WITHDOM Continues with Spinning Their Style with A Cover of "Gunjou"!

/

Popular four-member vocal group WITHDOM released the cover song, “Blue” which is the English version of the song “Gunjou” by YOASOBI through various online streaming sites like Apple Music and Spotify. This is their third official cover song so far. The music video of this cover song was also released on the same day. They arranged the cover song with influences from Jazz and R&B. They created a song displaying their amazing vocal work. They succeeded in making a slow jam cover song whilst preserving the atmosphere of the original song. WITHDOM previously covered “A HAPPY NEW YEAR” by Yumi Matsutoya and “Hakujitsu” by King Gnu as well.

They have released music videos on YouTube which covered many famous Japanese songs including “Curtain Call feat. TAKA” by Shota Shimizu, “Feel Special” by TWICE, “Kanzen Kankaku Dreamer” by ONE OK ROCK. WITHDOM covered those songs incorporating their own unique sound.

Be sure to check out music video in question below!

Classic Ayumi Hamasaki Trance Remixes by Armin van Buuren, Above & Beyond and Ferry Corsten Re-released on ‘COMPLETE EDITION’

/

Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance -COMPLETE EDITION- Jacket Cover

Released on September 27, 2001, Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance was an album of hit songs by Asia’s top diva, Ayumi Hamasaki, remixed by several of the world’s top trance producers, from Armin van Buuren to Above & Beyond. The album was a huge success, selling some 700,000 physical copies.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of this landmark album, a new enhanced edition titled Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance -COMPLETE EDITION- was released in September 2021, including not only the original masterpiece remixes that took countries around Europe by storm, but also some previously unreleased songs. A reissue of the follow-up album, Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance 2 -COMPLETE EDITION-, will follow on November 17.

The remixes on the original album were created by reigning trance megastars such as Armin van Buuren, a Dutch national treasure and dance music leader who has performed for the king of the Netherlands and has topped the No.1 DJ in the DJ Mag Top 100 DJs poll a record five times; Above & Beyond, the two-time Grammy nominated British trance act who have ranked at No.4 in the same DJ Mag poll and who have regularly sold out stadium and arena tours in the United States; and Dutch trance legend Ferry Corsten, a pivotal figure in the global trance movement of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

At the time, it was the first such album to feature remixes of a single artist by so many top DJs and producers, and Hamasaki became the first Japanese artist to reach No.11 in the British club chart, No.2 in the German club chart, and so on, making waves in the European club scene.

Hamasaki’s tracks released under the name “Ayu” (sometimes stylized “AYU”) such as M” (Above & Beyond Typhoon Dub)”, “appears (Armin van Buuren's Rising Star remix)” and ‘Depend On You (Svenson & Gielen Club mix)” were played at festivals featuring big-name DJs, and tracks were included on numerous mix CDs including Ministry Of Sound’s revered “The Annual” series, making Ayu a major presence in the European trance scene.

Now, this epoch-making album has returned, with 48 tracks including the original 14 songs, plus alternative versions that were only available on promotional 12-inch vinyl releases or in limited territories, and even some versions that have never been released until now. The sudden re-release of this classic trance album prompted an overwhelmingly positive response from Ayu fans around the world, with a torrent of comments such as “This ayu trance re-release is too awesome”, “This unexpected reissue is a shock – I’m delighted” and “One of the best remix albums in history!”

And now, following the success of the re-release, it has been announced that the follow-up album Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance 2 will also get the enhanced treatment, set for release on Wednesday, November 17 as Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance 2 -COMPLETE EDITION-.

Be sure to check out the amazing YouTube channel below with the remix of “Hanabi” below!

Lie and a Chameleon Teams Up with JPU Records to Release Their Back Catalogue

/

Our good friends at JPU Records is proud to bring two further releases from Lie and a Chameleon’s back catalogue into the digital world. The Tokyo-based band, who have been referred to as “rock music’s best kept secret” by Ultimateguitar.com, and praised for their “Big rock tracks, crossover groove and punk energy. We absolutely recommend them!” by Germany’s Burn Your Ears, have released their first mini-album “Post human No.5“ and single “L’oeil no rasen“ on digital platforms through JPU Records.

Vocalist and lead lyricist Cham (.△) comments, “We made this in 2019! Post human No.5 was our first time mini album since our major debut. A song called “Paprika wa Post Human no Yume wo Miruka?” from this release became very popular. Especially this album, enjoy the gap between our fierce songs and ballad songs. And the fourth song features a world-famous game character! Guess who? I hope you enjoy it too!”

