Four Female Japanese Bands Play Japan Underground London: 19 October (Video Previews)

When: Friday 19 October 2012 from 7-11pm.
Where: The Pipeline, 94 Middlesex Street, E1 7DA.
Tickets: £5 adv. (http://www.wegottickets.com/event/190378) or with a flyer.  £8 on the door.
Event pages:  [facebook] [last.fm]

33Insanity’sVertebra

Stage: 9:30. One of our favourite new unsigned acts from Japan. 33Insanity’sVertebra promise to tear up London with their first overseas show. Helping them do so is model and vocalist Nozomi, bringing a surreal mixture of beauty and brawn to band’s sound.

miette-one 

Stage: 8:45. Get ready for a dose of sunshine pop, direct from Tokyo’s most fashionable distract;  Shibuya! miette-one is the solo project of sibuya-kei indie producer Sayuri Hashimoto.

yuki kawana

Stage: 8:00. “There is a reminiscence like of Pavement, Lou Barlow, SONIC YOUTH, PIXIES, and Beck, also the Velvet Underground, which is her roots… chords running through lo-fi sounds in a some what alt / grunge manner, pierced with a unexpectedly strong graceful voice” – HMV review

Jun Okada 

Stage: 7:20. Fresh from appearing on stage at Japan Matsuri in Trafalgar Square earlier this month, Jun Okada returns with her guitar in hand to serenade the crowds with the her sweet vocals.

Japan Underground: 4 Female Fronted Bands – 19 October

When: Friday 19 October 2012 from 7-11pm.
Where: The Pipeline , 94 Middlesex Street, E1 7DA.
Tickets: £5 adv. (http://www.wegottickets.com/event/190378) or with a flyer.  £8 on the door.
Event pages:  [facebook ] [last.fm ]

Japan Underground returns with one of its most exciting live line-ups to date! FOUR artists from Japan, all rocking female vocalists. From heavy rock, to quirky and fun shibuya-kei, we have it all covered! Come along for one of our most unique nights ever!

33Insanity’sVertebra

Stage: 9:30. A newly formed rock outfit hailing from Japan’s musical boiling pot; Nagoya. The group promise to tear up London with their first overseas show. Helping them do so is model and vocalist Nozomi, bringing a surreal mixture of beauty and brawn to band’s sound. For fans of Queenadreena, Foo Fighters and a slice of punk attitude delivered in distinct, dreamy Japanese style. Check out their trailer for the show by clicking here. And if that catches your fancy, most definitely check out the music video to our favourite track of theirs 体液. Also worth checking out is their harder hitting Brain Washing.

miette-one 

Stage: 8:45. Get ready for a dose of sunshine pop, direct from Tokyo’s most fashionable distract;  Shibuya! miette-one is the solo project of sibuya-kei indie producer Sayuri Hashimoto. Back in Japan, she’s a respected name in the indie movement, managing labels abcdefg*record and GIRL SCHOOL, producing numerous cross-genre projects, and looking cute while eating udon soba. Her style is diverse, ranging from quirky French pop in Au revoir,les enfants／さようなら子供たち, to the chirpy, dreamy beats of the Good Morning Song.

yuki kawana

Stage: 8:00. “There is a reminiscence like of Pavement, Lou Barlow, SONIC YOUTH, PIXIES, and Beck, also the Velvet Underground, which is her roots… chords running through lo-fi sounds in a some what alt / grunge manner, pierced with a unexpectedly strong graceful voice” – that’s how HMV describes the solo project of yuki kawana, keyboardist of Tokyo indie-pop rock five-piece, Yucca. Armed with a Fender Mustang and a voice, Yuki brings her daydreams of surrealism to life. Check out her style with the video to her song a black swallowtail.

Jun Okada 

Stage: 7:20. Fresh from appearing on stage at Japan Matsuri in Trafalgar Square earlier this month, Jun Okada returns with her guitar in hand to serenade the crowds with the her sweet vocals. In Japan she’s received numerous amounts of radio time and won awards. Check out a live video of her in action by clicking here.

See you there!

