Fresh Grabs

Participated (and successfully completed) no buy Q1 2024. I went on a bit of a spree in Japan, and just a lone purchase in person when I returned home.

April Acquisitions

Vacation finds 🇯🇵🗾

Anri (杏里) - Bi‣Ki-Ni
Anri (杏里) - Summer Farewells
Tomoko Aran (亜蘭知子) - 浮遊空間
Nina Atsuko (二名敦子) - Windy Island
Casiopea (カシオペア) - Photographs
Mari Iijima (飯島真理) - Rosé

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Discounted new reissue of Bi‣Ki-Ni for ¥3000 in great shape. Found the other OG Anri title in the same Yokohama shop.
Tomoko Aran reissue at Tower Records in Yokohama.
I could tell from the album artwork alone that this Nina Atsuko record would be a delight. ¥2250 for a great condition OG.
Casiopea with guaranteed heat.
Loved Mari Iijima's blanche that I tried last year, but I think her debut Rosé is even better! Had it in my wishlist, and finding one in VG+ shape for ¥1200 was a steal. Ryuichi Sakamoto (坂本龍一) on production too?!?!? YES. I def hear a more playful YMO sound on this one.


Akira Inoue (井上鑑) - Prophetic Dream
Hiromi Iwasaki (岩崎宏美) - Wish
Asami Kado (門あさ美) - Fascination
Asami Kado (門あさ美) - Hot Lips
Kimiko Kasai (笠井紀美子) - Tokyo Special
Momoko Kikuchi (菊池桃子) - Ocean Side

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Got all of the above except Kimiko at a very high quality store in Kanazawa. In particular, I'm very excited about coming across the Hiromi Iwasaki record, as I was originally turned onto it from MP. It was quite expensive in MP at $50, but coming across this in the Kanazawa store for ¥1800 is among my best ever used finds. Her voice is among the most beautiful I've ever heard in city pop, a word that I do not typically associate with this genre of music.
As for Kimiko, I found the excellent J-jazz singer's record in Shibuya for a very cool ¥1500. Pairs nicely with Butterfly (one of my SS gifts from last year), where she sings entirely in English with jazz legend Herbie Hancock laying down the instrumental foundation.


Momoko Kikuchi (菊池桃子) - Tropic of Capricorn
Miki Matsubara (松原みき) - Pocket Park
Miki Matsubara (松原みき) - Cupid
Eichi Ohtaki (大滝詠一) - A Long Vacation
Nujabes, Fat Jon - Departure
Nujabes, FORCE OF NATURE, Fat Jon - Impression

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Kikuchi Momoko title for cheap (¥860)? Of course!
Miki Matsubara was a legend. "真夜中のドア/Stay With Me" will forever be a city pop smash. RIP. Almost didn't get Cupid before flying home.
I encountered so many Eichi Ohtaki records, particularly an abundance of A Long Vacation. All of the new reissues were absurdly priced, so I settled on an OG copy with an OBI for ¥2300.
Both of the Samurai Champloo OSTs acquired at Tower Records Yokohama. Pricey, but far cheaper than buying in the States.


Rajie (ラジ) - Heart to Heart
Mitsuhiro Sakakibara (榊原光裕) - 水の彩 Clouds In The Water
Masayoshi Takanaka (高中正義) - An Insatiable High
Masayoshi Takanaka (高中正義) - Can I Sing?
Yuko Tomita (とみたゆう子) - Shampoo
Tatsuro Yamashita (山下達郎) - Go Ahead!

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Rajie was on my wishlist after listening to a few songs on a city pop playlist last year. Found one for a decent price in Shibuya.
I was convinced by a shop owner to try out this Mitsuhiro Sakakibara record, a mixture of ambient and jazz. It was given private press treatment and not many copies exist, even in Japan. I paid more for it than any record here, but I feel it was worth it.
I almost didn't get these Takanaka records; went back to Shibuya after arriving at Haneda Airport several hours ahead of time to guage travel time before going home that day. Glad to have them now at least.
I took a flyer on Yuko Tomita's Deux last year for ¥680 just because of the album artwork, and enjoyed it far more than I thought. Sifted through her discography and enjoyed Shampoo the most...very opportune to come across the only copy I could find in Shibuya for ¥1200.
Heavily discounted new reissue of this lesser known Tatsuro Yamashita title for ¥2500.


Tatsuro Yamashita (山下達郎) - Moonglow
Tatsuro Yamashita (山下達郎) - For You
Akiko Yano (矢野顕子) - ごはんができたよ
Akiko Yano (矢野顕子) - ただいま
Toshiko Yonegawa (米川敏子) - Tapestry Koto & The Occident Hillside (箏 山を詩う)
V/A - Hydeout Productions - 2nd Collections

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More Tatsuro goodness. Moonglow from Shibuya Disk Union for an also amazingly discounted ¥2500 and For You (full price) back in Kanazawa.
Akiko Yano is one of my top50 all time, and I was able to find some more fairly priced originals on this past visit! Found ごはんができたよ in Yokohama and the very eclectic and exuberant ただいま in Shibuya. Very happy. Would recommend her to listeners of Kate Bush.
Found the reissue of this series of traditional koto music intertwined with downtempo in Tower Records along with the Hydeout comp.


PIF Claims, Gift, Backorder and Lone Purchase

Boris - Heavy Rocks '02
City Girl - Chroma Velocity
Kid Fears - Undying Love
Sophia Kourtesis - Madres
Hikaru Utada (ヒカル宇多田) - Fantôme

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Will be seeing Boris for a third time in about five months, and realized I didn't have the excellent original Hot Rocks from '02 after it was given a first-ever vinyl issue last year. Thought it would be sold out by now in most avenues just like with Flood, but Music Millennium 🤢 did come through in the clutch with a lone indie exclusive orange 2xLP available. They'll be playing the entirety of Amplifier Worship on this upcoming tour.
Got the Bandcamp crowdfunded City Girl LP half a year later as an investment, much like with the previous two.
Kid Fears and Hikki are PIF claims courtesy of @Wes C. Attle and @imajindat, respectively.
One of my top10 from last year, Madres took forever to get here on backorder from DeepDiscount all the way in November, but it did arrive in mid-March...with seam splits. Didn't bother with asking for a replacement.
 
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Would be interested in your impressions of the vinyl.

I’ll let you know later in the week when I get around to spinning to it, it’s in the HumminGuru now and it’s getting late here.

It is visually a very nice, heavy, clean looking Pallas press.

Half way through the bright side mix, this pressing is exceptional.
 
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