SHY,KOKIA, Arashiro Beni,PUFFY,Tamaki Hiroshi, Heartsdales,Porno Graffitti, HY, Koyanagi Yuki
Hello!! This week's entry is filled with mostly song requests, which is just as good since some nice songs have been requested!~
A few new November releases have also been added.
AudioScrobbler -Want a song that I've been listening to? Request it!~
Songs not there can also be requested.
Any requests are to be left in your comments, I'll try my best.
Enjoy!!~
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SHY
with me ~ SNATCH
Single - with me／スラッシュ
Style - Pop/R&B
Language - Japanese
Release - 2004.11.17
Quality - High
Rating - ★★★★☆
Official Website
♪ Profile
SHY started dancing ever since the age of 9 and have hence became familiar to Western music for this reason. Her dream was to become a dancer. After high school she began to take further dance lessons under several professional dancers rather than studying dance as an academic course.
SHY's debut came in 2003, April 23rd with the single 'DOUBLE LIMITS'. First album 'CIRCUS' released in November 27th of the same year. Her music style focuses in an upbeat Funk, R&B as well as Pop. She also writes her own music on most occasions.
♪ Notes
「with me／スラッシュ」 [with me / Slash] is SHY's 5th single, a double A-sided release consisting of three new songs all written and composed by SHY herself.
'with me' is an upbeat pop track with some R&B element, very different to last single 'PRECIOUS DAYS' which sounded more like a mix of pop and folk.
[Requested]
KOKIA
The Power Of Smile ~ SNATCH
Single - The Power of Smile
Style - Folk/Mid-tempo Ballad
Language - Japanese
Release - 2003.09.24
Quality - High
Rating - ★★★★★
Official Website
♪ Profile
Playing the piano rather than with toys KOKIA began to develop the ability of expression through music since her early childhood years.
Between the ages of ten to fourteen KOKIA studied at a Music School in the US, through her experiences she built up a firm belief in the possibilities of music overcoming language barriers.
She studied Opera during both high school and university, and Classical music at music school.
KOKIA made her debut in 1998, April 29th with her single '愛しているから' [Aishiteiru kara].
In 1999, self composed third single 'Arigatou' won third place in Hong Kong's International Popular Music Awards. The song was also covered in Cantonese by popular Hong Kong female artist Sammi Cheng.
First album 'Songbird' released on July, 16th of the same year became an even bigger hit in Hong Kong. KOKIA had hence began spending more time in neighbouring Asian countries including Taiwan.
In the past recent years she has returned to focusing on homeland Japan continuing with her wonderful song writing.
♪ Notes
'The Power of Smile' is one of KOKIA's major hit single from 2003. It was also the CM song for Japanese Kao Soap Company's 'Essential damage care' for hair.
A lovely, 'feel good' song to chill to.
Arashiro Beni [安良城紅]
Song for love ~ SNATCH
Single - Here Alone
Style - Ballad
Language - Japanese
Release - 2004.11.25
Quality - High
Rating - ★★★☆☆
Official Website
♪ Profile
Half Japanese, half American, Beni was bought up in Japan and had lived in the US during her childhood.
Her first step to fame and recognition took place when she became the finalist to Japan's 'Kokumin-teki Bishojo Contest' [National Beauty Contest].
Her singing career started off with the girl group 'Bishoujo Club 21'.
Debut solo single 'Harmony' released this year on June, 9th.
♪ Notes
'Here Alone' debuted at number 9 on ORICON reflecting a rise in Beni's popularity, not to be confused with quality. Title track to last single 'Infinite' was stronger incomparison to the latest 'Here Alone' making the coupling track 'Song for love' more favourable -that is, if one had to choose between the two.
Nevertheless, I've added Beni to this entry since someone requested for more Beni when 'Infinite' was released last month.
[Requested]
PUFFY
TEEN TITANS THEME (Japanese Version) ~ SNATCH
Album - 59
Style - Pop Rock
Language - Japanese
Release - 2004.03.31
Quality - High
Rating - ★★★★☆
Official Website
♪ Profile
The two were strangers to each other until in 1995 when Ami sent a demo to Sony and Yumi auditioned for a management company. The two parties soon realised that the two paired together was just what they were looking for, Ami and Yumi meshed uncannily well as vocalists with a unique blend of voices.
Their debut single アジアの純真 [Asia No Junshin] released in 1996 was a million-selling record, their success continued with several more full-length releases totalling 14 million sales in Japan.
They hosted their own TV show 'Pa-pa-pa-pa-Puffy' which ended in 2002. They have since focused on the US with promotional tours and releasing previous Japanese releases.
On November 19th Puffy's own animated series Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi premiered on Cartoon Network in the US.
♪ Notes
'TEEN TITANS THEME' is the song for the animated TV show 'TEEN TITANS', the song requested is the Japanese version, from their current album '59' released earlier this year.