Japan Underground vs. NEO Magazine – The Ultimate After Party

TWO OF THE UK’s leading East Asian entertainment sources join forces on 26 May for a party like no other.

Taking place at Bloomsbury Lanes, a 5 minute walk from London’s Euston Station, NEO Magazine (Great Britain’s anime, manga and Asian pop culture magazine) and Japan Underground (innovators in the promotion of Japanese music) will commence a 7 hour energetic DJ battle of the very best tracks from Japan and Korea until the early morning.

Japan Underground will supply a selection of party-rocking tunes from Japan’s alternative scenes, including music ranging from classic rockers X-Japan to latest screamo act Crossfaith and everything in between; Mad Capsule Markets, Maximum the Hormone, Dragon Ash, The GazettE, Gackt and many more.

NEO Magazine’s approach will focus on pop, throwing in music from some of the artists interviewed in its pages, such as Korea’s SHINee to Japan’s L’Arc~en~Ciel and An cafe, plus a whole host of J-pop and K-pop from the like of AKB48, 2NE1, MOMOIRO CLOVER Z, Super Junior, Perfume, BIG BANG and Morning Musume. Requests will be welcome throughout the night.

Entry is £5 on the door and the venue is strictly 18+ only – valid photographic ID will be required. The venue contains a fully licensed bar and boasts bowling lanes, karaoke rooms, arcade machines, pool tables as well as table top football.

Japan Underground and NEO Magazine will also be exhibiting at the MCM Expo London Comic Con during the day. However, this event is in no way connected, organised or endorsed by the MCM Expo London Comic Con.

Join the Facebook event page for further updates: https://www.facebook.com/events/359608197405821/

Capsule – Stereo Worxxx Out Now

THE 13TH ALBUM from electronica duo Capsule, Stereo Worxxx, is now available on iTunes UK. The release follows the party vibe set from last year’s frankly fantastic World of Fantasy, the title track of which is a regular at our club nights (click here to watch its video, we highly recommend you click).

The brains behind Capsule, producer Yasutaka Nakata is also the man at the helm of Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s musical endeavours. Don’t expect fluffy, candy coated choruses and melodies in Stereo Worxxx though, instead expect something sounding closer to a Crystal Castles and Daft Punk mashup with traces of Calvin Harris-styled pop.

Either way, we love it and at £7.11 it’s very hard to say no. If you’d rather be the owner of the physical version of the album, Amazon.co.uk currently has a few copies of the 2-CD edition available by clicking here.

Stereo Worxxx tracklisting:
1. Feelin’ Alright
2. Never Let Me Go
3. In The Rain
4. Dee J
5. Step on The Floor (from the film ‘LIAR GAME’)
6. Tapping Beats
7. All The Way (from the film ”LIAR GAME’)
8. Motor Force Listen
9. Transparent

Broken Doll “Reach for the Sky” Available Now Outside of Japan

Harajuku party squad Broken Doll release their brand new album Reach for the Sky on 11 April, and thanks to JPU Records – our brand new record label – a limited number of copies are now available in the UK and Europe for the bargain price of £10. Details on how to buy the CD can be found below – we will also be selling it from our booth at the MCM Expo London Comic Con between 25-27 May.

Broken Doll combine Japan’s kawaii culture with pop-punk party beats, wrapping it up in bright colours and cute accessories. One reason their visual style is so vibrant is partly due to its guitarist Kensuke, who also runs a quirky fashion brand and boutique with the same name as the band.

We caught the band live in concert while in Tokyo earlier this year, and instantly fell in love! They reminded us of some kind of hybrid; Kyary Pamyu Pamyu meets Sex Pistols; Japanese subculture meets British punk style; fashion meets fun. We hope you enjoy them and tell your friends.

Broken Doll “Reach for the Sky”

1. Reach For The Sky
2. Just tell me now
3. Arch Bunny
4. She’s Shifty
5. Nothing But A Good Time
6. Don’t Stop Me
7. All Girls Wanna Be Happy
8. Da.Di.Da – TKM3 (KEYTALK) Remix

The CD is on sale now. All orders will be shipped from the UK while stocks last. Please hit the ‘contact us’ tab if you have any questions, otherwise bash “Buy Now”!