Japanator Radio 32

Once again it's time for your weekly dose of sunshine and moonbeams with the next installment of Japantor Radio!

This week we've got the usual round-up of brand new tracks, this time featuring new stuff from Perfume, Scandal, X-Japan and Cruyff in the Bedroom, as well as the ultra classy Tokyo Jihen in the Artist Spotlight and lots more.

This week (and beyond, really) we're pushing for everyone to check out the RSS feed. It's the best way for us to get an accurate feel for the number of podcast fans out there. If you've been championing the torrents or just yoinking the direct downloads, now is the time for you join the rest of us over in RSS-land.

Head on over to Japantor and get the new show now. Tracklist and links after the jump!

00:00 OP: L'Arc en Ciel - New World

0:01:03 Rururu - & - Rururu
0:06:52 Cruyff in the Bedroom - Rakuen - Saudargia
0:10:59 Kanon Wakeshima - Still Doll - Single

0:14:12 Break: Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto OST

0:15:15 X-Japan - Kurenai - Live 2008.03.29 Kougeki Saikai 2008 I.V. Hametsu ni Mukatte ~Mubou na Yoru~
0:21:46 Matenrou Opera - Ruriiro de Egaku Niji - Single
0:26:14 Twisted Clock - Smash Them - Father-Mother

0:30:28 Break: Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto OST

Artist Spotlight: Tokyo Jihen
0:31:28 Tokyo Jihen - Sounan - Kyoiku
0:34:40 Tokyo Jihen - 8:17am If You Can Touch It - Dynamite Out
0:38:45 Tokyo Jihen - Souretsu - Domestic! Virgin Line
0:43:39 Tokyo Jihen - Toumei Ningen - Adult

0:48:09 Break: Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto OST

0:49:01 The Brown - The Leaf Changing - Struggle In A Whirl (REQ)
0:54:39 Scandal - Love Pattern - Single
0:58:19 Perfume - Ceramic Girl - Game

1:02:50 ED: Susumu Hirasawa - Climax Hope - Detonator Orgun OST 3

Tokyo Jihen

As if Shiina Ringo didn't have enough going on with her own solo carrier, in 2004 she formed a group of expert players and called it Tokyo Jihen. While Ringo's own music was stylistically all over the map, Tokyo Jihen instead attempts to focus on one genre, a sort of swinging, funky yet sophisticated rock. OK, so maybe they're still all over the map, but at least they are different then Ringo's solo work.

Osca



Their newest single.

Sounan



Gunjou Biyori



Their first single.

Shiina Ringo

I find it a rather daunting task to try and define Shiina Ringo. She began her career in 1998 as a solo artist, though with a full band backing her. Her music ran from noisy, trashy rock to soft ballads, often with full string sections or electro backing tracks. She worked with different bands, eventually forming Tokyo Jihen in 2004. She is now back to working solo. The most obvious trademark (at least now that she got rid of the mole) is her high, reedy, screechy voice. It's like a cat in heat. Overall her style is rather Bjork-esque, meaning it's all a bit on the strange and arty side, though also fragile and calming at times. Lately she's stuck more to the lush, organic ballads than the rock fueled jams. Visually, she often adopts a classic style, either traditional Japanese or in a sort of '30-50s Western vein, but that doesn't mean she won't occasionally pull out all the stops and roll around with another woman in a nurse uniform. Basically, expect the unexpected, and expect it to be amazing.

BUY SHIINA RINGO RELEASES HERE!

Mikio Hirama

Mikio Hirama was the guitar player in Shina Ringo's Tokyo Jihen band during their first album and tour. He left soon after to pursue his solo career. His music is rooted in a general mellow guitar rock sound with a slight blues tinge. Slightly Eric Clapton-like I suppose you could say. Mikio manages to mix the sounds up with other elements to keep it sounding fresh. He definitely has a voice made for a guitar player, but it gets the job done, and its...uniqueness...certainly adds to the overall vibe.