The FEMM story reaches a perfect close… FEMM have always felt like Avex’s secret weapon; a smart combination of both Japanese and Western music elements that should have scored bigger commercial success across the years since their inception. Tokyo Ex … Read More
Tokyo girls run the world 2020 proved to be a pivotal year for FEMM when they announced an “upgrade” from FEMM 1.0 to FEMM 2.0. RiRi and LuLa’s particular flavour of dancepop was also given a refresher course care of … Read More
New song, new album and a streaming performance on the way… December marks the 23rd Anniversary of ‘Time Will Tell’, Hikaru Utada’s debut single (the first single from their debut album First Love, released in 1999). Time certainly flies, but … Read More
The return of Ayu’s trance classic Ayumi Hamasaki needs little introduction as one of Avex’s most established musical powerhouses and one of Japan’s most well-known female musicians and singers. Now the reissue of classic 2002 remix album Cyber TRANCE presents … Read More
Anime pop go… J-pop duo GARNiDELiA continue adding to their anime theme song portfolio with new tune ‘Otome no kokoroe’, ahead of the release of a new album. Consisting of singer Mai Mizuhashi (aka MARiA) and Vocaloid producer Yoshinori Abe (aka toku), GARNiDELiA have previously lent … Read More
Exploring Japanese mythology… Songwriter and singer, performer and novelist of Japanese mythology and folklore, Ekotumi’s approach to music is grounded in an exploration of Japanese mythology, particularly the idea of kami, a Shinto concept which embodies “gods” as elements of … Read More
Feeling the light New record label Setsuzoku Records sprang from music promoters Orion Live in an effort to expand on their plans to deliver Japanese music directly to UK audiences. Starting up in 2020, the label has since gathered an … Read More
Wolf Anime Action Japanese rock outfit MAN WITH A MISSION have returned with new song ‘Merry-Go-Round’, which also serves as the latest opening theme to popular anime series My Hero Academia. The new song comes on the back of MAN … Read More
Evocative idol goodness This month delivered a nice surprise from idol outfit Shiritsu Ebisu Chuugaku, where they demonstrated a softer approach with their song ‘Nanairo’ for popular YouTube channel The First Take. The performance was also given an added appeal … Read More
You can just be yourself Those people with a keen interest in J-pop in the UK will of course be aware of Orion Live’s passion in bringing underground acts to the country in previous years. Their efforts have in turn … Read More
It’s time to level up… 2020 was a busy year for the “mannequins with emotion” as FEMM announced an upgrade of sorts from FEMM 1.0 to FEMM 2.0. This switch-up offered an evolution of the duo’s approach and style, but … Read More
Sealed with a kiss… While their distinctive electronic pop sound is present and correct, FEMM’s latest outing features a video that showcases a very different approach from our favourite pop mannequin outfit. Previously, FEMM (aka RiRi and LuLa) managed to … Read More
The year in J-pop… 2020 has proved to be a grim year for many reasons, but chiefly because of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. It also meant that many live shows and events (including Hyper Japan) were either cancelled … Read More
This kiss you give, it’s never going to fade away… Although the history of the 20th Century is littered with significant events, there’s probably few that can match the scale and impact of the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. It … Read More
Stylish Synth Appeal The name of Maika Loubté will probably find familiarity among anime fans for her contributions to Carole & Tuesday. The musical sci-fi anime by Cowboy Bebop creator Shinichiro Watanabe has proved to be popular anime title of … Read More
Slick and stylish moments Having combined the visual style of Gothic Lolita with a theatrical baroque pop approach to her music, Kanon Wakeshima swiftly won fans over with her 2008 debut ‘Still Doll’. Albums such as 2009’s Shinshoku Dolce and … Read More
The year in J-pop… 2019 saw a mixed year of underground idol action, new releases from established acts and more than a few interesting UK-based events. Here’s J-Pop Go’s review of the year… The year started off with some sad … Read More
Fox God in Space Following the release of their 2016 album Metal Resistance (see J-Pop Go review previously), Babymetal seemed to be beset by a variety of dramas and tragedy. In 2018, the trio were reduced to two when Yuimetal … Read More
