Tokyo's Coolest Sound

Hideki Kaji released this month a brand new song digitally, a short & sweet summer track titled "Being Pure At Heart". This new song follows EP "We Are The Borders E.P." released last December. "Being Pure At Heart" again features backing vocals by Kanafun a.k.a. kiss the gambler. The song was co-produced by Hirohisa Horie (Neil and Iraiza) who also plays the keyboards. Other musicians are Reiji Onishi on additional guitars, and Hideki "Gen" Hara on drums.

"Being Pure At Heart" is also the title song of his upcoming new album to be released on April 24, 2024. A deluxe edition of the album, which includes an exclusive 7" and many goodies, is available for pre-order exclusively at official online shop fikarast (shipping within Japan). Pre-orders are available until April 5 only, and may end earlier depending on demand. Stay tuned for album details to be posted here soon.

A special edition of party "Blue Boys Club" will be held on May 12, shortly following Hideki's birthday (May 8), to celebrate the release of the album. The event held at Shimokitazawa Flowers Loft will also feature Maki Nomiya and Magic, Drums & Love, and also DJs Blue Boys Club (Hideki Kaji and Kink), guest DJ kimriri, and in the lounge "Bend It!" DJs (Melime, Yamada Yūko, Nutty Nuts and Carole Ai❣️ (Jenny Jenny/Childish Tones)). There's a special discount for students and people from overseas. Find all details here.

Hideki Kaji "Being Pure At Heart" (Download)
カジヒデキ 「BEING PURE AT HEART〜ありのままでいいんじゃない」
(Japanese title: "Being Pure At Heart ~ ari no mama de iinjanai")

Blue Boys Club / AWDR/LR2 BCC017_1
Out now (3/13)
Sample/buy: , Spotify, YouTube Music, OTOTOY

Sweet punk trio Tetsuko (Instagram, 𝕏), a band formed in 1999, has just released this month a brand new album titled "Curl". This album takes some inspiration from their favorite bands such as The Beatles and The Hi-Lows, with touches of 70s music, 80s new wave, 90s Brit Pop and recent mild psychedelic bands from the UK, US and Australia, all turned into their signature Tetsuko sound. This is the follow-up to "Perfect" (2021) (, Spotify, YouTube Music).

Disk Union, which ships directly within Japan only, gives away a promo keychain while supplies last.

A show in Osaka for the release will be held on April 14 at Umeda Hardrain. In Tokyo, Tetsuko's guitarist/vocalist Reiko will perform solo on March 29 at Higashi-Koenji UFO Club. Her other band Super Gentle also has a show planned at UFO Club on April 21. Details can be found here.

Tetsuko "Curl"
テツコ 「Curl」

1. Holy girl Tetsuko
2. Sad
3. Kyoto Girl
4. 15000 time
5. HELLO (album version)
6. Permanent
7. BABY BABY BABY
8. Stocking Lady
9. Spring a black hole
10. Mr.Thunder (album version)

Sazanami Label SZDW1112
Out now (3/6), ¥2273 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records ^†, , Spotify, YouTube Music, OTOTOY, Disk Union
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

"Holy girl Tetsuko"

"Hello" (Single version)

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 https://lafaceb.live.

"Tokyo's Coolest Sound" (vol.47) was aired at https://lafaceb.live on March 21 from 20:30 (EDT = Montréal/New York).
* Japan time: March 22, 2024 from 9:30 a.m.

This episode is not archived as-is. Some replays are expected to be aired in the following weeks.

Listen to the Spotify playlist of some of the songs played (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 which you can listen to.

1. xiangyu "michibata ni negi" (2023)
(Japanese title: xiangyu 「道端にネギ」)

We're starting with the most recent song by xiangyu (Twitter, Instagram), "michibata ni negi". It's from her latest EP titled "OTO-SHIMONO" (Spotify, , YouTube Music) made in collaboration with trackmaker Gimgigam.

"Otoshimono" translates to "lost items" (or in a more direct translation, "dropped things"), as xiangyu's recent tracks were all about things found on the street are all in: shoes, gloves, and dentures... In this new song she sang about inadvertently dropped negi (green onion or Japanese leek). While not an everyday sight, it's also not a very rare one in Japan as these long veggies may be the most likely to slip out of a shallow shopping bag. Check out this cool video!

xiangyu will be part of the "Synchronicity '24" festival to be held in various venues in Shibuya on April 14. Tickets are available at Pia.

🎙 Listen to Narration I
Presenting: xiangyu, Voodoo Club

2. Voodoo Club "If You Fall In Love" (2024)
(Japanese title: 暴動クラブ bōdō Club 「恋に落ちたら」 "koi ni ochitara")

Voodoo Club (𝕏, Instagram) is an up-and-coming young rock band. "If You Fall In Love" is a new single released digitally on Valentine's Day. Check out its music video below! The release also contained a cover of "My Coo Ca Choo" originally by Alvin Stardust. Check it out here: Spotify, , YouTube Music.

Upcoming shows of Voodoo Club include event "Rock'n'Roll Circus" on April 4 at Ogikubo Top Beat Club, and label event "Beat East x Donut 'Beat Donut'" on April 25 at Shindaita Fever. A new 7" single has also be announced to be coming for Record Store Day on April 20.

3. THE LET'S GO's "boku wa Bandman" (2024)
(Japanese title: THE LET'S GO's 「ぼくはバンドマン」)

Girl rock trio THE LET'S GO's has recently released a 2-song single, of which the title song is "boku wa Bandman" (Spotify, , YouTube Music). Watch the song's teaser clip below.

