Japanese music journalist Toshi Kanazawa released Vol.6 of his ‘J-DIGS: Light Mellow City Essence’ music playlist series last Wednesday. It comes as the final installment to the series which began in July last year.
The 20-track playlist includes jazz fusion instruments, pop tunes by jazz singers, and others, all of which are compiled with urban city music vibes. The playlist is now available on major streaming and download services including Spotify.
Kanazawa’s J-DIGS project began as a way to promote the rich catalogue of Japanese record label Nippon Columbia which was established 110 years ago. The project now has its own YouTube channel, so if you love music from Japan, be sure to check it out below.
Additionally, a Chee Shimizu playlist taken from his 2013 book Obscure Sound is also available to listen to on music platforms with genres ranging from psychedelic to spiritual, experimental, cosmic, tropical, groovy, and more.
Information
J-DIGS: Light Mellow City Essence
Released: May 12, 2021
Listen on Apple Music: https://li.sten.to/XpH1rCf
Listen on Spotify: https://li.sten.to/LzEFbZ1
Toshi Kanazawa Light Mellow on the Web ~turntable diary~: http://lightmellow.livedoor.biz/
J-DIGS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdK82a9RqKVY81__z9FaCzg
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The singer’s previous song, Yakusokutte Warukunai na, was written during a difficult period in which the artist found it difficult to keep going. It quickly trended for its straightforward and relatable lyrics filled with raw emotion. Kondo’s newest work is a heartbreaking song that features a sad piano melody and describes the seemingly pathetic and embarrassing feelings of wanting to see an ex even after a breakup. The jacket art was created by illustrator asuka and was inspired by the temperature of a sensitive and delicate heart. Additionally, Natsuko Kondo has announced two shows for her yearly birthday event. The first will be held on the day of her birthday, July 29, at Shibuya LUSH in Tokyo, followed by a performance at Club Gessekai in Hyogo on August 6. All four consecutive tracks that Kondo has released will be performed during each concert. [Comment from Natsuko Kondo] “To be honest, the emotion in this song is so raw, I didn’t want to share it with anyone. I packed in everything I wanted to say–things like “I like you, I’m sorry for liking you, I miss you, I’m so stupid.” I’m sure that these painful experiences will be something I treasure someday, so I’d be happy if people who have had their hearts broken could listen to this song and find some peace.”
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<Release Information>
Dear You – Natsuko Kondo (Digital Single)
Release Date: June 13, 2023
Streaming URL: https://ssm.lnk.to/Dearyou<Concert Information>
■Natsuko Kondo BD Live 2023 ~Otonatsuko Eastern Camp~
Date: July 29, 2023 / Doors open 17:30, Show starts 18:00
Venue: Shibuya LUSH (Tokyo)
Admission: Presale ¥4,000 / Day-of ¥4,500 (Tax Included, Drinks separate)[Presale Tickets]
Available: May 19, 22:00 – July 28, 23:59
Buy Here: https://t.livepocket.jp/e/0729otonatsuko■Natsuko Kondo BD Live 2023 ~Otonatsuko Western Camp~
Date: August 6, 2023 / Doors open 17:00, Show starts 17:30
Venue: Club Gessekai (Hyogo)
Admission: Presale ¥4,000 / Day-of ¥4,500 (Tax Included, Drinks separate)[FC Ticket Presales]
Available: June 9, 18:00 – June 13, 23:59
Buy Here (FC): https://kondo.natsuko.asobisystem.com/news/349001
*General ticket information will be announced on the official website at a later date. -
Video streaming service dTV will broadcast the final performance of Sakurazaka46’s first tour on October 31, 2021, at 5:30 PM. dTV members will get ¥1,000 off the general admission price of ¥3,500. For those who aren’t able to watch the live broadcast, a repeat broadcast will begin at 10:30 PM on October 31. Sakurazaka46 made their major debut on December 9, 2020, with the single Nobody’s fault. The group performed on Debut Countdown Live!! the day prior, and their incredible performance was aired in movie theaters across the country. In April 2021, Sakurazaka46 released their second single, BAN. At July’s W-KEYAKI FES. 2021, they performed in front of a live audience for the first time. Their third single will be released on October 13, and the group will perform the new tracks during this concert. Their new music video was unveiled to audiences during this tour. Using dTV, fans can watch the concert on their smartphone, tablet, computer, or television.
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Sakurazaka46 1st TOUR 2021 – Saitama Super Arena
Streaming Date: October 31, 2021 at 17:30 (Doors open at 16:30)
Repeat Broadcast: October 31, 2021 at 22:30
Sales Period: October 9, 2021 at 12:00 until October 31, 2021 at 22:30
Price: ¥3,500 (Tax Included)
Special Price for dTV Members: ¥2,500 (Tax Included)
Where to Watch: dTV
dTV Ticket Page: https://bit.ly/3al4vQu
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Up-and-coming seven-member J-pop group 7ORDER is scheduled to embark on a massive winter tour across Japan! The first performance will take place in Tokyo on November 27, 2021, and the final show will be held at Yoyogi National Stadium on February 26 and 27, 2022. The 7ORDER LIVE TOUR 2021-2022 ‘Date with…….’ tour will be coming to thirteen locations nationwide. The group clearly isn’t interested in taking a break any time soon, with their most recent tour wrapping in September. The 7ORDER Musha Shugyo TOUR ~NICE “TWO” MEET YOU~ eight-city tour was a massive success, with over 20,000 tickets sold. Check the tour dates below to see if 7ORDER is coming to your city soon!