Perky pop gems The curiously-named Zombie-Chang offers up some mesmerising compositions on Petit Petit Petit. Weaving in synth-pop elements with bass and percussion, the end result is a collection of crisp tunes that could be viewed as a palate cleanser … Read More
Wave rock wonder It’s perhaps tough to grasp how long Shonen Knife have been in business as a music combo. Originally formed in 1981 by sisters Naoko (see J-Pop Go interview previously) and Atsuko Yamano alongside Michie Nakatani, Shonen Knife have since cultivated their … Read More
Metal mayhem returns… With the release of yet another new tune in the form of ‘PA PA YA!!’, it seems appropriate to check in on what’s happening with everyone’s favourite metal maids Babymetal. With a Glastonbury appearance booked in – … Read More
Between lost and found… Rie fu grew up influenced by a love of iconic artists such as Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush and Karen Carpenter. That singer/songwriter aesthetic has certainly found roots in Rie’s approach to composing her own … Read More
Dempa Rocket Go It’s fair to say that Dempagumi.inc have seen some dramatic changes in their career in the years since their last studio album (2016’s Gogo Dempa – see J-Pop Go review previously). Moga Mogami sadly parted ways with … Read More
Cyber Pop Go Music seems to love a neat, orderly system of genres for artists and bands to be filed in. Occasionally, however, some bands turn up that prove difficult to nail down to any one niche. Tokyo’s Psydoll are … Read More
Voyaging across the black seas of infinity… One of the groups that seem to have made a strong impression in recent years is occult outfit Necronomidol. Originally founded by Ricky Wilson, an ex-pat American musician who had spent time dabbling … Read More
The year in J-pop… 2018 saw some turbulent events in the world of Japanese music, including some line-up changes and one significant retirement. But among the stories were some good record releases – and more than a few newer acts … Read More
Pink pop perfection Synthpop artist Tentenko has been busy in her own particular technicolor world of music for a number of years, a journey which has resulted in this new eponymous album venture which showcases a variety of pop flavours. … Read More
Rock trio deliver heavy-duty tunes… Japan’s continuing interest in guitar bands has seen a curious renaissance in recent times, particularly from female-fronted rock acts. From the garage punk aesthetic of Mutant Monster through to the Heavy Metal leanings of BAND-MAID, … Read More
Gothic Pop perfection Die Milch’s 2013 debut Metronom demonstrated a confident hand at combining classical influences with more contemporary pop elements. There was a dynamic quality to compositions such as ‘Rosaria’ that managed to deliver effective melodies that stuck in … Read More
Heavy duty rock from BRATS With the release today of their first full-length album, rock outfit BRATS Have unveiled a new video for ‘Doudatte yokatta’. The album comes along at a point where the rock trio have been keeping a … Read More
Dark Side Delights… Since their formation back in 2010, the metal maids of BABYMETAL have gone on to achieve a startling level of popularity. The trio of Su-Metal, Moametal and Yuimetal are one of the few outfits to achieve significant … Read More
Idol Pop comes to the UK… As previously reported on J-Pop Go, idol outfit Maison book girl will be giving the UK market a push with both a new single and some select performance dates. ‘Bath Room – UK Version’ … Read More
The sultry charms of Fifi Rong awaken once again… Having surprised listeners with the dynamic electropop of ‘The Same Road’ in 2017 (see our sister site The Electricity Club’s review), Fifi Rong launches her latest EP Awake with a strong … Read More
BRATS rock back into action… Rock outfit BRATS have released the video for new song ‘Kimarigoto’ proving the rock trio still have the chops to deliver a powerful tune. The track is a new studio recording of a live song … Read More
2017 has been a mixed combo of winners in many genres, including some classic artists. Here’s the songs that J-Pop Go think stood out this year – along with the personal lists from the J-Pop Go contributors… Perfume – TOKYO … Read More
Shooting for the stars… With her debut album Spades & Stars just released, Himezawa has had an opportunity to reflect on her fortunes since relocating to Japan several years back. The German-born musician, model, author and performer had started her … Read More