The single is available digitally, and also on CD at their shows and at online shop (shipping within Japan).

THE LET'S GO's' upcoming shows include one at a release party of Akabane Vulgars on Strong Bypass, to be held at Flowers Loft in Shimokitazawa on March 20. Find all upcoming show info here.

"boku wa Bandman" teaser clip

4. IGUWANNAS "NingenDesu" (2024)
(Japanese title: IGUWANNAS 「人間です」)

IGUWANNAS is a rock band from Kyoto that was formed in 1994, and has released two albums in the 2000s before breaking up in 2013. 10 years later they're back with the digital release of two new songs. "NingenDesu" is a brand new one (Spotify, , YouTube Music), while the other one "NandemoYokattaNoni" which was first played as a new song in their farewell show 10 years ago and found in a recording from back then (Spotify, , YouTube Music).

A show will be held in Tokyo on April 6 at Top Beat Club, also featuring The Bawdies and Yoru no Strangers. Tickets are on sale via e+.

🎙 Listen to Narration II
Presenting: THE LET'S GO's, IGUWANNAS, °C-want you!

5. °C-want you! "Costello Megane" (2024)
(Japanese title: ℃-want you! 「コステロメガネ」)

This is the new single of singer-songwriter ℃-want you! (𝕏, Instagram) (also a member of Magic, Drums & Love). "Costello Megane" (megane = glasses 👓) was released on 7" and digitally (Spotify, , YouTube Music), with the 7" containing an exclusive B-side titled "Sugar Sugar". Both songs are originals written by ℃-want you!, and both were produced by Seiji Mutō.

℃-want you!'s upcoming shows include event "Gasoline Idol Rock Festival" on April 28 at Ogikubo Top Beat Club (info), and at event "Delicatessen Recordings presents Escapade!" on June 22 at Shibuya Under Deer Lounge, the latter where she'll be backed by band Meet the Hopes (info).

6. Tetsuto Yoshida "Kiefer Sutherland mitai na yatsu" (2023)
(Japanese title:　吉田哲人 「キーファー・サザーランドみたいな奴」)

Singer-songwriter Tetsuto Yoshida (𝕏) recently released a first solo album titled "The Summing Up" (CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower), which contains the song "KIefer Sutherland mitai na yatsu" in its latest shiny version. Also released at the same time is another 2-CD album titled "The World Won't Listen" of works consisting of acid/techno sounds.

While "The Summing Up" is available so far on CD only, a vinyl edition will also be released for Record Store Day on April 20. A release event will be held on April 27 at Shibuya La.mama, starting at 11:30, also featuring Shino Kobayashi and more (full details should be announced soon).

Album "The Summing Up" trailer clip

7. The Caraway "Fall in love again" (2024)

The Caraway (𝕏) is the guitar pop solo project of Osamu Shimada (Swinging Popsicle), and he has just released a brand new album titled "Our brilliiant weekend". It had been 18 years since the first self-titled album (2006).

Find the whole album on CD or digitally at Bandcamp. The CD is also available at disques blue-very, Amazon, Tower Records, and within Japan directly from The Caraway's official online shop.

🎙 Listen to Narration III
Presenting: Tetsuto Yoshida, the Caraway, The Second Waltz

8. The Second Waltz "suki ni nacchatta" (2023)
(Japanese title: セカンドワルツ 「好きになっちゃった」)

The Second Waltz (𝕏, Instagram) is the unit of Yūnosuke Kawamura (a.k.a. Chiyoji), and was until last year known as The Romans. Last year The Second Waltz released its first album titled "Telepath Girl" (Spotify, , YouTube Music), on which is featured the song "suki ni nacchatta".

This song was also released recently on 7" via the San Francisco-based Tokyo Beatniks Record Label (Bandcamp), and can be ordeered via the label's Bandcamp. The 7" is a split-single and has on the flipside the song "Colours" by Ichiban (California) (Bandcamp, Instagram).

Thank you for tuning in! Information about replays can be found at the top of the page.

Find previous radio shows right here. You can also listen to some older ones on Mixcloud.

A tribute album for famous songwriter Ryōichi Hattori (1907-1993), a pioneer of Japanese pop music, has been released. The album contains covers and reworks, performed by various artists including Konishi Yasuharu feat. Miyako Kōda (dip in the pool), Scha Dara Parr, Keiichi Sokabe & Inokashira Rangers, Tjiros, Magokoro Brothers, and many more.

Aside from the CD and digital release of this album, two 7" cuts have of the first 4 songs been announced to be coming on April 20: "Oshare Middle / Tokyo No Yane No Shita" (CDJapan, Amazon, Tower) and "Hey Hey Boogie / Kaimono Boogie" (CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower).

Various Artists "seiki no uta, kokoro no uta -Ryōichi Hattori Tribute-"
オムニバス 「世紀のうた・心のうた -服部良一トリビュート-」

(Title / Artist)
1. Hey Hey Boogie / Magokoro Brothers
2. Oshare Middle (Contains Samples Of "oshare musume") / Scha Dara Parr
3. Kaimono Boogie / Keiichi Sokabe & Inokashira Rangers
4. Tokyo No Yane No Shita / Konishi Yasuharu feat. Miyako Kōda
5. Wakare No Blues / Tjiros
6. Osaka Boogie Woogie / Hitomi Yaida
7. Aoi Sanmyaku / Kanji Ishimaru
8. Tokyo Boogie Woogie / Nozomi Fūto
9. Soshū Yakyoku / Yoshio Inoue

Nippon Columbia COCP-42193
Out now (2/21), ¥3000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records ^†, , Spotify, YouTube Music
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.