Information
7ORDER LIVE TOUR 2021-2022 ‘Date with…….’
Running: November 27, 2021 – February 27, 2022
Details: https://7orderproject.com/contents/462920
Official Site: https://7orderproject.com/
<Tokyo Concert>
Location: TACHIKAWA STAGE GARDEN
Date: November 27, 2021
Contact: SOGO TOKYO, 03-3405-9999
<Miyagi Concert>
Location: Sendai Bank Hall Izumity 21
Date: December 5, 2021
Contact: Coolmine, 022-796-8700
<Osaka Concert>
Location: Grand Cube Osaka Main Hall
Date: December 11, 2021
Location: Grand Cube Osaka Main Hall
Date: December 12, 2021
Contact: SOGO OSAKA, 06-6344-3326
<Hokkaido Concert>
Location: Kanamoto Hall (Sapporo Shimin Hall)
Date: December 19, 2021
Contact: WESS, 011-614-9999
<Hiroshima Concert>
Location: Ueno Gakuen Hall
Date: December 25, 2021
Contact: YUMEBANCHI, 082-249-3571
<Fukuoka Concert>
Location: Fukuoka Sun Palace Hotel & Hall
Date: December 27, 2021
Contact: BEA, 092-712-4221
<Kumamoto Concert>
Location: Kumamoto-Jo Hall, Main Hall
Date: December 29, 2021
Contact: GAKUON, 0985-20-7111
<Aichi Concert>
Location: Nagoya Congress Center, Century Hall
Date: January 13, 2022
Location: Nagoya Congress Center, Century Hall
Date: January 14, 2022
Contact: Kyodo Tokai, 052-972-7466
<Shizuoka Concert>
Location: Act City Hamamatsu Hall
Date: January 16, 2022
Contact: Kyodo Tokai, 052-972-7466
<Osaka Concert>
Location: Orix Theater
Date: January 18, 2022
Location: Orix Theater
Date: January 19, 2022
Location: Orix Theater
Date: January 20, 2022
Contact: SOGO OSAKA, 06-6344-3326
<Hyogo Concert>
Location: Kobe Kokusai Kaikankokusai Hall
Date: February 11, 2022
Location: Kobe Kokusai Kaikankokusai Hall
Date: February 12, 2022
Contact: SOGO OSAKA, 06-6344-3326
<Kanagawa Concert>
Location: PIA ARENA MM
Date: February 19, 2022
Location: PIA ARENA MM
Date: February 20, 2022
Contact: SOGO TOKYO, 03-3405-9999
<Tokyo Concert>
Location: Yoyogi National Stadium
Date: February 26, 2022
Location: Yoyogi National Stadium
Date: February 27, 2022
Contact: SOGO TOKYO, 03-3405-9999
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A two-disc album that includes songs from Ohtaki and Rainych's first album, a compilation of 70s/80s City Pop, and Neo City Pop from the 90s onwards will be released on October 27 2021. The album is the first compilation work from Sony Music Direct's new ALDEIGHT label, who are proud to release this compilation featuring 31 remastered iconic songs, both new and old, that have garnered attention both in Japan and overseas following the growing popularity of City Pop. Among the track list is 'Kimi wa Tennen Iro' from Ohtaka Eiichi's 'A LONG VACATION 40th Anniversary Edition,' which was released on March 21 2021 with a music video soon expected to surpass 7 million views on YouTube. It also includes 'RIDE ON TIME' covered by Indonesian singer Rainych and evening cinema's Yamashita Tatsuro, which gained huge popularity on YouTube. Disc One is full of classic songs from the 70s and 80s, while Disc Two is full of iconic songs from between the 90s and now, that are said to have influenced the current Neo-City Pop sound. This definitive compilation represents the recent City Pop boom in just two discs. Look forward to the release of this timeless CD which makes the perfect introduction to Japanese City Pop!
Information
ALDELIGHT CITY -A New Standard For Japanese Pop 1975-2021
Release Date: October 27 2021
Price: ¥3,520 (Tax Incl.)
Official Site: https://www.110107.com/ALDELIGHTCITY
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Asking foreigners about popular artists in Japan! “WAO-RYU! TV”, the internet-based show for foreigners
"Ask Japanese", a channel on "WAO-RYU! TV" - an internet show aimed at foreigners - have posted a brand new video entry. The theme of the topic this time is titled "MUST-LISTEN Japanese music? Ask foreigners in Japan about their artist recommendations".
