Review: Both of these funk gems are taken from a cult compilation Trans Groove Express, which explored the sounds of Express Records and was assembled by MURO. Fourth Wave now serve them up on a superb 7", starting with Maki Asakawa. 'Hohi Hitotsu' is a delightfully gentle and subtle dub with funky guitars adding movement while the sultry vocal soars. Yasuhiro Abe's 'Night Fish' is a brighter and more retro 80s soul and boogie sound with glowing chords and snappy hits. The Japanese language vocal is emotive enough to mean plenty without understanding the meaning of the words.
Review: MURO Select presents yet another crucial 7" for Fourth Wave Record Factory for anyone whose ears prick up when it comes to Far Eastern soul, city pop and jazz cause this one has two of Hamada Kingo's urban mellow gems. He was a key figure in 80s city pop and AOR and his iconic track 'Dream Is Alive' from the Earthian image album makes its vinyl debut and is full of The flip side features 'Yokaze,' another standout urban mellow tune that captures the smooth, soulful vibe of his work and is perfect for those close listen bar sessions or the gentle moments early in the evening.
Review: For Fourth Wave Record Factory, MURO has put together a couple of new and exclusive 7" releases that feature two classic Japanese AOR tracks by artists who very much played a part in defining the sound. Firstly, Ginji Ito's smooth and soulful 'Heart and Soul,' originally from his tenth album, shines with mellow mid-tempo vibes and glossy vocals and melodies. On the flip side is 'Uwaki na Kare,' a beloved cover of a classic US disco track from Ritsuko Kazemi's third album that comes correct with a catchy, laid-back Saturday love groove. This release marks the first time these iconic songs have been pressed on 7".
Review: This classic Japanese funk tune has long been adored by erudite boogie, 80s funk and soul fans in Japan but also more internationally, and for the first time here it is now available as a 7" single. Produced by Toshiki Kadomatsu, the release includes one track each from the Jadoes albums It's Friday from 1986 and Free Drink in 1987, both of which are considered iconic in the Japanese boogie canon. 'Summer Lady' is full of glossy 80s drums and sparking melodies that bring unbridled joy and 'Friday Night' is a little more paired back but the stepping drums and male-female vocal interaction is a thing of beauty.
Review: Two popular tracks from the highly rated and MURO-curated compilation Diggin Victor: Deep Into The Vaults Of Japanese Fusion / AOR are now made available for the first time on their own standout 7". Originally released as a limited item at an anniversary event, these rare gems are magically escapist sounds that blend library music, jazz, soul and Balearic mindsets into a pair of tropical heaters. The Kumi Sasak A-side is a real melodic noodler with meandering bass and a whimsical, carefree spirit as it heads nowhere in particular in hypnotic fashion. Side-B has 'Kimono' by Tetsuo Sakurai, which is a more rhythmic sound with funky bass riffs and 80s broken beats and a lush vocal.
Review: Mixed by Japanese producer and DJ Muro, who has a background in hip-hop, this connoisseur is never short on deep cuts and takes us on a journey through soulful, vintage AOR sonics from his home country. Whilst no two tracks are by the same artist, there's a cohesion to the tracklist thanks to Muro's ear in pulling out things that sit so well together. Asakawa Mak's 1988 cut 'American Night' is a smooth nod to sophisti pop greats Prefab Sprout; whilst Seri Ishikawa's elegant and lush number, 'Eternal 1/2', highlights how innovative she was in forging new sounds back in 1985. These two cuts are just the tip of the iceberg, yet this compilation is an ideal entry point to some of the finest Japanese music of the late 20th century. You can bank on Muro delivering the goods.
Review: Renowned DJ and selector MURO is a Jedi-level compiler and this new collection of his delves into Victor's extensive archives to spotlight a world of Japanese jazz, fusion and AOR. It take sin plenty of internationally known names like Yasuko Agawa on the sunset sounds of 'L.A. Night', Sadistics who offers the more psyched out guitar leans of 'On the Seashore', Yuji Ohno's neo-Balaeric bliss-out 'The Dawn of Seychells' and Hiroshi Fukumura's soul soothing Ry Ayres-style melodies on 'White Clouds.' These are luxurious sounds and timeless tracks with MURO's signature funky perspective making this a brillaint choice for brighter, warmer days.
Review: 'Sayonara Ha Syuppatsu No Kotoba' roughly translates as "Goodbye is the Word for Departure" and is a striking blend of Japanese indie and folk music. The album combines rich acoustic melodies with introspective lyrics to make for often poignant and nostalgic atmospheres with Yasuda's emotive voice at the heart of the sounds. The band's intricate instrumentation reveals more with each listen and the record explores themes of departure, self-reflection and the bittersweet nature of transitions. They might sound heavy but the delicate soundscapes also capture both moods of vulnerability and resilience which adds to the tender, affecting nature of the record.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.