Music News

L'Arc-en-Ciel release 4 CDs of their Greatest Hits: "Quadrinity"
Been putting off buying your L'Arc-en-Ciel CDs? Now's the time. On March 10 they will release four CDs, each containing songs picked by each band member.

Read More - Posted 2-5-10

Kumi Koda New Greatest Hits and New Album "Universe"
The pop star is serving up a double release of her third greatest hits album "BEST - third universe" featuring 16 hits and her eighth album "Universe" featuring 13 new songs.

Read More - Posted 1-15-10

Puffy's Yumi Yoshimura Got Married on New Year's Eve
Yumi started the new year with a new husband. She apparently broke up with her long term boyfriend Nao Omori in August and has been dating what is being described as a "29 year-old businessman" since September.

Read More - Posted 1-6-10

Want to be in an X Japan video? Yes you can.
The band will be filming four music videos in Hollywood, CA on January 9, 2010.

Read More - Posted 1-6-10

Kaela Kimura Greatest Hits Album: "5years"
Kaela's debut self-titled album was released on December 8, 2004. To celebrate she will be releasing her first greatest hits album with the apt name "5years" on February 3, 2010.

Read More - Posted 12-18-09

Namie Amuro: "Past < Future"
The new album by Namie Amuro features the songs My Love and Copy That.

Read More - Posted 12-17-09

Vistlip 1st Album: Theater
The Visual Kei band have released their first full album entitled "Theater - Visiter" (CD+DVD) and "Theater - lipper" (CD only).

Read More - Posted 12-9-09

Crunchyroll.com Contest
Win Cds and posters at this anime/music website featuring girugamesh, Hangry & Angry, mucc, VAMPS and vistlip.

Read More - Posted 12-8-09

KinKi Kids Are Back: "J album"
Everyone's favorite duo named for Japan’s Kansai aka "Kinky" region are back with a new eleven track album.

Read More - Posted 12-4-09

Yoko Nagayama Idol Box "Legend of Venus"
Singer, actress and Japanese idol Yoko Nagayama is celebrating her 25th Anniversary with an eleven CD and DVD release of her work.

Read More - Posted 11-30-09

UVERworld Greatest Hits Album: "Neo SOUND BEST"
Its been over four years since UVERworld released their first single, "D-tecnoLife." After fourteen singles and four albums the band has decided to release their first "best of" collection entitled "Neo SOUND BEST."

Read More - Posted 11-20-09

Wendy Nelson Tokunaga New Novel: "Love in Translation"
The American author Tokunaga releases her second novel "Love in Translation" with the tie-in song The Wishing Star (Nozomi no Hoshi).

Read More - Posted 11-19-09

Hangry & Angry First Album: "Sadistic Dance"
Former Morning Musume members Hitomi Yoshizawa and Rika Ishikawa are making their debut together as the duo "Hangry & Angry."

Read More - Posted 11-17-09

Megaromania Album "Prophetic Faction - the Universe"
Formed in March of 2008, Megaromania is a Visual Kei band from the UNDER CODE PRODUCTION label.

Read More - Posted 11-16-09

Girugamesh Album "NOW"
Girugamesh will be releasing a new 12-track album on December 16, 2009. The release will include a limited and "super limited" CD plus DVD versions.

Read More - Posted 11-3-09

New Dead End Album on 11/11: METAMORPHOSIS
After 20 years these Visual Kei pioneers are back together with a new ten-track album and upcoming shows.

Read More - Posted 10-21-09

detroit7 Album "Black & White" Goes Digital On October 20
The latest album from detroit7 will also now be available on iTunes.

Read More - Posted 10-19-09

New Captain Funk (Tatsuya Oe) Album: "Sunshine"
The master of the remix Captain Funk aka Tatsuya Oe is back with a new album entitled "Sunshine." The album includes vocals by the Macedonian singer AdNaN Kurtov.

Read More - Posted 10-07-09

New POLYSICS Album:
"Absolute POLYSICS"
The masters of "technicolor pogo punk" are back with a new 14 track album. "Absolute POLYSICS" was released in Japan on September 16 and released via iTunes on September 29.

Read More - Posted 9-30-09

Do As Infinity New Album:
"Eternal Flame"
Its been over four years since Do As Infinity's album "Need Your Love" hit #3 on Oricon. The reformed band is following up their June release of the single "Infinity 1" with a full 12 track album.

Read More - Posted 9-29-09

News and Comments Archives
A list of our past Music News and Interviews in WordPress format. Great for looking up specific artists.

Latest Interviews

"Our songs often have spiritual messages. When I write that kind of lyrics, I feel like someone else is teaching me. I don't know why but I can easily write about a feeling or experience that I have never had." - Rheason Love

When you answer a "singing job for video game music" ad in Japan you never know where it might take you. For Nao Otokura aka "Rheason Love" one fateful ad launched a career of singing and songwriting that took her from her home in Osaka all the way to the US. Teamed with the upcoming producer AKI (aka Akinori Ishiyama) the two have released several of their songs on iTunes with hopes and plans for finding a major label for their music in 2010.

So if you're looking for some soulful music with much to say about life and death, come take a listen to the duo who say "I am Japanese and respect American music, so I wanna try in America, I wanna send out my music alongside those I respect. Even if people say I'm reckless, I should sing in a place that I think is the greatest."