The latest video features German talent "Cathy Cat" heading around town asking foreigners about their favourite artists. From artists well-known in Japan to others you might not expect a foreigner to know, lots of different names popped up in their answers. Check out the interview below to see what artists appeared came up. Who do you think they mentioned?▶Video: 日本の音楽、何か知っていますか？ 外国人に聞いてみました！ (translation: We Ask Foreigners What Japanese Artists They Know)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYGEJVZMh3k
■Related Article: Kyary Pamyu Pamyu hits Hawaii with her successful premium live “SKY Perfect! SUPER LIVE KPP 5iVE YEARS PREMIUM LIVE in HAWAII”!
http://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/18699■Related Article: I can’t know with just the music! What’s the fascination with Perfume & BABYMETAL, two groups gaining attention all over the world!?
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“The dope on dope and the Doopees”Yann Tomita is a man living on the edge. Known as Japan’s preeminent steelpan drum player, Yann’s music is a mix of Brian Wilson/Van Dyke Parks-era Beach Boys, musique concrete, 90’s lounge lizard acts, and the wacky inventions of Dr. NakaMats.With a large discography of albums released under his own name, it’s a surprise the album he may be best known for was released by his side project, the illusive, imaginary Doopees. “Doopee Time,” their one and only album, is a stroke of plunderphonic genius, novel in its blend of recognizable pop songs (the Beach Boy’s “Caroline No,” Petula Clark’s “Now That You’ve Gone”) with a loose storyline, something I haven’t encountered on another plunderphonic album.Whether or not plunderphonics is a recognized genre in Japan, I do not know, as Yann is really the only artist I have discovered who has mastered the art. But around the same time “Doopee Time” was created, plunderphonics had become a highly controversial topic in the western world. The phrase, coined by artist John Oswald, refers to a form of sample culture consisting of new compositions made entirely from preexisting material. Musical saboteurs Negativland first brought the name to public attention with their 1991 EP “U2” . The single prominently featured the characters “U2” on the cover, in a font significantly larger than the band’s name. Many people bought the single expecting a new U2 song only to hear a midi-version of “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” accompanied by an audio clip of DJ Casey Kasem on a profanity-ridden rant about U2. Negativland was subsequently sued, and the “U2” EP was withdrawn, but not before turning a lot of heads and making a few headlines.Plunderphonics is a unique genre created on the fringes of mainstream culture, existing both as a critique and guarded appreciation of the gargantuan acts of pop music. By taking tracks by artists like U2 or Michael Jackson (the cover to John Oswald’s 1989 album “plunderphonic” is notorious for it’s doctored nude photograph of Jackson) then splicing and rearranging them, plunderphonic artists became the progenitors of sample-based hip hop, and still influence new popular Internet genres like vaporwave.And Yann Tomita is the Japanese King of Plunder.According to the band mythos, Doopees is comprised of friends Caroline Novac (reportedly portrayed by Buffalo Daughter’s Rumiko Ohno) and Suzi Kim. The album follows a loose narrative in which Doopees search for a cure for Caroline’s chronic sadness. Caroline, the younger of the two Doopees, cries her way through a rocky piano performance of Chopin’s Opus 28 No. 4. “Poor Caroline, playing Chopin and crying,” laments Suzi. “Why don’t those love songs leave me satisfied?” Caroline asks on “Love Songs (Love Is A Many Razor Bladed Thing).” Things start to get brighter when they meet Dr. Domestic and are sent on a bus trip through space and time. But where in time do the Doopees end up? The packaging of the album might give us a clue: the cover features a clock with no hands as if to say every time is Doopee Time.All this is played comically, underscored by Tomita’s intricate and far-out compostions. My favorite song “Doopee Time,” is a reworking of Hugo Montenegro’s iconic theme to I Dream of Jeannie, revitalizing the tired sitcom theme song and giving it a more modern beat-driven vibe.And Tomita obviously has an affinity for far-out music. On his solo steel drum album “Music For Astro Age” he performs both a straight version of John Cage’s infamous “4’33’” AND a DUB version of it. Not to mention a cover of Sun Ra’s “We Travel The Spaceways.” His influence transcends just the Doopees. Tomita has worked with experimental artists Ryuichi Sakamoto, Boredoms, and my guy Cornelius.So what does it mean to be a Doopee? The back cover of the album says it all: “CUTE MUSIC is keep you healthy, mind clear.” That is Yann Tomita’s overall message with this album. “Doopee Time” is cute on the surface but is ultimately a statement on the healing power of music. Yann gains inspiration from “living sound,” the random and mundane places most people overlook. Music is all around us: in the air, on the bus, at the airport or doctor’s office. All you have to do is listen. Maybe then you can be a Doopee too.Enjoy this wonderful, rare Doopee promo video:
Get yourself a copy of Matt Bennett’s debut album “Terminal Cases” — out now!
★Purchase your copy here: https://fanatic.lnk.to/MattBennett
Matt Bennett
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvM18LsxuTok5f356cU8_LA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mattbennett
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthbennett