An album with a very striking cover, but which features music done for the more warm-tinged program Mu – a 70s drama represented here by a really great range of different themes! The mix of modes is great – one tune might have a playful Fender Rhodes solo, another a more serious koto line, and another might have groovy use of sitar, or slide guitar, or other inventive instrumentation – all to illustrate the different scenes and characters in the show! There are slight moments of sentiment, but the music is never sappy at all – and in a way, the whole thing really reflects the way that the Japanese listening scene was so strongly influenced by Euro soundtrack styles of the late 60s and very start of the 70s. All titles are in Japanese, and the set is instrumental throughout! (Soundtracks, Japanese) LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent work from Junky Yagami – definitely one of the more soulful singers of the 80s city pop generation, thanks in part to production work from frequent musical partner JJ Stanley! Stanley gives the record lots of electro soul modes in the backings – working with great arrangements from Ken Yajima, Masaaki Ohmura, and Shiro Sagisu, which are all filled with basslines, beats, and mighty nice keyboard parts! This is definitely a groove-heavy record, and Junko's vocals really keep pace with the rhythms – on titles that include "Believing", "Reaching Out", "Miss DJ", "1984", "Cheater", "Imagination", and "Communication". LP, Vinyl record album

Japanese club music from the disco years onward – but a set that's got a very universal appeal in the rhythms! The vocals are mostly in Japanese, but the arrangements, production, and instrumentation here resonate strongly with the best that New York or Philly had to offer during the disco generation – a well-done blend of funky grooves with some slightly larger instrumentation, all of which sends home the soulful vocals in a way that hardly makes you notice they're not singing in English! All of the tracks here are from rare albums – similar to the Wamono Jazz compilations – and titles include "Birth Of The Odyssey" by Godiego, "This Is Hot" by Ikue Sakakibsara, "I Will Give You Samba" by Soul Media, "Woman In A Man's World" by Hatsumi Shibata, "Disco Great Tokyo" by Pink Parachute, "Krishna" by Yumi Murata, "Ame Wa Knife No Ya Sa" by Yoshito Machida & Godiego, and "Purple Shadow" by Hatsumi Shibata. (Funky Compilations, Japanese) LP, Vinyl record album

Japanese keyboardist Kuni Kawachi works here on a variety of cool keys while also singing – serving up work on Hammond, celeste, harpsichord, and even rocksichord – while also getting strong support from the legendary Flower Travelling Band! The record's leaner than that group's music, yet definitely echoes some of their ear for offbeat sounds – as Kuni's spare vocals and keys get just the right touches of fuzzy guitar, offbeat percussion, and sweet psychedelic elements! Vocals are in Japanese throughout, and there's a balance of acoustic and electric elements that's mighty nice – on titles that include "Where Are You Walking Now", "The Cat", "A Puddle & A Purple Vetch", "Already No More Secrets", "Riddle", and "That's Why Love Is". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album