Tokyo's Coolest Sound radio show on La Face B: "Tokyo's Coolest Sound" vol.20

This is Tokyo's Coolest Sound's own radio show, which is featured on La Face B (Facebook page), an Internet radio based in Montréal (Québec, Canada). It brings you some favorite songs and artists that you've read about in these pages. Tune in at the times below at http://lafaceb.live. Happy listening!

"Tokyo's Coolest Sound" (vol.20) was aired at http://lafaceb.live on September 22, 2021 from 22:00 (EDT = Montréal/New York).
* Japan time: September 23, 2021 from 11:00 a.m.

This episode was not archived as-is, but it was replayed at the times below:

EDT (Montréal/New York) —: Thurs. Sept. 23 at 18h, Fri. 24 at 14h, Mon. 27 at 10h, Tue. 28 at 6h, Wed. 29 at 2h
Japan time —: Fri. Sept. 24 at 7h, Sat. 25 at 3h, Mon. 27 at 23h, Tue. 28 at 19h, Wed. 29 at 15h

Listen to the Spotify playlist of most of the songs (some replaced according to Spotify availability), or scroll down this page to find music videos and individual songs, and also listen to the narration.

Below is the full tracklist with liner notes, and narration parts that you can listen to.

1. Nishioka Diddley "Hot Concrete Road" (2021)

Nishioka Diddley (Bandcamp, SoundCloud, Twitter) is a guitarist who is also a chiptune adept. His new solo album released this year, "Bedroom to Outer Space", is a combination of Nanoloop and guitars. The album is available digitally on his Bandcamp, or physically on cassette tape or 8-track (!) on the U.S. label HomeTapes (only a few remaining).

Nishioka Diddley also plays guitar in bands such as Childish Tones and Nih Khmers (a band that takes inspiration from Cambodian music). Watch him perform a Cambodian song at the Square Sounds Tokyo 2019 further down this page.

<a href="https://nishioka-diddley.bandcamp.com/album/bedroom-to-outer-space">Bedroom to Outer Space by Nishioka Diddley</a>

🎙 Listen to Narration I
Presenting: Nishioka Diddley, World Standard

2. World Standard "Lumia" (2020)
(Japanese title: ワールドスタンダード「ルミア」)

World Standard is the solo unit of Sōichirō Suzuki that debuted in 1985 on Hosono Haruomi's Non-Standard label. The song "Lumia" is from latest album "Shikisai Ongaku" released in November 2020. This album is available on CD, via Far Side Music (UK) and hopefully still also at HMV.

World Standard released earlier this year a remastered LP edition of first album "World Standard" (originally released in 1985). Another LP titled "Asagao" released last year, consisting of a remastered early cassette demo, is also available via pianola records (Tokyo) and Far Side Music (UK).

Here you can listen to another song from "Shikisai Ongaku", titled "World Standard":

3. HAAS a.k.a. Hiroshi Takano "film" (2021)

Hiroshi Takano is a famous musician and singer, having debuted in 1988 with an album produced by Yukihiro Takahashi. Since last year he has been releasing a lot of music on his own Bandcamp, including rare live performances, and also some more experimental works such as the ones under his monicker HAAS.

One of those released not long ago is "birds go modern (B.G.M.)" on which appears the song "film". For this album, he sampled birds from records from a long time ago, and made them sing! The album is instrumental, except for the birds, and its whole is very pleasant.

<a href="https://takanohiroshi.bandcamp.com/album/birds-go-modern-b-g-m">birds go modern ( B.G.M.) by HAAS a.k.a. Hiroshi Takano</a>

4. Ayane Yamazaki "Phase" (2021)

Singer-songwriter Ayane Yamazaki released in June the album "Ribbon" (Spotify, , YouTube Music), combining ambient pop and easy listening, on which appears the song "Phase".

Ayane also released an album titled "Yobikakerarete" last year (Spotify, , YouTube Music), which included a cover of the theme from "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind".

🎙 Listen to Narration II
Presenting: HAAS a.k.a. Hiroshi Takano, Ayane Yamazaki, Toshiyuki Yasuda

5. Toshiyuki Yasuda "Baiza (Piano Solo)" (2021)
(Japanese title: 安田寿之「Baiza (Piano Solo)」)

Toshiyuki Yasuda's "Baiza" first appeared on his first album "ROBO*BRAZILEIRA" released in 2000 (Spotify, , YouTube Music). For the album's 20th anniversary last year, the artist revisited all of the songs performing them on felt piano which has the soft sound that you can hear in this version.

A full album of these was released this year, titled "Once a Robot Sings" (Spotify, , YouTube Music). Aside from digital platforms, it's also available as a download card here, which is shipped to you and lets you download the songs. A limited boxed set including "ROBO*BRAZILEIRA" is also available here.

6. Lullatone "seasonal produce" (2013)

Lullatone is a band based in Nagoya, and formed of Shawn and Yoshimi. The song "seasonal produce" is from album "Falling for Autumn" (Bandcamp, Spotify, , YouTube Music) that's part of a series of the four seasons.

Also check out their latest single "Late Nights and Mosquito Bites" (Bandcamp, Spotify, , YouTube Music) and also previous EP "Houseplant Music" (Bandcamp, Spotify, , YouTube Music) released in July 2020. Watch a music video from it below! Follow Lullatone on Bandcamp not to miss their new releases.

<a href="https://lullatone.bandcamp.com/album/falling-for-autumn-ep">Falling for Autumn - EP by Lullatone</a>

7. NUBACK "Deai (deai no Theme)" (2020)
(Japanese title: NUBACK 「出会いのテーマ」)

NUBACK, the solo project of Dai Nakamura (BANK, Vacation Three, ex-Arch), released last year a new EP titled "Still Life" (Bandcamp, Spotify, ).

This year a 7" of NUBACK was released on German label Growing Bin Records, titled "When The Party Is Over", and it can be found at Jet Set, Juno (UK) and Growing Bin (Germany), etc. Also, a new project started this year and named Blank Music released an EP in February titled "My Name is Blank" (Bandcamp, Spotify, ).

🎙 Listen to Narration III
Presenting: Lullatone, NUBACK, dip in the pool

8. dip in the pool "What about this love" (2021)

dip in the pool (official Facebook page) is releasing this brand new recording on September 24! The song is a cover of Mr. Fingers' "What about this love" (Spotify, , YouTube Music). Check out the teaser clip just below.

The group also released last year the digital single "Colour of Life" (Spotify, , YouTube Music), of which the music was made in collaboration with Montréal artist CFCF. Their previous album was "Highwire Walker" in 2015 (Spotify, , YouTube Music).

Both of these songs will be included in a new album to be titled "8 red noW", which has just been announced for release on October 20. Also included are 6 remastered songs from 1997 album "Wonder 8". A tour of three cities will be held this fall and winter, with a full band set at Billboard Live Tokyo on October 8.