Description
2025 repress; double LP version.Midnight In Tokyois a compilation series that aims to be the perfect companion to nights in Tokyo, collecting tracks by Japanese artists that sound best at night.Vol. 2(STUDIOMUL 006CD/LP, 2018) focused more on ’80s jazz fusion, but the latest installment,Vol. 3, picks up whereVol. 1(STUDIOMUL 001CD/LP, 2018) left off, bringing together forgotten soul, disco, and new wave gems. The compilation opens with Japanese rare groove classic “More Sexy,” a provocative song byYoko Hatanaka. “Kimi No Yume,” from the albumYume No Yonbai(1984) byMasumi Hara, is one of the best Balearic acid folk songs to come from Japan. “Silhouette Call” is an electric bossanova track in the vein ofAntena, from a rare album calledOctopussy(1982) byYuki Nakayamate, a singer-songwriter who worked withMotoharu Sano. “Theme Of High School Student” is a dubby cut featured in the Japanese filmKougen Ni Ressha Ga Hashitta(1984), written byAtsuo Fujimoto(Colored Music), one of the key artists in the recent wave of global interest in Japanese music. “Get To Paradise” is a stone-cold funk jam byMari Kaneko, who was known as theJanis Joplinof Shimokitazawa. Following that is one of Japan’s greatest new wave disco tracks, “Hannya”, taken fromTomoko Aran‘s popular third albumFuyu-Kukan(1983) produced byMasatoshi Nishimura, who was part ofFriends Of EarthwithHaruomi Hosono.Masako Miyazaki, whose rendition ofSeawind‘s “He Loves You” is a fan favorite, puts her own spin onEarth, Wind & Fire‘s “Fantasy,” singing in her accent-heavy English, giving the song an undeniable character. “Watashi No Koukoku” is a certified disco-boogie classic byJunko Sakurada. The Brazilian-esque jazz fusion, “Sunshine Bright On Me” is by fusion groupKangaroo, who were often billed as “the japaneseShakatak“. “Stranger’s Night” is a synth-pop number byMaiko Okamoto, which bears a suspicious resemblance toRah Band‘s “The Shadow Of Your Love”. Electro-pop disco “Singing Lady”, off the sole album byThe Fadsounds like somethingGiorgio Morodercould’ve cooked up. “Magic Eyes” is a disco anthem recorded byTetsuji Hayashi‘s disco project,The Eastern Gang. Following that is Japanese soul gem “Crazy Baby,” found on a rare 7″ entitledMinato No SoulbyRinda Yamamotoalso composed and arranged byTetsuji Hayashi. Closing out this collection of 14 Japanese rare groove goodies is “I’m In Love”, a bittersweet mellow dance number byTomoko Aran.
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