"For me, writing a song is like giving birth. Recording is the closing stage of the songwriting process. I feel like I'm almost done with child raising. Finally, I can say goodbye to my son or daughter... Bye-bye my kid. Live strong and cut your way. The world will judge you soon." - Itsuka

They may go by the name "unnatural" but the duo of Itsuka and Mitsu play a country/pop style of music that is entirely down to earth. In 2009 they celebrated their ten year anniversary of making music together with the release of "DIP", a seven track album that includes their signature piece Now!

So if you're in the mood for a Japanese version of country tunes come take a listen and discover the answer to an amorous riddle: "Why did Itsuka and Mitsu have a hard time finding more band members when they were first starting out?" You just might become one of their "unnatuLOVERs" in the process.

"My family has never actually seen me sing or dance in a club, so they're wondering how I actually do it. My friends say "It's not like you, Ayaka. It's not you!" They can't believe it." - Ayaka Ikio

After first seeing the video for Ayaka Ikio's song Get Out we weren't at all surprised by her comment. With a series of popping tracks like Spin Me Round and some rather risqué ones like LoLLyPop she has taken a successful career in modeling into the world of Japanese dance music. Ayaka Ikio released her first two albums in 2009 and toured throughout Japan.

With 2010 now at hand her goals continue to rise with her talent as her music is now available internationally through JapanFiles. For those not living in Japan we also bring good news as she told us "I really, really want to play a gig in America -- please wait for me!"

"Sometimes I like to be a Japanese office lady by wearing a suite with my hair up. Wearing chequered pants with handcuffs and chains makes a girl with Rock style. Wearing a light pink dress with a frill makes Reni Lolita style. Everyday I would like to be different. Cosplay is my life!" - Reni Mimura

Do you think you have to travel all the way to Tokyo to see Japanese costume players doing their thing? Well think again. Reni Mimura brought her show to Manhattan in 2008 and performs on a regular basis with her MoeMoe Dancers. Winner of a Tokyo talent competition in 2006, its not hard to see why she is making a name for herself in the kawaii world of Japan's cuteness culture. Her upcoming shows on January 16 and 24 will be featured in a documentary on NHK (Japan's version of PBS).

So put on your maid outfit, Naruto jumpsuit or whatever floats your boat and come hear the story of the girl who says "My ideal situation is the audience not paying attention to me, but everybody is liberated and dancing themselves. That's when we become one. Reni and audience feeling calm and gentle, and we are one."

"We believe Jazz has infinite possibility." - JABBERLOOP

What's a Jabberloop you ask? It's Jazz, baby! The five musicians who go by the Star Wars inspired name JABBERLOOP have been playing together since 2004. After a series of Jazz albums in Japan the group just made their North American debut with the November release of "REVENGE of the SPACE MONSTER" through the Daruma Label.

Featuring Daisuke on sax, Melten on keyboard, Yuki on bass, Makoto at trumpet and Yohei banging the drums, JABBERLOOP play a varied Jazz sound to achieve, as they put it, "to make songs that people can hum easily."

"We are fans of many bands. We wanted to show that in our name so we took "mo" from the katakana pronunciation of Jim Morrison, Morrissey and Maureen Tucker combined with The Police." - Rinko

And that's how you get the name Molice, a four member rock band from Tokyo. With shades of GO!GO!7188 and an animated stage show to match, the group is about to embark on their first overseas tour to the UK on December 28.

The group's first album, "Doctor Ray" was released in 2008 and features catchy songs like Ms. Panic and Headphone. Fronted by Rinko on vocals, Yuzuru on guitar, Ikuhiro on bass and Takashi on drums, Molice gets our nod as one of the best new discoveries we've made in 2009. So come take a listen -- we're glad we did.

"Complete magic... When we connect with the audience and we are all feeling the beat together -- it's just magic -- there is no other feeling as special as that." - Miho Wada

A Japanese family living in New Zealand once hired a piano teacher for their daughter. When it turned out that he was actually a flute instructor, young Miho Wada began a musical journey that would eventually take her around the world. With influences ranging from Anime theme songs, traditional Japanese music and Cuban salsa, Miho Wada has crafted a unique international sound around her passionate flute playing.

Now joined by her bandmates Colin Hunter, John McNab and Tala 'Ofamo'oni, she is following up the release of "The Traveller" and "Traveling Bugs and Talking Shoes" early this year with their first Japanese Punk Jazz album "Postcards to Your Bed" and plans to perform at next year's SXSW in Austin, Texas.

So come take a listen to the music and story of Miho Wada and learn the answer to a most curious riddle: What animal once tried to steal her hat on the way to school?

"Man, it all started from this song. Starting with a sweet, tearful melody in the beginning and then moving to an almost satanic feel at the end, like everything is falling to pieces. We couldn't control our excitement the first time we played this song." - Ang-pang

That song is Starting Over by the band Skybeaver. Like the song, this four-man band rocks to a powerful Weezer-inspired style of music, mixing elements of Metal and Power pop. Their latest album, "The First Countdown," was released earlier this year from Thistime Records.

So come take a listen to the group who describes their start in the world of music with the vivid expression: "...we were struck by the lightning bolt of rock, grabbed the baton and ran with it."