The smartphone game Dark Tales ~Mirror and Mad Princess~ was officially released on April 11, and the popular singer and talent Kyary Pamyu Pamyu performed the theme song for the title.

The dark RPG tells a tale of the loss of childlike innocence and was pre-downloaded over 1 million times. The theme song, Magical Mirror, was written and composed by Yasutaka Nakata.

Fans of the genre won’t want to miss out on this mysterious mobile title!

The music duo CAPSULE is celebrating 20 years since their major debut, and their third new single for 2021 Virtual Freedom is now streaming. The highly-anticipated music video has also been released. 

Virtual Freedom Streaming Links

https://capsule.lnk.to/virtualfreedom

Virtual Freedom takes listeners on a trip through the history of synthesizers and submerges you in layers of interwoven soundscapes.

Virtual Freedom Music Video

https://youtu.be/ouD9PVPI1Xk

Director: KENTARO SAISHO 
3DCG supervisor: HIROMU KONNO
Production: Totte.Co., Ltd

A song-sharing campaign is also underway! Follow Warner Music Japan’s Twitter account and use the Twitter share function on Apple Music, Spotify, or LINE MUSIC to share Virtual Freedom with the hashtag #VirtualFreedomCP. 50 random people selected will receive the original cassette tape photographed for the cover of the Virtual Freedom album! 

Japanese electronic band CAPSULE is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its major debut! The group’s two members, Yasutaka Nakata and Toshiko Koshijima, have announced the release of their third new single for 2021, Virtual Freedom. The track will release on streaming platforms on December 10 and follows Hikari no Disco and Future Wave. Cover art for the song featuring an old-school cassette tape has been revealed ahead of the song’s release. 

Composer and producer for the band Yasutaka Nakata also serve as the music producer for popular group Perfume and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu. 

Virtual Freedom can now be pre-added or pre-saved on Apple Music and Spotify. Be sure not to miss out on this new song when it drops later this week!

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s new album Candy Racer isn’t coming until October 27, but the singer has released a new song early. Dodonpa is now available on streaming services, and a lyric video has been posted to YouTube. 

Dodonpa Lyric Video

Dodonpa is a more experimental track by the pop singer, written and composed by Yasutaka Nakata and featuring more scat and beatboxing elements. To match the catchy and upbeat percussion and fun lyrics, the new video is as vivid and colorful as it can be. We’d expect nothing less from Kyary!

An official announcement has also been made on the label’s website encouraging creators to make and upload their own videos using Dodonpa as the background music if they follow specific rules. The best videos will be selected by Kyary and her staff, and will be featured in a playlist on the official Kyary Pamyu Pamyu YouTube channel! This contest will also be appearing on other SNS sites like TikTok, so keep an eye out and get creative!

If you don’t speak Japanese, don’t worry! The lyrics themselves are nothing but fun sounds, and the video has subtitles in English, Spanish, Korean, and Chinese. Fans are also encouraged to use the song in vlogs and other creations. 

What do you think of Kyary’s exciting new track? 

Celebrating 10 years since her major debut, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu will release her fifth full-length album Candy Racer on October 27, 2021. This will mark the singer’s first full-length album release in three years, her last being Japamyu in 2018.

Limited Edition

Regular Edition

The fifth album, titled Candy Racer, will be produced by CAPSULE’s Yasutaka Nakata. It will feature 11 tracks, including the recently released single GENTENKAIHI, of which the wacky music video has amassed over 1 million views on YouTube. Previously released tracks Kimi ga LINE Kuretara and Gum Gum Girl will also be included, along with world fabrication, a cover of a pre-electronic CAPSULE track originally released in 2005.

Creation of the album brought together a number of creative minds who have worked with Kyary Pamyu Paymu over the years, including Steve Nakamura serving as art director, Ken Hanzawa acting as photographer, Kumiko Iijima returning as the singer’s stylist, and Shinji Konishi as Kyary’s hair and makeup artist. All of these individuals were with Kyary at the time of her debut, and have returned to encourage her to not only stay connected to her roots, but to move forward without hesitation.

The limited edition version will come with a special 64-page flipbook.

A number of bonuses have also been announced, from stickers, clear pouches, and mobile stand keychains. These will be available while supplies last, so fans looking to get their hands on some of this swag are encouraged to preorder the album.

Are you looking forward to hearing Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s new tracks?