[Requested]
Tamaki Hiroshi [玉木宏]
Seasons ~ SNATCH
Single - Seasons
Style - Ballad
Language - Japanese
Release - 2004.06.02
Quality - High
Rating - ★★★☆☆
Official Website
♪ Profile
Tamaki Hiroshi, now aged 24, started off in a career of acting, starring in movies and J-dramas since 2001, and have since become the face of several television CMs'.
'Seasons' is Hiroshi's debut single, ranked 14th position on first appearance on ORICON.
Second single 'Emotion' released on November 10th became theme tune of the month for TV show 'HEY! HEY! HEY!'.
First full album 'RIPPLE' is due to release on December 15th.
♪ Notes
I haven't seen any of Hiroshi's dramas or movies but after seeing the name 玉木宏 around so frequently I decided to check his songs out, what struck me at first was his deep voice, I didn't expect it having only seen pictures of him. Unfortunately 'Seasons' is nothing particularly special. A nice ballad.
[Requested]
Heartsdales feat. SUITE CHIC
WET 'N WILD ~ SNATCH
Album - SUGAR SHINE
Style - R&B, Rap
Language - Japanese
Release - 2003.09.25
Quality - High
Rating - ★★★★★
Official Website
♪ Profile
The sister rappers Jewels and Rum, produced by Verbal of m-flo debuted in December 2001 with the single 'So Tell Me' ranking 8th position on first day of release.
Both have once lived in New York for a length of time and are perfectly fluent in English, they specialise in rapping and singing with a mix of both languages.
SUITE CHIC was a project formed in 2003 by a number of J-R&B singers who came together to do numerous collabs for a one time album. At the forefront of this project was super singing sensation Amuro Namie.
♪ Notes
WET 'N WILD is an urban, R&B track complete with mainly raps by Heartsdales featuring SUITE CHIC, Namie Amuro.
Heartsdales 9th single 'fantasy' is due out on December 15th.
[Requested x2]
Porno Graffitti
Tasogare Romance [黄昏ロマンス] ~ SNATCH
Single - Tasogare Romance
Style - Folk, Ballad
Language - Japanese
Release - 2004.11.10
Quality - High
Rating - ★★★★☆
Official Website
♪ Profile
Porno Graffitti are Akihito Okano [vocal] and Haruichi Shindo [guitar].
It started off as a band of 3 members who met during high school. After graduation the three formed a band together and in 1995 began performing live on the streets of Osaka.
In September 1999 debut single 'Apollo' [アポロ] finally released sustaining long and high ranking on ORICON.
In December of the same year Porno Graffitti held a sell-out live in Shibuya.
In July 2004 they released two top-selling best albums, 'PORNO GRAFFITTI BEST RED'S' and 'PORNO GRAFFITTI BEST BLUE'S'.
♪ Notes
'Tasogare Romance' their latest single released earlier this month is the theme song for NTV drama 'ichiban taisetsu na hito ha dare desu ka?' [一番大切な人は誰ですか?].
A light hearted folk/ballad song, still in the top 20s' of ORICON, highest ranked position was third.
HY
DREAMING ~ SNATCH
Album - Street Story
Style - Rock, slight punk/metal
Language - Japanese
Release - 2003.4.16
Quality - High
Rating - ★★★★★
Official Website
♪ Profile
HY [pronounced as the letters: ‘H’ , ‘Y’ not ‘hi’] is a band consisting of 5 members, 4 guys and one female originating from Okinawa, Yonashiro Town, the name HY deriving from Higashiyakena, a district of Yonashiro.
HY are an indie band that does Rock, Folk, slight Punk/Metal and a little Rap as well as ballad.
The group joined after the graduation of high school in 2000 and had since been performing street lives together at Chatan carnival park.
In September 2001 debut album " Departure " had its limited release in Okinawa, despite the limitations the copies sold out amazingly quick! The following year, April 2002 Departure went nationwide and whilst continuing its massive sell of over 300,000 copies the second album Street Story released [2003] making a further record breaking achievement! They became the first J-Indie band in history to gain first position in sells for a consecutive number of four weeks as praised by the sub-editor at Oricon.
Their current album 'TRUNK' released this year July was also a success.
♪ Notes
HY's most popular songs are the folk/rock/ballads 'AM11:00', 'てがみ' and upbeat pop/rock '隆福丸' which most may have already heard of, so here's one of their slightly more harder hitting rock tracks, 'DREAMING' containing elements of punk/metal.
Koyanagi Yuki [小柳ゆき]
Crystal Days ~ SNATCH
Single - Crystal Days
Style - Ballad
Language - Japanese
Release - 2004.11.24
Quality - High
Rating - ★★★★☆
Official Website
♪ Notes
Yuki Koyanagi, a respected Soul and R&B singer who debuted at age 17 with the hit single 'あなたのキスを数えましょう - You were mine - ' [Anata no Kiss wo Kazoemashou -You were mine-] on September 15th 1999.
'Crystal Days' is Yuki's 16th single, the title track is a sweet ballad -very Western sounding.