“Lie and a Chameleon are one of our most streamed bands in 2021,” says JPU Records founder and CEO Tom Smith. “So of course I’m happy to release further works from their back catalogue. But it’s not just numbers, I love this band. They’re a breath of fresh air and manage to pack so much energy and spirit into their recordings, it’s almost like they’re right there in the room with you. I’m sure you’ll love them too.”

Lie and a Chameleon’s latest single “Mononoke in the Fiction” has been streamed over 2.7 million times on Spotify and over three million plays on YouTube. The track is included in their first full length album JUGEM, available on CD from JPU Records which includes a bonus item of full English lyric translations by Cham (.△) herself.

Be sure to check out their music video “Paprika wa Post Human no Yume wo Miruka?” below!

STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION Brings A Ear-Catching Chorus Work and Beat with Latest Music Video!

/

“TRISTAR” Jacket Cover

“TRISTAR”, the ending theme of the anime show Muv-Luv Alternative by STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION, is now available for download and streaming with the music video has also been released on YouTube!

The repeated melody of “Do what I want and do what I need,” which is also the song’s hook, stimulates the eardrums and enhances the song and lyrics to even higher degrees. With a solid beat underpinning the whole track, the gorgeous synths and gently enveloping vocals intertwine to create an intensely pleasant flow that makes your heart skip a beat just listening to it. The sound is not only pop but also stylish, thanks to SDF’s unique sound style that treats vocals like instruments.

The lyrics, which are in English and linked to the story, are full of determination and positive vibes. There are many times in life when we have to make hard decisions, and this is a song that can gently offer encouragement.

Fans who listened to it commented, “This song really represents the whole story,” “I get super hyped when listening to it,” “It’s stylish, cool, and modern,” “I can’t stop humming it to myself,” and “The more I read and understand the lyrics, the more I realize how close it is to the story.” This music video depicts the past, present, and future of dance pop, incorporating futuristic elements with a digital feel typical of STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION.

We hope you will enjoy the craftsmanship of STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION, who is beginning to attract attention around the world as a creator who skillfully links images and music. Be sure to check out the music video in question below along with the streaming link here!

AKINA Look Toward The FUTURE with Latest Release!

/

FUTURE Digital Jacket Cover

AKINA, member of the girl group FAKY, has released a new single “FUTURE”. She is a Half American and half Japanese singer-songwriter who stands out in the J-POP world because she has cultivated a unique musical sense that touches various cultures due to her experience moving around the world ever since her childhood. Her singing voice, which is both delicate and powerful was highly praised and her cover of "Amazing Grace" was also used as a special song for the movie "A Morning of Farewell" starring Sayuri Yoshinaga. As a newcomer, she has achieved an exceptional achievement.

AKINA is attracting attention in the alternative scene as a singer-songwriter while working globally as FAKY at the same time and today the song "FUTURE" produced by Kai Takahashi, who is a member of LUCKY TAPES and has worked on iri and Taichi Mukai has been released.

This work is AKINA's first all-Japanese lyrics, and her sweet singing voice and the chill sound created by Kai Takahashi match perfectly that makes the listeners feel more positive.

Comment from AKINA:

「FUTURE means to me self-reflection and freedom. With all the time spent at home the past couple of years, it’s caused me to feel like I’ve lost purpose at times. But those dark times are necessary for a change and I think this song shows that it’s okay to struggle as long as you try to find your way back again!.」 - Akina

Comment from Kai Takahashi:

「This is an ambitious all Japanese lyric song that I made for Akina who was born in California. I wrote it in the midst of the early days of Corona just a year ago and her husky and powerful singing voice matched the positive lyrics. The moment I heard her singing voice I felt that the scale of this song just got bigger. I think it will be difficult for her to balance her group and solo activities but I am looking forward to the success of both AKINA as a member of FAKY and as a solo artist!」

 - Kai Takahashi

Also, on 6th October, following kiki vivi lily and PEARL CENTER's MATTON / inui, she was selected to be featured in the new song of the two-member band The Burning Deadwoods by a track maker from Tokyo. And on 15th October, On the 15th, the single "Stupid, Careless, Dumb" which she wrote and composed by herself made a big hit on Spotify's major playlist.

Furthermore, along with this release, it was revealed that a live stream will be held on Twitch on 28th October from 10 AM ET / 11 PM JST with the major music culture media "Rolling Stone" that has been published in the United States for more than 50 years. Many up-and-coming singer-songwriters from Europe and the United States, such as “girl in red” and “mxmtoon”, have appeared live on "Rolling Stone on Twitch” and AKINA is the first Japanese female artist to be featured on it which is an achievement. With her global recognition that has been growing lately, hopefully her talent can continue to receive more attention in the future.