2017

Following successful disco excavation from the Caribbean to South Africa, Boston-based label Cultures of Soul booked a first class ticket to Narita to bring you the latest release, Tokyo Nights: Female J-Pop Boogie Funk: 1981 to 1988. This compilation presents 12 of the most memorable and sought-after songs of the era recorded by female artists. The music is a reflection of the unbridled optimism, technological achievement, excess and exuberance of Bubble-era Japan. More than catchy melodies and funky baselines, these are reflections of a time when Japan was the center, and future of the world.The Bubble can be characterized as an endless, extravagant party where personal and corporate wealth soared through the explosion of real estate and stock prices. Scores of young Japanese men and women moved to cities in search of affluence, transforming them into neon wonderlands. Changes in morals, values and gender roles followed suit. Prosperity leads to indulgence, and the taste for nightlife, from flashy restaurants to glitzy discotheques, was unquenchable. A soundtrack to this new, lavish lifestyle was necessary and the latest sound, City Pop (urban pop music for those with urban lifestyles), epitomized these attitudes.While influenced by American R&B and boogie, elements of fusion, YMO style Technopop, and adult-oriented rock (AOR) are front and center. Sung primarily in Japanese (with a word or two of English sprinkled in), City Pop is Japanese music for Japanese people. Producers like Tatsuro Yamashita, Toshiki Kadomatsu, and Haruomi Hosono were quick to embrace the latest studio equipment and technology. Synthesizers like the Yamaha DX7, Roland Juno-60, ARP Quadra, Moog Polymoog and Oberheim OB-8, as well as drum machines like the Linndrum, were prevalent. Digital reverb was applied liberally.Compiled by Eli Cohen (Alliance Upholstery) and Deano Sounds (Cultures of Soul), Tokyo Nights includes tracks by Hitomi Tohyama, Junko Ohashi, Mizuki Koyama, Kaoru Akimoto, Aru Takamura, Mariko Tone, Rie Murakami, RA MU, Kikuchi Momoko and Yumi Seino. Each selection celebrates the unique traits and meticulous production that define the sound. Think sandy beaches and metropolitan skylines, illumination and romance. Embrace the feeling of movement, from a coastal highway stretching towards the horizon or the city sprawling into the future. Turn on the hi-fi and slip into these Tokyo Nights.

For many years, Mr. Brady has been a staple in the hip-hop game, and has consistently found ways to reinvent himself and stay relevant. Many know Mr. Brady solely as an Emcee from albums such as Dirty, released via Battle Axe Records, or from his work with super collective Deep Rooted. What many fans might not know is that this multi-talented artist also uses his abilities to create the roots of his art. With just about every release of his own, Mr. Brady holds the feat of handling a majority of the production, which is what lead to the inevitable and much welcomed release of his instrumental studio album, Speechless. Producing for the likes of Diamond D, Blu, and Aloe Blacc to name only a few, Mr. Brady effortlessly hops behind the boards with his signature grit, raw, and soulful sound. Speechless is a primarily sample chop based 15-track opus, emitting hard-hitting drums and wobbly heavy basslines, designed to wake you out of slumber, with resonance that emanates throughout your entire body. From start to fnish, Speechless is more than a listen, but rather it is a journey, full of evoked emotions and feelings straight from the heart of Mr. Brady’s soul. On a record where Mr. Brady remains speechless, we undeniably hear him, loud and clear.