J-Pop, anime and building a career in Europe – an interview with MION
Mion is a Japanese singer-songwriter who started her career in Japan, playing pop-rock songs, but during the last few years, she spends most of her time in UK and Europe…
Capsule: Metro Pulse / #2022reviews
Capsule was always about change, right from the start when the duo of producer Yasutaka Nakata and singer Toshiko Koshijima released their first album in 2001. That one was a…
FEMM: Tokyo Ex Machina / #2022reviews
Tokyo Ex Machina's release had the worst timing ever, which almost ruined an otherwise decent EP. Let me explain this: it was released sort of out-of-nowhere just a month after…
FAKY: F / #2022reviews
Most pop acts in Japan aim their music only at the local market, not caring much about worldwide trends and international however there are a few exceptions, including the currently…
Tokyo Jihen: Ongaku / #2021reviews
When you pick up a new release by Shena Ringo, be it one of her solo efforts, or like this one, a new album by her band, Tokyo Jihen, you…
FEMM: Tokyo Girls Anthem / #2021reviews
When FEMM debuted in 2014 they were the J-Pop sensation of the year. The mysterious duo, moving around like some sort of androids, doing superb, contemporary dance pop. They kept…
Chanmina: harenchi / #2021reviews
Ever since the previous generation of Great J-Pop Divas either retired (the one-and-only Namie Amuro), became a shadow of their former self (Ayumi Hamasaki), became increasingly boring (Utada Hikaru) or…
Chai: Wink / #2021reviews
Chai became a surprise international sensation in recent years, thanks to their strangely charming sound, which is both naively childlike and highly sophisticated, incorporating influences from all over the pop…
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu: Candy Racer / #2021reviews
For years, many people have been criticizing pop icon Kyary Pamyu Pamyu for being too predictable, having next to no variety in her music. Which is true after all, but…
Puffy: The Puffy / #2021reviews
For a long while Puffy, the pop duo of Ami Onuki and Yumi Yoshimura was a mainstay of Japan's mainstream music scene, starting with their million selling debut single, Asia…