Tokyo's Coolest Sound

Various Artists "Mods Mayday 25th Anniversary Compilation"
Track list completed, link to official site added

m-flo "Beat Space Nine"
Artwork added

densetsu no Hero-tachi
Delayed until 8/30 because of banned design (chewing gum ingredients list too small!)

Chocolat & Akito "Chocolat & Akito"
Track list added

Fantastic Plastic Machine "Sound Concierge #502"
Sub-title added: "Tell Me For Your Delightful Moment" (?)

This year again, Usagi-chang Records will have its summer event at Shinjuku Marz. The all night event will feature all active Usagi-chang artists, including MissWonda who has a first album out on 8/17, and also many friends.
I won't miss this.

Update (2005/8/7 11:19): DJ Soju cancelled. Too bad.

Usagi-chang Night Fever!! vol.0003
on 8/27 (Sat.)
at Shinjuku Marz (map)

Live:
- YMCK
- MissWonda
- macdonald duck eclair
- Aprils
- EeL
- Sonicberry Favour

Mini live:
- Micro Mach Machine
- Hazel Nuts Chocolate
- Pyokn
- Haap

VJ: Panoramagic

Opens/starts at 24:00
Price: advance ¥2000, door ¥2500 +drink

A new capsule album is on the way! Now what's up with this creepy title?!
Includes "sora tobu toshi keikaku", the song from the final short film of the Ghibli collaboration trilogy.

capsule "L.D.K. Lounge Designers Killer"

1. sora tobu toshi keikaku
2. Teleportation
3. Lounge Designers Killer
4. twinkle twinkle poppp!
5. tiC taC
6. Antenna
7. Glider
8. jinrui no shinpo to chōwa
9. do do pi do
10. fin

contemode YCCC-10003
Out 9/21, ¥2000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Play-Asia, Amazon

Three brand new 7" singles are coming from Stereolab in September, first new works since hooking up with label Too Pure.
The songs will also be available for download.

Stereolab "Kybernetická Babička" (7")

1. Kybernetická Babička pt 1
2. Kybernetická Babička pt 2

Too Pure PURE174S

Stereolab "Plastic Mile" (7")

1. Plastic Mile
2. I Was A Sunny Rainphase

Too Pure PURE175S

Stereolab "Interlock" (7")

1. Interlock
2. Visionary Road Maps

Too Pure PURE176S

Hazel Nuts Chocolate "Cute"
Track list added

m-flo "Beat Space Nine"
Title added, will feature Lisa (ex-m-flo)

First released in 1981, Nomiya Maki's debut album as a new wave idol, "Pink no kokoro", is being reissued! The great album produced by Moonriders' Suzuki Keiichi, which includes "Twiggy Twiggy" (covered with Pizzicato Five in the 90's), will come as a 24-bit digital remaster in a two-pane cardboard jacket.
I personally love this album. Some favorites are "Motor Humming", "koi wa mizutama", "genbaku Rock", "Shampoo", "onna tomodachi"...

This release goes hand in hand with the just out Plastic Sex album, a 25th anniversary revival of the Plastics' featuring Maki.

Nomiya Maki "Pink no kokoro"
野宮真貴 「ピンクの心」

1. onna tomodachi
2. Motor Humming
3. Hula Hoop Rumba
4. Shampoo
5. genbaku Rock
6. funenori janno
7. 17sai no kuchibeni
8. koi wa mizutama
9. bishōnen
10. ehon no naka no Christmas
11. Twiggy Twiggy
12. usagi to watashi
13. Pink no kokoro

SS Recordings SS-117
Out 8/25, ¥2800 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon

Next collaboration between Disney and Readymade will be a compilation of classical music covers, featuring Konishi Yasuharu, Comoesta Yaegashi, Yoshida Tetsuto, Arai Toshiya (Kofta), Iwamura Manabu, Ino Hidefumi (Tenement), and DJ 440!
Don't worry, all of these haven't turned classical, this is a club-oriented breakbeats cover/remix album based on classical pieces.

