I saw a recent Japanese film called Still Walking, which lead to this song running through my head. Sleepwalking. Still walking. Sleepwalking. Still walking. That metronomic digital CV-funk just won’t get out of my head. And I don’t really mind. The film was brilliant, in a quiet and understated way.
Posts By: Bennett
Matryoshka
Heard some remixes of Matryoshka tracks. They made me think of Enya, which is something I don’t do very often. Not that they sounded like her, but they were certainly lush, stately string-driven synth tracks with strong yet dreamy female vocals. More stark and spooky than that Irish lass though. You can download quite a… Read more »
Aira Mitsuki — Change My Will
Aira Mitsuki’s track “Change My Will” is another relatively tough techno pop workout from her. High energy with lots of drums and high-pitched mumbling. It’s on her album Plastic and is not called “Chained My Will” as I first thought on hearing it.
Pretty Sound
Pretty Sound by Molice is a chuggin’ slice of guitar-led pop with an insistent beat and vocals. Pretty sound indeed. “Cover Me Shakespeare” by Noodles is a more straightforward pop stomper with their lovely harmonies. (via Japanator Radio 88)
Akira Yamaoka – Love Me Do
Imagine Sigue Sigue Sputnik covering Kraftwerk with Deborah Harry on vocals. Fun, isn’t it? As far as I know that particular combination was never recorded, but by way of compensation there’s always Akira Yamaoka’s “Love Me Do”. The breathy vocals at the beginning sound quite suggestive, but it’s hard to hear clearly, even if you… Read more »
Saori@destiny and Susumu Hirasawa
I have heard a few tracks by Saori@destiny recently. “Stainless Starlight” is a pretty straightforward synthpop thing, with heavily process voice and slightly retro synths. Apparently she’s seen as a successor to Aira Mitsuki. She’s got a way to go before she gets there. Japanator Radio 83 included an old Buffalo Daughter track, “Discotheque du… Read more »
Hangry and Angry and Ayumi
I love the name Hangry and Angry, for some reason. The band has a vis-kei sound (and look — that hair is, frankly, ludicrous) but I did like “Sadistic Dance”. The two female vocals work well, and this song has a slight edge that makes it more compelling that most tracks in that style. Ayumi… Read more »
Peter Gabriel – The Book of Love
Browsing on Grooveshark, I noticed a Peter Gabriel track I didn’t recognise called The Book of Love. Imagine my surprise — no, go on, see if you can imagine it — when I realised after a few seconds that it’s a cover of the Magnetic Fields’ song from 69 Love Songs (the best album ever made)…. Read more »
Tsushi Mamire – Ocha Ska
Today I heard the most ridiculous track. “Ocha Ska” by Tsushi Mamire, from the Pregnant Fantasy album. A girly vocal on a peppy ska beat punctuated with… death metal growling. Death metal?! Awesome. Ridiculous. In a good way. Thanks, Japanator Radio 81.
Japanese pop, good and bad
I heard a couple of Susumu Hirasawa songs. I like his strong, powerful vocal. Works well with the understated electronic instrumentation. I loved “I Can’t Help It” from Honey Sac. Clean guitar power pop with lovely harmonies in the chorus. I could listen to this stuff anytime. Perfume’s new single “One Room Disco” is disappointing…. Read more »