") is a brand new band fronted by singers Monari Wakita (ex-Especia) and Satori (ex-The Nampa Boys, ex-Healthy Dynamite Club), with five more members totaling seven. Monari fans may recognize more familiar faces, as the band also...
Posted on December 12, 2024 at 00:10. | Released on December 11, 2024
Monari Wakita "UNI"
Monari Wakita is about to release a brand new 4th album, titled "UNI" (pronounced as in "Universe"). All of the songs are produced by Dorian, with some lyrics written by Yurina da Gold Digger (Magic, Drums & Love), with also...
Posted on August 29, 2023 at 12:36. | Released on September 6, 2023
City Pop on Vinyl 2023
City Pop on Vinyl is being held for the 4th time, on August 5, 2023. There are many exciting releases this time again, and below are some recommendations to Tokyo's Coolest Sound's readers. There's also a lot more to find...
Posted on August 5, 2023 at 23:05. | Released on August 5, 2023
Tanzaku CD (8cm CD) Day
What's going on in 2023? Well, it's the 35th anniversary of the 8cm CD, also known as "Tanzaku CD" (or also 3" CD or "mini CD"), which was a very popular format for singles in Japan in the 90s. A...
Posted on July 8, 2023 at 01:15. | Released on July 7, 2023
Paper Moon Project "City Pop Avenue"
Paper Moon Project is a city pop cover project supervised by Toshi Kanazawa (of the Light Mellow blog and releases). The first release is a cover album of all new recordings featuring 8 female vocalists: Monari Wakita, Natsu Summer (Facebook,...
Posted on June 22, 2023 at 12:42. | Released on June 21, 2023
Monari Wakita "Monari no 8-Beat" (7"+Download)
A brand new 7" single by Monari Wakita is being released this month! The new song "Monari no 8-Beat" is produced by Dorian (Twitter) and is described as a hyper 8-beat track. The B-side is a new remix of...
Posted on January 4, 2023 at 22:55. | Released on January 11, 2023
Monari Wakita "La Shangri La" (7"+Download)
Monari Wakita has just released a brand new single, titled "La Shangri La"! The music was written and produced by Dorian, and lyrics were co-written by Yurina da Gold Digger (Magic, Drums & Love) and Monari. The 7" single...
Posted on August 17, 2022 at 21:19. | Released on August 17, 2022
Posted on July 5, 2021 at 21:28. | Event held on Saturday August 7, 2021 at 12:30 (JST)
RSD Drops 2021 Day 1
Record Store Day is happening this year, as two "RSD Drops" on June 12 and July 17! It seems in good shape looking at the impressive list of releases, with many good ones. Online sales will start at 13:00 (JST)...
Posted on June 10, 2021 at 00:16. | Released on June 12, 2021
Wakita Monari "Place" (Download)
A brand new original song by Wakita Monari has just been released digitally! "Place" has music co-written by Arai Toshiya (COUNTJOKE) & Dorian, and lyrics by YURINA da GOLD DIGGER (Magic, Drums & Love). Monari also took part in...
Posted on June 5, 2021 at 23:14. | Released on June 5, 2021
ikkubaru "Chords & Melodies"
Indonesian city pop band ikkubaru, also very active in the Japanese city pop scene, has just released a 2nd album of which the Japanese edition CD contains several bonus tracks! Included are three songs from a commemorative release of their...
Posted on September 6, 2020 at 00:14. | Released on September 2, 2020
City Pop on Vinyl 2020
"City Pop on Vinyl" is a campaign organized by Japan's famous record press Toyo Kasei, and on August 8 will be a special day with many releases that file under the "city pop" category that we love! While only sold...
Posted on July 27, 2020 at 00:30. | Released on August 8, 2020
Wakita Monari "AHEAD!" (12")
Wakita Monari's excellent 2nd album "AHEAD!" (2018) is being released on vinyl! This album includes several songs produced by Arai Toshiya (Count Joke), and also ones produced by microstar, Illicit Tsuboi (co-written by YUI (Bakubaku Dokin)), Sasaki Jun (ex-Cosa Nostra)...
Posted on February 14, 2020 at 21:55. | Released on February 19, 2020
Wakita Monari "Deflated Balloons (Toshiya Arai Remix)" (Download)
There's a new remix of Wakita Monari now available for download and streaming! Remixed by Arai Toshiya, it is of the song "fƫsen" (English title "Deflated Balloons"), the first track from album "Right Here" released a few months ago....
Posted on December 16, 2019 at 23:24. | Released on December 13, 2019
Wakita Monari "Right Here"
Wakita Monari has a 3rd album being released at the end of July! With Arai Toshiya (Count Joke) as the main producer and songwriter of several tracks, the album also includes latest single "Espadrille de tsukamaete" that has music written...
Posted on July 24, 2019 at 23:16. | Released on July 31, 2019
Wakita Monari "A la Espadrille (Espadrille de tsukamaete)" (7")
Singer Wakita Monari has a brand new album coming at the end of the month (stay tuned!), but first here's a 7" cut of two songs from it! Title track "A la Espadrille" (Japanese title "Espadrille de tsukamaete") is...
Posted on July 7, 2019 at 01:19. | Released on July 10, 2019
Wakita Monari "I am ONLY" (12")
Wakita Monari's excellent 1st album "I am ONLY" (2017) is finally being released on vinyl! Included are songs written by Hase Hajimu, Microstar, Fukutomi Yukihiro, Yafune TetsurĆ, Nishidera GĆta (Nona Reeves), Count Joke, Hase Yasuhiro (Yume to Cosme), ikkubaru (from...
Posted on April 23, 2019 at 21:28. | Released on April 24, 2019
Wakita Monari "Live Radio Broadcast From After 6 Junction" (Download)
A live radio performance of Wakita Monari has been released digitally. Musical instruments including event a drum set were stuffed into the radio studio for a sound as close as possible to what's heard in Monari's live shows. The...
Posted on December 28, 2018 at 21:40. | Released on December 21, 2018
Wakita Monari "I Love You Oh! Oh! from The Planet (Get Loose Mix)" (Download)
Just days ahead of Wakita Monari's new single "Just a 'Crush for Today'", a new remix of song "yƫsei kara no I Love You oh! oh!" has been released digitally. The remix was done by Arai Toshiya (Count Joke) who...
Posted on November 24, 2018 at 20:45. | Released on November 24, 2018
Wakita Monari "Just a 'Crush for Today'" (CD/7")
Wakita Monari has a new single about to be released! Both tracks have music written and arranged by Arai Toshiya (Count Joke), and Monari wrote the lyrics of title track "Just a 'Crush for Today'". The A-side is said...
Posted on November 23, 2018 at 22:13. | Released on November 28, 2018
Wakita Monari "Callin' You (Nite in the Groove Mix)" (Download)
A new remix of "Callin' You" from Wakita Monari's 2nd album "Ahead!" has been released digitally. The remix was done by Arai Toshiya (Count Joke) who wrote the song's music. He said on Twitter that he used a Korg...
Posted on October 20, 2018 at 19:45. | Released on October 17, 2018
Wakita Monari "Ahead!"
Wakita Monari has a 2nd album being released this month! This is the follow-up to the excellent "I am ONLY" (2017). Included are several songs produced by Arai Toshiya (Count Joke), and also ones produced by microstar, Illicit Tsuboi (co-written...
Posted on July 15, 2018 at 23:59. | Released on July 25, 2018
Wakita Monari "Take It Lucky!!!!" (CD+7")
Wakita Monari's latest song "Take It Lucky!!!!", released digitally last month, is being released on 7" with a previously unreleased B-side! Both songs have music written and produced by Arai Toshiya (Count Joke). The A-side has lyrics by singer UKO,...
Posted on April 20, 2018 at 22:01. | Released on April 25, 2018
Wakita Monari "Take It Lucky!!!!" (Download)
Wakita Monari has a brand new song out now on iTunes, Spotify, etc.! "Take It Lucky!!!!" was written and produced by Arai Toshiya (Count Joke), and it was featured as the theme song of online drama "Lucky" aired earlier...
Posted on March 28, 2018 at 00:28. | Released on March 24, 2018
Wakita Monari "Wingscape / LED" (CD+7")
Wakita Monari has a new single out this week! Her new funky jazz tune "Wingscape" was written and produced by COUNTJOKE (aka jĆdan hakushaku, unit of Maezono Naoki and Arai Toshiya) (Facebook page) and features Smooth Ace on chorus! The...
Posted on November 20, 2017 at 23:15. | Released on November 22, 2017
Kaseki Cider "Onigiri University"
Rapper Kaseki Cider has a brand new album out now! It had been almost 5 years since his previous original album "Mr. City Pop". Guests include Wakita Monari, Negicco, Mashiro Megumi (Hicksville), DJ Misoshiru & MC Gohan, SatĆ Nanako, Matsuda...
Posted on August 2, 2017 at 22:00. | Released on August 2, 2017
Wakita Monari "I am ONLY"
After three great singles, here comes Wakita Monari (ex-Especia)'s 1st solo album! All songs are said to be worth single cuts. Included are songs written by Hase Hajimu, Microstar, Fukutomi Yukihiro, Yafune TetsurĆ, Nishidera GĆta (Nona Reeves), Count Joke, Hase...
Posted on July 22, 2017 at 23:38. | Released on July 26, 2017
Wakita Monari "I'm with you" (CD+7")
Wakita Monari (ex-Especia) has a 3rd single being released this week, ahead of a 1st solo album to come later on July 26! The new single's title song is a house tune written and produced by Fukutomi Yukihiro! Mellow jazz...
Posted on June 17, 2017 at 10:57. | Released on June 21, 2017
Wakita Monari "Boy Friend"
Wakita Monari (ex-Especia) has a 2nd solo single being released on Vivid Sound! Both synth-pop style songs were produced by the two of Microstar: SatĆ Seiki and Iizumi YĆ«ko. The single is available in 3 editions, a limited edition including...
Posted on February 7, 2017 at 21:15. | Released on February 15, 2017
Wakita Monari "In The City / anone,,," (CD+7")
Wakita Monari (ex-Especia) is back as a solo artist! She now shows up on the great Vivid Sound label with a first solo single. Both songs are originals, with the A-side "In The City" arranged by Arai Toshiya (Count Joke),...
Posted on November 14, 2016 at 23:56. | Released on November 16, 2016
City Pop on Vinyl 2024
City Pop on Vinyl was held for the 5th time on Saturday, August 3, 2024. Below are just a few recommendations that shouldn't be missed by Tokyo's Coolest Sound's readers. There's also a lot more to find on the official...
Posted on August 10, 2024 at 18:07. | Released on August 3, 2024
Magic, Drums & Love "Tohhou Magic" (7"/Download)
Tokyo rock'n'roll band Magic, Drums & Love has released a brand new single today! "Tohhou Magic" is a funky latin summer track of their own style. Like the other recent releases, this is produced by Gakuji "Chabe" Matsuda (of Learners,...
Posted on July 5, 2023 at 23:34. | Released on July 5, 2023
Record Day 2021 Day 1
Record Day, previously happening only on November 3 for "Culture Day" (a public holiday), is being held on two separate days in 2021: November 3 and 27. Items can be ordered online without any delay. Below is a list of...
Posted on November 3, 2021 at 00:44. | Released on November 3, 2021
COUNTJOKE "ZERO" (Download)
COUNTJOKE (Facebook page), the unit of Maezono Naoki and Arai Toshiya (SoundCloud, Mixcloud), has just released digitally a compilation of previous 7" singles including rare track "city line" that was only released on CD-R. All songs were newly remastered or...
Posted on August 19, 2020 at 21:14. | Released on August 19, 2020
COUNTJOKE "A.D. 2200" (Download)
COUNTJOKE (Facebook page), the unit of Maezono Naoki and Arai Toshiya (SoundCloud, Mixcloud), is back with a brand new song! It had been 4½ years since their previous single, although they had since contributed many songs and arrangements to...
Posted on June 29, 2020 at 20:37. | Released on June 29, 2020
Kanou Emiri "gomenne c/w Been With You" (7")
Even though she has only released a CD-R so far, Kanou Emiri (Twitter) has been gaining a lot of attention lately for her songs that take straight inspiration from 80's new wave (despite her young age) while having a...
Posted on February 3, 2019 at 22:57. | Released on February 13, 2019
Various Artists "Toy Chara Pop Collection Vol.1~3 Selected by DJ Fukutake"
DJ Fukutake, who selected the great "Yava-kayĆ" mix CD series, is back with this trio of compilations under a "Toy Character Pop" theme! Respectively subtitled "Hero & Hit", "Fancy & Kawaii" and "Video Game", each compilation is filled with ShĆwa-era...
Posted on April 1, 2017 at 22:26. | Released on March 22, 2017
Especia "Carta"
Osaka 80's style idol group Especia has a brand new album coming this month! Included are songs written by Fujii Naoyuki (ex-Checkers), Rillsoul, Schtein & Longer, PellyColo, with the rest mainly written by Hi-Fi City. The album is being released...
Posted on February 16, 2016 at 00:11. | Released on February 24, 2016