Evocative harp music sends love from Japan… Julia Mascetti has established herself as a freelance harpist and music teacher, currently living in Tokyo. A few years back, Julia had emerged on the anime con circuit with her unique cover versions … Read More
The tunesome threesome return with an electropop moment… Following on from the release of Perfume’s 5th studio album COSMIC EXPLORER in 2016, the technopop trio have kept themselves busy with touring, the release of the documentary WE ARE PERFUME and … Read More
The former LADYBABY duo prove that they’re an outfit that can’t be licked… The initial success of LADYBABY was something of a surprise to all parties concerned. ‘Nippon Manju’, the song that propelled the 3-piece idol outfit to global attention, … Read More
BRATS return with new CD release… Rei Kuromiya lives an interesting life, dividing her time between idol outfit The Idol Formerly Known As LADYBABY – as well as the rock outfit BRATS which she shares with sister Aya Kuromiya. Now … Read More
KPP scrambles up some serviceable J-Pop… The whole ‘Wacky Japan’ trope has become a bit tiresome – and us enthusiasts of Japanese pop culture are always keen to explain that Japan counts for more than a collection of bizarre visuals … Read More
BRATS return with the energetic rock of ‘AINIKOIYO’… One of J-Pop Go’s songs of 2015 was the percussive pop of ’14-sai boy’ brought to us via BRATS, the outfit formed by sisters Rei Kuromiya (vocals) and Aya Kuromiya (bass). If … Read More
After bringing the wonderful ‘RUN and RUN’ with its unique video, Tokyo-based outfit lyrical school return with the seasonal ‘Summer Foundation’. The video for ‘Summer Foundation’ uses synchronised firework choreography that was filmed at the Aioi Peron Festival at the … Read More
Everyone’s favourite metal maids return with album No. 2… The rapid rise of BABYMETAL as a global phenomenon certainly took people by surprise. That it happened in a period of time in which other Japanese outfits have been trying their … Read More
Raw idol goodness from Ebichu… The idol scene appears to be going through a particularly active period at the moment with both new groups and old groups jostling for position. It’s a situation that’s also been accentuated by the emergent … Read More
Go go gadget Dempa… With the release of their fourth studio album Gogo Dempa, Dempagumi.inc appear to be on the path to establishing themselves as veteran idols. The real question is whether of not this suggests an evolution in their … Read More
In the continuing arms race of clever videos it’s down to idol outfit lyrical school to push the envelope with their mobile phone-friendly pv for ‘RUN and RUN’… Originally starting out as tengal6 back in 2010, the Tokyo-based group recreated … Read More
PERFUME return with an album of quality and distinction… It’s been 3 years since Perfume’s last studio album LEVEL3 – a time that’s seen J-Pop continually evolving while more and more acts enter an increasingly busy scene. Perfume have enjoyed … Read More
2015 was a particularly strong year for J-pop which saw some old favourites as well as the debuts of some fine talents. Here’s our take of the best songs of the year… Otsukare Summer – Dempagumi.inc The arrival of Dempagumi.Inc’s … Read More
PERFUME offer an insight into the inner workings of J-pop’s finest in a new documentary… London was fortunate enough to have the opportunity of a screening of the new Perfume documentary WE ARE Perfume -WORLD TOUR 3rd DOCUMENT this month. … Read More
LADYBABY’s Rei Kuromiya releases new video for her BRATS outing… With LADYBABY enjoying a surge of publicity recently, it might be surprising to learn that Rei Kuromiya has been busy with her other outfit BRATS. BRATS, which also features Rei’s … Read More
FLAVIYAKE returns with some anime-inspired pop goodness… The electropop wonder that is FLAVIYAKE took us by surprise when she emerged on the scene several years ago. The Moldovian musical prodigy (she was writing songs at age 10 – and was … Read More
With an aggressive lyrical style, CHARISMA.COM challenge your J-pop expectations on this new vinyl release… Although they had been friends at school, it wasn’t until Itsuka and Gonchi left that the pair entertained the idea of doing music together. The … Read More
4TE member Chii releases her solo single ‘Why Do I’ – a smooth electronic pop delight… 4TE are a J-pop-influenced 4-piece based in the US. Formed in 2013, the four members (Chii, Jenny, Micchi, and Mei) collaborated with producers Berry … Read More
Making her singing debut, HIMEZAWA steps forth with new single release ‘Wagamama Love’… Originally hailing from Germany, HIMEZAWA spent a brief time in the UK before moving to Japan where she became a model for Asobisystem. Her cosplaying career kicked … Read More
