Nipponophone Japan Vinyl & CDs

Review: When it ermerged in 1994, Love Me signified a bold and sophisticated evolution of Japan's Noriko Sekiguchi's sound, marking a departure from the Lolita-esque pop structures she had previously flirted with. Rooted in trip-hop, acid house and ambient music, it's a shimmering, groove-driven statement of self-determinationian album that subverts expectations and expands upon the genre-blending experimentation she had hinted at in earlier works. From the outset, the electro-dub pulses of 'Passage Brady' set the stage for a more assertive, mature exploration of electronic textures. Tracks like 'Communication Breakdown' embrace a loose, baggy energy, while 'Love Is'ifeaturing Killing Time's Neko Saitoidives into a deeply expressive, heart-wrenching performance that embodies the album's emotional core. The transformation of Michel Polnareff's 'Love Me, Please Love Me' into a piece of angelic house music epitomises Sekiguchi's ability to reshape familiar sounds into something uniquely her own. With Love Me, Poison Girl Friend fully steps into her identity as both producer and performer. Heavy beats and intricate atmospherics drive songs like 'Slave to the Computer' and 'If You Wish', while the haunting 'Tout Est Rouge' reminds listeners of her ability to command darker moods when necessary. Shifting seamlessly between Japanese, English and French, she refuses to be confined to a single style or narrative. This is an artist in complete control, crafting a genre-fluid, deeply personal work that stands as one of the most compelling releases of its time.

Review: This vinyl-only survey refracts Okinawan folk traditions through vivid jazz-funk and big band arrangements, creating a prismatic, highly listenable archive of Japan's southern soul. Kiyoshi Yamaya's influence runs deep, his arrangements glowing with cinematic elegance on 'Ryukyu Miyabi 2' through to the festival-like drive of 'Ryukyu No Matsuri 1'. The percussive triptych 'Nishinjo-bushi/Asadoya Yunta/Tanchame' shifts with deft energy, while his solo pieces like 'Ryukyu No Sora' feel airier, almost impressionistic. Tadaaki Misago & Tokyo Cuban Boys stir big band verve into 'Tanchame-bushi' and 'Hatoma-bushi', while Minoru Murayama's 'Asadoya Yunta' leans more contemplative. Kifu Mitsuhashi's takes on 'Tanchame' and 'Asadoya Yunta' feel grounded in breath and space, balancing the brassier moments with shakuhachi-led intimacy. The sequencing cleverly blurs the line between groove-heavy reimagination and respectful homage, shaping a dialogue that's rhythmic, emotive and alive. A treasure trove for collectors of Wamono, Asian jazz and crossover rarities and a striking monument to the genreless fluidity of folk, when placed in the right hands.