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Japanese Music

Here, I don't introduce best-sold CDs in Japan. Many other people write about them, and actually I don't know those music well. Instead, I'd like to show some Japanese music I like ... which are classified into acoustic pops and electronica.
Although traditional Japanese musics are almost died out from our lives, Japanese music still achieves its uniqueness. Electrical instruments, such as synthesizers, are developed well in Japan, so electrical music (like Techno) is popular. Some bands go against that way, and try to get back to acoustic sound. They are also blessed with the technology: they can record everything by themselves and create a CD much cheaper than before. (Kei)

Pops

Here I'd like to show some Japanese soft pops (mainly sang by female vocalists). These musics haven't achieved no.1 in the charts, but sure many people love them. Their way of singing is not powerful, but cute and relaxing. Sometimes their English is not so good and even unintelligible, but it also forms a special atmosphere. Actually lyrics perform just like as a lettering on a T-shirt.
On writing this page, I found nippop.com introduces many Japanese pops in nice way.

clammbon

I recommend the first album "JP", which is based on acoustic band style (piano, guitar, bass and drums). I like its sharp drum sound, which is played by Daisuke. The piano sound played by main vocalist Ikuko is also important, but her voice features their sound most.
More details are introduced well in the site below:
clammbon Eigo-ban (clabbmon English version)

advantage Lucy

Advantage Lucy is a guitar pop band. Its sound is light and brisk, just like a spring wind. They belonged to Toshiba-EMI for two years, but they stopped the contract from themselves, and their CD is now on an indie label. The album "Have a good journey" contains most of their hits.
More details are introduces well in the site below:
Introduction by Nippop members

Cymbals

Sometimes they sing about a virtual famous pop star (actually they're not so famous). I can say their lyrics are sometimes a bit snobbish and uncool, but their music is in sure my taste. I also like design of their CDs.
More details are introduces well in the site below:
http://nippop.com/artist/artist_id-211/artist_name-cymbals/

capsule

Capsule is a unit of Yasutaka and Toshiko. Their music reminds us of a future/space city. They don't use any acoustic instrument... all the sounds come from synthesizer and sampler. Toshiko's vocal is also just like generated by a synthesizer, and the sound of a bell always keeps its light rhythm.

Bonnie Pink

Bonnie Pink is a female singer whose real name is Asada Kaori. She compose and sing every musics from the first album. Her voice is sometimes strong, sometimes soft.

Kojima Mayumi

Her song is very unique ... also her lyrics and cover artworks (everything by herself) Her lyrics describe a selfish but lovable girl, and her voice sometimes just like a falsetto (a bit similar to Shena Ringo).

Jazz/etc.

Ryuichi Sakamoto

Ryuichi Sakamoto is a famous Japanese composer. My recommendation is his very first album "1000 knives". His piano playing is quite exact and the old analog-synthesizer makes strange cosmic sound. He was a member of "Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO)", which is of legend in the techno music field.

Soul Bossa Trio

Some works of Soul Bossa Trio is a pure jazz, but they are more good at fusion-like plays.

Kahimi Karie

FPM (Fantastic Plastic Machine

Only one guy is a "member" of Fantastic Plastic Machine (FPM), actualy he is a DJ. He composes songs in various genres, and ask many singers to sing it. He uses a singer's voice just like as an instrument... first he writes a music, and chooses an adequate singer. Then we can enjoy various songs with various voices, still its order and mood is quite well designed by one guy.

ELEKTEL

The video was created by Piet Van Tieghem from Belgium.
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