News
Hiroshima Ayako releasing mini-album “Rainbow” on January 26.
Rainbow (album cover)
Courtesy of CD Japan
Singer-songwriter Hiroshima Ayako is releasing a new EP 6 years after her last album! Rainbow will contain 6 original songs; Ayako’s most recent singles, released in 2013, will not be included on this disc. The artist, who also plays guitar and piano, has been touring and performing for many years, and most of the songs on this release have been performed live in the past.
Scroll down below the track list to see videos of Hiroshima Ayako performing songs from the album live.
Skygraph debut mini-album “Lost Pages” out on January 17!
Lost Pages (album cover)
Courtesy of CD Japan
Progressive/djent metal band Skygraph is releasing their first mini-album on CD next month! Titled Lost Pages, the debut effort includes their first two digital singles, “Wings” and “Glass Skylight” among 7 total tracks. The EP debuted digitally on Amazon Music in June this year, but is now coming to CD on January 18th. In the meantime, the band has been garnerning attention online and through their live performances this year, including a tour through China and Japan.
Scroll down below the track list to see playthroughs and song samples on their YouTube channel.
Ueno Yuuka 2nd album “U to You” out on January 17!
U to You (limited edition B cover)
Courtesy of CD Japan
Ueno Yuuka, a cutesy teen pop singer and actress, is releasing her second album on January 17th! Titled U to You, it has plenty of sap alongside vocal ability contained in 12 songs. The single “Tomodachi gokko” and a cover of Mister Children’s “Shirushi” will be included.
U to You is being released in 3 editions (limited edition A with a Blu-Ray disc and photobook, limited edition B with a micanga–a small decorative object that can hang from a cellphone, and regular CD-only edition); the 12th track of the album differs depending on the edition.
Sakamoto Maaya new single “CLEAR” out in January!
CLEAR (single cover)
Courtesy of Amazon Japan
Popular singer/seiyuu Sakamoto Maaya is releasing a new single on January 31st! “CLEAR” will be the theme song to a new Card Captor Sakura TV animation series. Maaya is reprising this role, as she sang the theme song to the CCS anime show, titled “Platinum,” 18 years ago.
This single will include 5 tracks total; in addition to the title song, an original song titled “Record” and an acoustic live version of “Platinum” will be released as B-sides, and instrumental versions of the 2 new songs will be included.
Limited first-press bonus of a Card Captor Sakura sticker will be included for those who order the single, and are currently listed as available on CD Japan.
LUNA SEA releasing new album “LUV” on December 20th!
LUV (limited edition cover)
Courtesy of CD Japan
Veteran rock band LUNA SEA is releasing a new album on December 20th! Luv will be their 9th studio album, releasing 31 years after the band originally formed in 1986. The album will contain 12 tracks total and come in 2 editions. Other than the single “Limit”, the album’s songs will be original. The band is going on tour to commemorate the new release, starting in January.
Katahira Rina new album “Ai no Sei” out on December 20
Ai no Sei (album cover)
Courtesy of CD Japan
Singer-songwriter Katahira Rina is releasing her third album on December 20th! Ai no Sei will contain singles “Namae” (naked version) and “Ketsuro” among 11 total tracks. Both songs were featured as tie-ups to the Papa no Obento wa Sekai-ichi movie and Mayoiga anime show, respectively, and “lucy” was used in a commercial. The first press edition of the album will include several goodies including special packaging, the guitar chords to the new song “Irei no hito” and a guitar pick.
Shibasaki Ko best collections out on December 20!
Ko Shibasaki All Time Best: Uta
(album cover: Universal edition)
Courtesy of CD Japan
Singer and actress Shibasaki Ko is releasing two best albums on December 20th! Both albums are titled “Uta” but with different kanji; one collects her songs from her Universal Music label era (2002 to 2014) and other, from her songs released on the Victor label from 2014 to the present. The Universal album contains 32 songs total on 2 discs, while the Victor album contains 16 songs. Notable songs include “Tsuki no shizuku” and “Katachi aru mono” among other hit singles on the Universal album, and recent singles “Aoi hoshi”, “Yasei no doumei” on the Victor album. Both albums include songs from Ko’s collaboration project KOH+, with Masaharu Fukuyama.
DAOKO new album “Thank You Blue” out on December 20!
Thank You Blue (album cover)
Courtesy of CD Japan
Singer and rapper DAOKO is releasing her 5th album (second under the Toy’s Factory label), Thank You Blue, next month! The album will be released on December 20th and include the recent hit single “Uchiage hanabi” in collaboration with Yonezu Kenshi, along with singles “Onaji yoru”, “Samishii kamisama”, “STEP UP LOVE” in collaboration with Okamura Yasuyuki, “ShibuyaK”, “Haikei Goodbye sayonara”, “BANG!”, “DAISUKI with TeddyLoid”, and “Moshimo bokura ga GAME no shuyaku de.”
Matsu Takako new album “Ashita wa Doko Kara” out on December 6!
Ashita wa Doko Kara (album cover)
Courtesy of CD Japan
Matsu Takako is releasing a new album after many years! The respected actress and singer-songwriter’s 10th album comes 8 years after her last one. Ashita wa Doko Kara is the album’s title as well as the title track, released as a single. The album’s release date is December 6th, while the single is out this month on November 15th. The song is the theme for TV drama series Warotenka. 12 tracks total will be on the album, including a collaboration with Sheena Ringo, “Otona no Okite” which is the theme song for TV drama Quartet, and 2 bonus tracks.
Sheena Ringo cover album “Reimport Vol.2” out on December 6!
Reimport Vol.2 (limited edition cover)
Courtesy of CD Japan
Eclectic musician, singer, and all-around artist Sheena Ringo is releasing her second self cover project, titled Reimport Vol.2. The album will contain 11 tracks, all songs that Sheena produced, most of which she originally wrote for other artists to sing.
The album will be released in two versions, a limited edition with hardcover book packaging, and a regular CD edition. The limited edition will retail for 500 yen more than the regular edition, but does not include bonus material.
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