01/2025

For those of you who have been following along, you may have noticed that despite the eclecticism of our mixtapes, one thing remains consistent: our deep appreciation for a particular country that holds a special place in our hearts when it comes to music. Yes, we are talking about the land of the rising sun, Japan.

Enthusiastic music collectors worldwide are likely familiar with various aspects of Japanese popular music. This month, we’re diving into the fascinating world of Japanese recordings, focusing specifically on works from the 1990s onward. While it may sound like a niche corner of the music world, we assure you, it is as wide-ranging and diverse as ever.

Some of this month’s highlights:

“She Don’t Care” opens our list with a bang. This track, performed by the fictional Yen Town Band for the 1996 film Swallowtail Butterfly, features pop singer Chara, who released her masterpiece album Happy Toy just two years prior. In true ’90s grunge spirit, Chara masterfully alternates between vocal ranges and timbres, effortlessly transitioning from shouts to whispers, all while maintaining her wistful, child-like vocal style. Think of her as the musical love child of Britney Spears and Cyndi Lauper! Plus, we challenge you to find another track that features so much flanger on the drum part.

“Bench Of Love” originally by Juicy Fruits from their 1980 album Drink!, showcases a unique structure for a pop song, alternating between the pre-chorus and the chorus without traditional verses. In her 1988 rendition, Koizumi Kyoko preserves much of the original arrangement, but what a difference eight years can make! The sound is spacious and massive, characteristic of the late ’80s, where each snare hit feels like it was recorded in a cathedral, and the backing vocals add significant heft to the mix. We must also highlight the delightful banter at the end between Kyoko and sumo commentator Demon Kakka, which comes out of nowhere and is just as wonderfully bizarre as you might imagine.

“La Belle Fille Et L’Androïde” is our final highlight this month. Long Vacation were a Shibuya-kei band that briefly existed in the early ’90s. While they may not have reached the same level of success as Flipper’s Guitar (who appear in multiple ways throughout our playlist—can you spot them all?), they crafted a series of innovative songs influenced by House, Jazz, Techno, French chansons, and even military marches. This diversity is best captured in their 1995 compilation album Drive To The 21st Century, which features a live version of “La Belle Fille Et L’Androïde” originally from their 1993 album Summer Lovers. Unfortunately, we had to include the original studio version since the live version is nowhere to be found on any streaming service.

We hope you enjoy this month’s journey through the vibrant sounds of Japan! Let us know your thoughts, and feel free to share your favorite tracks or artists with us over at: research@shufu.studio

Yen Town Band, She Don’t Care, 1996
Yoshinori Sunahara, 2300 Hawaii, 1998
Koizumi Kyoko, 恋はベンチシート (Bench Of Love), 1988
Le Silo, Enormous Trees With The Holy Spirits #1, 2004
Mayumi Kojima, Tick-tuck, 2015 – (https://www.discogs.com/master/2858056-Kojima-Mayumi-With-Boom-Pam-Kojima-Mayumi-With-Boom-Pam, and with a VPN you might have a chance to listen to it here – https://music.apple.com/jp/album/%E8%9D%B6%E3%80%85/1015855970?i=1015855982)
salyu x salyu, 奴隷, 2011
Zutomayo, 機械油 (Engine Oil), 2021
Minyo Crusaders, Otemoyan, 2017 – https://minyocrusaders.bandcamp.com/track/otemoyan-reggae
Flipper’s Guitar, Cool Spy on a Hot Car, 1990
Long Vacation, La Belle Fille Et L’Androïde, 1993
Melt-Banana, Sweeper, 2005 – https://soundsofsubterrania.bandcamp.com/track/sweeper
Yoeko Kurahashi, 薬箱, 2007
Kenji Ozawa, ローラースケート・パーク, 1993
Chai, NO MORE CAKE, 2020
Astro Age Steel Orchestra, Little Girl Lost-And-Found, 1994
Yonin-Bayashi, ?, 1973