The activities of alternative idol outfit Brand-new Idol Society managed to spark the interest of Jojo Hiroshige back in 2012. Hiroshige fronted classic noise band Hijokaidan, whose own antics seemed to suggest similar themes in line with BiS. Hiroshige had … Read More
While the UK summer appears to be being washed away by torrential rain this week, we can still brighten our lives up with the aid of a few good tunes. Fortunately, KELSEY ELLISON has released a new song just in … Read More
Weapons of Dempa Destruction… The arrival of Dempagumi.Inc’s third studio album brings with it some of the best examples of contemporary idol music. In a period where idol outfits are generally still in the ascendant, it’s always a nice surprise … Read More
The Gothic Pop outfit enter their Imperial Phase… Die Milch surprised everyone with the release of debut album Metronom in 2013, demonstrating a remarkably effective baroque pop approach. Now comes their new album Imperial – a stylish collection of songs … Read More
“People Usually Aren’t Idols for 10 Years, Are They?” Berryz Koubou’s 35th single, released 10 years after their debut seemed to have the optimistic message: Berryz were the idols who would be going against the grain and be around for … Read More
Fifi Rong returns with a new video and a special headline London performance… The release of Next Pursuit by Fifi Rong back in April provided us with a collection of smooth, soulful tunes. As we noted in our feature on … Read More
Technopop trio going strong… With the exception of those living under a rock recently, it’s clear that J-Pop superstars Perfume have been quite busy recently with song releases and tour plans. ‘Cling Cling’, which offers up Perfume’s 25th single release … Read More
Beyond the 5th Dimension… The release of 5TH DIMENSION in 2013 landed MOMOIRO CLOVER Z with their first No.1 position on the Oricon charts, shifting over 235,000 copies. It’s time to catch up with what our colourful 5-piece outfit have … Read More
The politics of plastic It’s time to catch up on our favorite musical Moldovian as FLAVIYAKE unveils her latest video ‘Because I’m A Doll’, whose cartoon world explores the ideas of the perception of women and sexual politics. As Flaviyake … Read More
Fifi Rong returns with her unique stylish sounds… Fifi Rong has been keeping a high profile of late with the 2013 release of her debut single ‘Over You’ and debut album Wrong, a guest appearance on Tricky’s album False Idols, … Read More
For Fox Sake… Although the outfit formed in 2010, it’s only now that the raucous trio known as BABYMETAL have released their debut album, the eponymously titled BABYMETAL. Originally formed as a sub-unit of idol outfit Sakura Gakuin under the … Read More
Former BiS member YUFU TERASHIMA has revealed the video for her debut solo release ‘Youflight’. ‘Youflight’, as previously reported, was penned by Yumemi Nemu (DEMPAGUMI INC) and composed by rionos (who is also working with former AKB48 star Erena Ono). … Read More
More details have emerged about former Brand-New Idol Society member YUFU TERASHIMA‘s forthcoming single release, which now has the title ‘Youflight’. ‘Youflight’ was penned by Yumemi Nemu (DEMPAGUMI INC) and composed by rionos (also working with former AKB48 star Erena … Read More
BiS go Odd… Our chums in Brand-New Idol Society have a new single release titled ‘STUPiG’ out this month – and just to be different they’re releasing 6 different versions of the video for the track ‘ODD FUTURE’. The concept … Read More
Baroque pop goodness Die Milch’s debut album Metronom boasts a superb collection of baroque pop tunes with a strong sense of classical influences and contemporary musical touches. Instrumental opening track ‘Dynamite’ acts in many ways as an overture to the … Read More
At the culmination of her UK tour, Legendary Godmother of Japanese Electronica, Coppé rounded things off with a special post-tour party in London. The location of choice was Rudy’s Revenge cocktail bar, a hidden gem amongst London’s nighttime venues. Guests … Read More
Perfume return with a slice of serviceable technopop Having achieved domestic success, the Technopop trio of Perfume continue to carve their global path and appear to have emerged as the flag-waving vanguard for J-Pop. LEVEL3 is Perfume’s 4th studio album … Read More
Savvy UK fans will be aware that PERFUME’s new album LEVEL3 will be getting a UK release (both physical and digital) on 28th October, but even before LEVEL3 has made itself comfortable another single release is inbound titled ‘Sweet Refrain’. … Read More