2021 marks a decade since singer and model Kyary Pamyu Pamyu made her debut with PONPONPON, which quickly became a viral YouTube hit worldwide. To celebrate, her newest single GENTENKAIHI, written and composed by Capsule’s Yasutaka Nakata, is now available to stream. 

The song’s title and lyrics express both Kyary’s willingness to return to her roots, and her determination to continue moving forward, leaving the past behind and carving out a new path. 

(c)Issei Nomura I.N.Art Pro.NIPPON COLUMBIA CO. LTD.,

A teaser of the song’s upcoming music video has also been released on the Official YouTube channel and on social media. The full-length version will premiere on August 25. 

To celebrate this milestone, an official Instagram created by Kyary’s staff (@kyarystaff) is now open, where fans can see behind-the-scenes shots of the singer, as well as read staff commentary. 

Starting August 31, a limited-time campaign will begin on LINE MUSIC. Those who listen to GENTENKAIHI more than 10 times using LINE MUSIC will be entered, and winners will receive an original sticker!

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s 10th Anniversary Tour will begin on January 16, 2022 at the Atsugi City Cultural Hall. The tour will visit 28 locations across Japan, and is the first time Kyary has toured since the JAPAMYU HALL TOUR 2018. It will also be the biggest tour in the singer’s career. Tickets are currently available for pre-order for fan club members. 

What do you think of the new track? 

This year marks the 20th anniversary since CAPSULE—the music unit formed of Yasutaka Nakata and Toshiko Koshijima—made their major debut. Tomorrow will also mark the first new song from the duo in six years. Titled Hikari no Disco (“Disco of Light”), the track is the newest release from CAPSULE since their last album WAVE RUNNER dropped in 2015. The band also released a new artist photo to promote it.

Hikari no Disco was written as the main theme for the anime film Sidonia no Kishi: Ai Tsumugu Hoshi (Knights of Sidonia: The Star Where Love is Spun). The film is based on Tsutomu Nihei’s Knights of Sidonia manga and will also release tomorrow on June 4. The new song can be pre-added and pre-saved on Apple Music and Spotify so it will be automatically added to your library when it’s released.

Knights of Sidonia is a mecha and space opera manga series by Tsutomu Nihei who is also known for other popular series such as Blame! and Aposimz. The series is a bestseller in Japan and has won the Kodansha Manga Award and Seiun Award. An anime adaptation by Polygon Pictures aired from 2014-2015 in line with the animation studio’s 30th anniversary. Now, the staff who worked on the anime series return for the release of the new movie tomorrow.

Hikari no Disco takes Yasutaka Nakata back to his synthesiser sound roots. The track has a laid-back driving-through-the-city feel to it. If you head on over to Warner Music Japan’s Twitter page and answer the four questions in the questionnaire, you can hear a 30 second snippet of the track before it’s released.

CAPSULE will premiere the music video for the new song on their official YouTube channel at 12:00am (JST) on June 4. A 12-hour live stream of CAPSULE’s discography is also began playing on their YouTube channel today at noon. That’s everything from their first album High Collar Girl (2001) to their 15th album WAVE RUNNER (2015).

Don’t miss the premiere of CAPSULE’s brand new track Hikari no Disco.

©弐瓶勉・講談社／東亜重工重力祭運営局

DAOKO released her new music video for anima, the title track taken from her 4th studio album which dropped on July 29, 2020.

The song was written in collaboration with Japanese musician Shohei Amimori. The music video was directed by OSRIN of PERIMETRON and features dancing from Aoi Yamada.

DAOKO – “anima” Music Video

Speaking about the new music video, DAOKO released the following statement.

DAOKO | Comment

“I invited dancer Aoi Yamada on board, and worked together with the director OSRIN to express a sense of anima and animism. Me and Shohei Amimori played around lots with sounds and words together. The song is like a ticket into a new world 🙂 Please, enjoy yourself!”

Music unit CAPSULE, which was formed by world-famous producer Yasutaka Nakata, is releasing all their albums on Apple Music and other worldwide music streaming services from July 10, 2020.

After debuting in 2001, Yasutaka Nakata has gone on to release 17 albums with CAPSULE and three albums in partnership with model Kate Sakai as the music unit COLTEMONIKHA. Nakata also produced albums for the soundtrack to the sensational drama Liar Game in which Shota Matsuda played the main role. All the above albums will also be released on subscription services.