Various Artists "Readymade Digs Classics"

1. DJ 440's Classical Gas / remixed by DJ 440
2. Syncopated Typewriters Holiday ~ Leroy Anderson Medley (Anderson) / remixed by Konishi Yasuharu
3. Lascia ch'io pianga (from Rinald) (Handel) / Ino Hidefumi
4. Sabre Dance (Khatchaturian) ~ sabres of boss mix / remixed by Arai Toshiya
5. William Tell Overture (Rossini) ~ Fortaleza mix / remixed by Iwamura Manabu
6. Radetzky March (Strauss) ~ DJ524's top billin' mix / remixed by Konishi Yasuharu
7. Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (Mozart) ~ swingin' breakin' mozart mix / remixed by Arai Toshiya
8. Valse Op. 64-1 "Petit Chien" (Chopin) ~ Bossa dog mix / remixed by Comoesta Yaegashi
9. Pictures At An Exhibition (Mussorgsky) ~ Swinger Singers Unlimited Mix / remixed by Yoshida Tetsuto
10. Piano Sonata Op. 27-2 "Moonlight" (Beethoven) ~ I Want You mix / remixed by Iwamura Manabu
11. Fuga In G Minor Bwv 578 (Bach) ~ Let's Go! Bach mix / remixed by Comoesta Yaegashi
12. Concerto for piano and orchestra No.1 op.23 (Tchaikovsky) ~ Columbo's Beautiful Human Life Mix / remixed by Yoshida Tetsuto

Avex AVCW-12455
Out 9/7, ¥2477 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Play-Asia, Amazon, Amazon U.S.

After their great collaboration song "Cosmic Night Run" (together with Crazy Ken Band), Nomiya Maki and m-flo are back with a new single, "Big Bang Romance". The maxi will include remixes by the great breakbeats pop unit p&art sasanoooha and Famicom rap TongariKids' Nipopo, and of course karaoke tracks. All at a very low and lucky price!

Maki also has a new album in the works, to be released in October.

Nomiya Maki loves m-flo "Big Bang Romance"
野宮真貴 loves m-flo 「Big Bang Romance」

1. Big Bang Romance
2. Big Bang Romance (Tongari Nipopo no gokuaku Mix)
3. Big Bang Romance (p&art sasanoooha mix)
4. Big Bang Romance (instrumental)

Rhythm Zone RZCD-45246
Out 9/7, ¥740 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Play-Asia, Amazon

Hazel Nuts Chocolate is back this year with a new album, "Cute", title which perfectly fits Yuppa-chan and her lovely music.
The album features Plus-tech Squeeze Box' Hayashibe Tomonori who did most of the programming.

Hazel Nuts Chocolate "Cute"

1. Hello
2. Love+Piece+Icecream!
3. heya
4. koi wa kyurukyuru
5. Swing Life
6. yasai Soup no uta
7. Future★popp
8. yo-ho-yo-ho-
9. boushi to watashi no shubiduduwa
10. Manicure Group
11. ningyo no Waltz
12. koi ni koi suru otoshigoro

Softly LOLITA-1001
Out 9/14, ¥2500 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon

Metalchicks, unit formed back in 2000 by Buffalo Daughter's Sugar Yoshinaga and DMBQ's Yoshimura Yuka, are finally coming up with a full album! Get ready for some new wave/dance/metal.

Metalchicks blog in English

Metalchicks "Metalchicks"

1. 10.000 Db
2. Dead Loss Angeles
3. Gabba
4. Queen Of Bees
5. We Will Survive
6. King Of Kings
7. Fast And Furious
8. Need Your Love

Music Mine ID IDCF-1001
Out 7/27, ¥2000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Play-Asia, Amazon

I had missed this Nao single produced by Sunaga Tatsuo. Features Ketsumeishi's Ryoji.
Two editions, the limited one including a DVD. Out now.

Nao "Flower feat. Ryoji"

1. Flower
2. Destiny
3. Flower (Instrumental)
4. Destiny (Instrumental)

Maxi single + DVD
Rhythm Zone RZCD-45205/B
Out now (6/15), ¥1890
Order: Amazon, HMV

Maxi single only
Rhythm Zone RZCD-45206
Out now (6/15), ¥1000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Play-Asia, Amazon

Coming next month is a new Oh! Mikey DVD, this time containing unreleased episodes that didn't make it to TV. Black humor, adult stuff, you name it. A must for hardcore Oh! Mikey fans!
The DVD's jacket shows Mikey, Lola and Emily as adults.