5TH DIMENSION marks the long-awaited follow-up album to Momoiro Clover Z’s 2011 album release Battle And Romance. As their first album is largely considered a classic of the J-Pop genre, how does their sophomore album shape up? As expected, 5TH … Read More
Screaming Cinderella in action If you’re lucky enough to be attending the Japan Expo in Paris this month, you’ll also have an opportunity to meet popular illustrator and singer Aki Akane who will be both appearing and performing at the … Read More
The musical talents of Raychell… RAYCHELL’s debut album release via Avex, L>R serves up a collection of tunes that demonstrate the ability of the soulful songstress to embrace a broad variety of styles. From wistful piano-led ballads to edgy electropop … Read More
Smooth J-Pop stylings The arrival of Yun*chi has, in some respects, been decidedly low-key – although with fellow ASOBISYSTEM stablemate Kyary Pamyu Pamyu courting more column inches, this is to be expected. As mentioned previously, Yun*chi’s approach to the world … Read More
Tales from Bisneyland… Since their inception, the ‘anti-idol’ idol outfit Brand-New Idol Society have gone through some line-up changes, fake breakup speeches, released some eyebrow-raising videos and generally gone out of their way to get attention. Their antics have clearly … Read More
Taking their lead from Japan’s diverse Idol outfits, Oishii!Ichigo are the UK’s own homegrown equivalent, albeit without the generous financial backing of record labels or marketing outfits. Instead, the Oishii! Outfit are a good example of enthusiasts pooling their resources … Read More
Colourful idol outfit Momoiro Clover Z have revealed the video for their new release ‘Saraba, Itoshiki Kanashimi-tachi Yo’ and are clearly going for a gothic theme. It’s bizarre that we’re seeing so many dark and spooky visual themes lately. It’s … Read More
Raw rock energy Feisty 3-piece outfit TOQUIWA have their eponymous new album now out, which also marks their debut release on the Scopitones label. Scopitones is the home label of UK post-punk band The Wedding Present and TOQUIWA will be … Read More
Japan’s top idol outfit AKB48 have made the video for new single ‘UZA’ available and shows the group adopting a Gothic visual look, whilst also going for a more Electropop sound. The title of the single ‘UZA’ refers to the … Read More
A trip to Bisneyland… Our favourite idol group BiS (Brand-New Idol Society) today mark their first release on the Avex label with the release of new single ‘PPCC’. It’s been an interesting path for the girls who present a much … Read More
Pop rock perfection… Pop Tune follows on from Shonen Knife’s 2010 release Free Time (and also their 2011 Osaka Ramones album). You could never accuse them of being slackers. For a band that’s been going since 1981, they’re remarkably productive … Read More
Iconic rock outfit go Pop POP TUNE – The new album from pop-punk trio Shonen Knife is released in the UK today! The UK version of the album, which is released via Damnably, also features a different variation of the … Read More
A look at the anime series phenomenon K-On! swiftly emerged as a classic anime series on its initial outing. As well as being seen to promote and encourage music, the series also managed to be great entertainment at the same … Read More
There’s an intriguing electronic music scene in Japan at the moment which is the polar opposite of the more familiar primary colours of the contemporary J-Pop scene. Jesse Ruins is a good example of this with their moody electronic soundscapes … Read More
With the release of ‘Strawberry Cream Soda Pop Daydream’ in 2009 it looked like this Best Of album would mark the end of Tomoko Kawase’s alter ego project as Tommy February6. So it was a welcome relief that in 2011 … Read More
Classic tune gets smooth remix Saori Yuki is a Japanese singer who began her career in the 1960’s specialising in Kayokyoku – a style of Japanese music that was a result of absorbing various Western styles. She scored a Japanese … Read More
The Technopop trio return Following on from 2009’s Triangle album, Perfume return with JPN to continue their domination of the Technopop landscape. Debuting at No. 1 in the Oricon chart (the album sold 227,000 copies in its first week alone) … Read More
Iconic artist returns The first word which sprang to mind when I listened to this album was “surprising”. The title is significant – Hikaru Utada hasn’t just departed from her old style of music, this is definitely an ‘Exodus’. Listening … Read More