Tokyo Pulse - Japanese Funk, Modern Soul And City Pop From The Tokyo Scene 1974-88

Description

The new funk selection Tokyo Pulse by DJ Notoya opens with a bang featuring the enchanting groove of "Yoru E Isogu Hito" by Naomi Chiaki, recorded in 1978 for the Nippon Columbia label. The track sets the tone with its laid-back tempo and hypnotic atmosphere, followed by "Ranhansha" by Yumi Murata (released in 1979), which adds a funkier touch to this selection, and then the more subdued rhythms of "Bagdad No Atari Nite" by the group L-E-V-E-L, signaling the more synthetic turn of the early 1980s. Side 1 concludes with "Lake In The Forest" by GAM, a title with elegant reggae accents from 1980, performed by several musicians from the cult Japanese group Arakawa Band. Side 2 opens with a leap to the late 1980s with "Mitsumeteirunoni" by Nami Shimada, a superb mid-tempo electro-funk track followed by the organic folk-soul sound of the group Bread & Butter with "Memory," originally released in 1974 on the Blow Up Records label. The track features a true "who's who" of the Japanese music scene, including Haruomi Hosono, Ray Ohara, Tatsuo Hayashi, and Shigeru Suzuki. The instrumental "After Image" by keyboardist Minoru Koyama adds a cinematic touch with jazz-fusion accents, while "Island Cuckoo" by Chikara Ueda & The Power Station, released in 1979 on Denon, injects a dose of funk blended with Brazilian influences. The compilation closes with the superb funk-folk track "Anata Wa Doko Ni Irundesuka" by the group Higurashi, an introspective piece from 1974 that wraps up the journey on a more emotional note. Tokyo Pulse offers a striking snapshot of the evolution of Tokyo grooves, embracing a wide diversity of styles ranging from funk to modern soul, as well as folk, reggae, electro, and jazzy pop. Carefully selected by DJ Notoya, the album captures the subtle evolutions that marked Japanese music during the 70s and 80s. A new centerpiece in the series that Wewantsounds dedicates to exploring the rich musical heritage of Japan, reaffirming Tokyo's place as a key city on the international music scene.