"Oh! Mikey Hardcore" (DVD)
Region 2 NTSC, 35 mins, 4:3, English subtitles

Including: (unofficial approximate translations)
- 「マイキーの日記」 (Mikey's diary)
- 「愛の診察室」 (Love examination room)
- 「川北家の夫婦ゲンカ」 (The Kawakita's couple quarrel)
- 「女性ドライバーさおり」 (Female driver Saori)
- 「続・女性ドライバーさおり」 (Female driver Saori cont'd)
- 「喫茶パピヨン」 (Coffee shop Papillon)
- 「喫茶パピヨン／幸せな女」 (Coffee shop Papillon / Happy girl)
- 「マイキーの未来」 (Mikey's future)

Plus:
- interviews with Emily and Lola
- "The Fuccons", English dub shown at the Berlin International Film Festival

Media Factory FFBV-0008
Out 8/26, ¥2500 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon

The soundtrack for the upcoming sci-fi movie Summer Timemachine Blues, opening this summer, is produced by Halfby!
The movie opens September 3rd.

Soundtrack "Summer Timemachine Blues"

1. time travellers
2. girls & boys
3. take 5000 a go go
4. mushroom lesson 3
5. summer time blues
6. cucumber funk
7. hunter & collector
8. chop stick score
9. water damage
10. sugar code
11. sign
12. punch the bath
13. love in kagawa
14. past sight seeing
15. Well-Tempered Clavier I, Prelude in C major BWV 846 (remix)

Toy's Factory TFCC-86186
Out 8/24, ¥2381 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Play-Asia, Amazon

Usagi-chang Records artist MissWonda's first album is coming this summer!
The album, [I think] produced by Suzuki Akira (Sonic Coaster Pop), is said to mix elements of electro rock, early eurobeat, latin house, neo-acoustic, etc.

Copies bought at participating Tower Records and HMV (locations TBA) will include a bonus limited edition CD-R containing 5 remixes and a video clip for "Arabesque" (viewable on Windows and Mac).
The CD-R will also be available when ordering from Usagi-Chang mail order (Japan only) starting 8/17.

Official release page with sound samples

MissWonda "Wonderful Tangent"

1. Wonderful Tangent
2. Cabriolet E46
3. Sudden Shower
4. Lady Sunset
5. Arabesque
6. Ageha
7. Talking Of Girl
8. Koijanaino ~koi janai no~
9. Milkyway Galaxy

Usagi-chang USG-009
Out 8/17, ¥2000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: Amazon

Tower Records / HMV bonus CD-R

1. Arabesque (pyokn love vox mix) remixed by Pyokn
2. Ageha (fille du jour mix) remixed by PINE*am
3. Wonderful Tangent (ZOOT'85mix) remixed by FURUYA
4. Talking of girl (nu elektro feeva mix) remixed by HAAP
5. Lady Sunset (Cheetah loves the classical guitar mix) remixed by macdonald duck eclair
+ Arabesque PV PC DATA for (Win & Mac) created by panoramagic

Nomoto Karia "Chocola ni muchū / tsuki no mukō no sekai"
Artwork added!

A new mix CD in FPM's Sound Concierge series is coming out in August. The mix CD will contain a new FPM song, "Tell Me", from his forthcoming album expected in October!
As usual, there will be a limited edition design and CD-Extra contents (probably a wallpaper).

Fantastic Plastic Machine "Sound Concierge #502"
"Tell Me"
For Your Delightful Moment

1. Tell Me (New song) / Fantastic Plastic Machine feat. Benjamin Diamond
2. Just A Lil' Lovin' / Outlines
3. Girl! (Radio Slave Remix) / Pepe Deluxe
4. Geht's Noch? (Dominik Eulberg Remix) / Roman Flugel
5. Maps (Michael Mayer/Tobias Thomas RMX) / Ada
6. Bassline (Original Mix) / Richard Grey
7. You Got That (What!? Luv Dub...) / Style Of Eye feat. Freeda
8. Eeeeaaooww / Freeform Five
9. Le Freak (Wackside Superflausch Remix) / Wackside feat. Chic
10. Love Shack (DJ Tonka Remix) / The B-52's
11. NY Lipps (Kawazaki Dub) / Soulwax
12. Don't Let The Man Get You Down (Tache Tastic Mix) / Fatboy Slim
13. Something About You (Live Element Club Mix) / Live Element
14. Let's Get High (Album) / Benjamin Diamond
15. Tell Me (Acapella) / Fantastic Plastic Machine feat. Benjamin Diamond

Cutting Edge CTCR-14435
Out 8/31, ¥2000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: YesAsia, Play-Asia, Amazon