This is just what fans across the world have been waiting for. As CAPSULE will be celebrating their 20th anniversary next year, make sure to check out their playlists.

The CD cover for DAOKO’s upcoming 4th album anima, which was announced last week and for which pre-orders opened today, has been revealed. The illustration was drawn by Shihatsu-chan.

DAOKO is set to release anima initially on June 24, 2020 across music subscription and download services before it hits shelves as a CD on July 29, 2020. The record comes as her first album since Shiteki Ryoko dropped back in December 2018.

anima will also be released with Limited Edition and Regular Edition copies.

The album is being co-produced by DAOKO herself and Akito Katayose (GREAT3) who was also the sound producer for DAOKO’s self-titled album—her first to be released from a major label.

The 12-track album invites a diverse range of track makers and musicians on board who DAOKO respects. Songs will see a return to DAOKO’s iconic rap style, as well as enter new territory for the singer.

DAOKO | Comment

“I first encountered Shihatsu-chan’s work on Twitter. It was love at first sight. Her art makes me feel somehow nostalgic and lonely… but it also feels close and warm. The penny dropped when I actually got to meet Shihatsu-chan. She’s a very warm and kind person in real life. I grew to love her work even more. The scenery we saw when we took a stroll together through Shibuya became the basis for the album artwork. It’s wonderful, I felt a wave of emotions seeing it. It fits the outlook of the song perfectly and itself is an important part of this record. I’m honoured to have come together with her, so I’d like to thank her. I want to see your work enlarged, so now I want an art book of your work!”）

Shihatsu-chan | Comment

“When I went to see DAOKO live, her music touched my heart. She’s powerful, transient. As I watched her, she shone brighter than any one, and in my heart I knew I had to draw something for her. And she let me. Every piece I do is my best – I put my all into all of them. I hope you enjoy the artwork alongside DAOKO’s wonderful music.”

Japanese singer DAOKO is set to release her fourth album anima initially on June 24, 2020 across music subscription and download services before it hits shelves as a CD on July 29, 2020. The record comes as her first album since Shiteki Ryoko dropped back in December 2018.

The album is being co-produced by DAOKO herself and Akito Katayose (GREAT3) who was also the sound producer for DAOKO’s self-titled album—her first to be released from a major label.

The 12-track album invites a diverse range of track makers and musicians on board who DAOKO respects. Songs will see a return to DAOKO’s iconic rap style, as well as enter new territory for the singer.

First Press Limited Edition copies of anima are coupled with a DVD featuring DAOKO’s concert at Ebisu LIQUIDROOM held in February this year as part of her “2020 Otogi no Mitoshi Tour.”

A new artist photo of DAOKO has also been released in promotion of her new album. The photo was taken by Shinkai Baba who also worked together with DAOKO on an exhibition held at Ebisu KATA.

DAOKO | Comment

“When I heard the final mastered version of my album ‘anima,’ I teared up. The album is intertwined with philosophical ideas, something which I often think about. It has an amazing sound. I felt beauty from my heart. The album is one which helps brings the light closer—a light which until now could only be seen from a distance—and one which illuminates the path ahead. I’m thankful from the bottom of my heart to all the musicians [involved] whom I admire and respect, and who helped me find a new DAOKO. This album saved me, and I hope it becomes a ray of light to those who hear it.”

Akito Katayose | Comment

“Her words stir my heart, and her voice brings about a fiery pleasure to my ears. DAOKO has been special since I met her when she was 17-years-old. Her talent is endless, and it shows on this album. She feels liberated on it. It was an incredible experience to work with her […] as well as all of the wonderful musicians who followed along, including my former friend John McEntire. I hope this beautiful and curious album echoes as a source of strength to all the unstable hearts and the world.”

DAOKO released her last single Otogi no Machi in February this year and promoted it with a mini solo tour in Nagoya, Osaka, and Tokyo.

Her new single and the second of 2020, Ocharaketayo, was released yesterday on March 25, and features Indonesian hitmaker pxzvc. It is a coming together of cultures to bring listeners next generation music.

The song is a response to the speed of Tokyo’s urban development, and expresses her feeling of impatience, which cannot be put into words, at her own pace.

This is a must-listen for fans of DAOKO, an artist who just keeps on expanding her scope of expression.