Despite what its name entails, the concept of a “super-group” is becoming increasingly relative with the gradual expansion and appreciation of emerging styles and genres. The days where unanimous and successful super-groups – like Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and the Traveling Wilburys – sell out concerts are long gone. Trends are more important in music than ever before, so committing oneself to a super-group full of stubborn veterans that are too honorable to sell out is not exactly a big label’s dream scenario. Therefore, what is left of “super-groups” are those that specialize in very specific genres or locales. It may sound contradictory in that a group with little recognition should not be considered “super”, but acknowledgment of such a tag has now come to suggest that the artists in the respective group are literally the best in the world at their specific trade. It does not matter whether the trade is Louisiana hip-hop, Japanese rock, or elevator music. Regardless of what it is, there is always someone listening. Nowadays, these type of acts now work in a very specific niche with a very specific type of audience in mind. It has resulted in more failures than successes, but every once in awhile there is a release in this hyped-up vein that satisfies.

In terms of lush German electronic-pop, there are few groups with more credentials than Lali Puna. This is mainly due to Markus Acher, who is primarily responsible for hefty successes of The Notwist and Tied & Tickled Trio (with drummer Christoph Brandner). The Notwist are most renowned for their fifth album Neon Golden, which to me was undoubtedly one of the best electronic-pop releases of the 2000s. Its essential status is mainly propelled by its stylistic distinctiveness, which combined generally expansive hip-hop and post-rock production techniques within a minimalistic atmosphere that contained pop-oriented synths and reverb-heavy vocals. The heavy use of strings helped make the album both dramatic and infectious, showing listeners that electronic-pop does not have to be bogged down in repetitive minimalism to be successful. Like the past success of Air and the more recent breakthrough of The Knife/Fever Ray, The Notwist proved to be one of the few foreign electronic acts that were able to make a huge splash in the US and UK. You may notice that artists like Air and The Knife had few comparable contemporaries at the time of their breakthroughs. Their influence, of course, was echoed in the years to follow instead. The same looks to happen for Lali Puna, who have made one of the most gorgeous and captivating electronic releases of 2010.

Lali Puna’s fourth LP, Our Inventions, will likely do for them what Neon Golden did for The Notwist. Acher and co. have expanded upon an already-successful formula to make it better, which for experienced musicians like vocalist Valerie Trebeljahr and keyboardist Christian Heiß is a seamless process. Following upon the success of 2004’s Faking the Books, Our Inventions contains treats for both fans of Acher’s keyboard-led work with The Notwist and those that prefer the more subdued work of Lali Puna. A gem like “Remember?” employs the sparkling keyboards and thumping bass that made Notwist tracks like “Pilot” so catchy, with Trebeljahr soft-spoken vocals providing excellent accentuation to the chorus. This part enhances the initial verse with an extra gurgle of bass and outro that plays with the glitchy electro-pop that made Acher famous in Germany and elsewhere. He really works well with other musicians who deserve just as much credit though, namely Heiß (who is purported to “rip it up on keyboards” during live performances) and drummer Christoph Brandner, who provides the stellar and natural-sounding rhythmic role that many electronic-pop counterparts are missing.

“Everything is Always” is a great display of Brandner’s strengths, particularly how he is able to coordinate with Acher’s brilliantly implemented glitch effects and samples. Heiß is always there to provide a beautifully fluttering keyboard melody, best seen here and on “Remember?”. Trebeljahr’s observatory nature in “Everything is Always” really succeeds when aligned with the instrumentation, which is almost always led by a xylophone-like effect that finds itself expanded upon by various increments of both electronic and natural effects. The self-titled track is also interesting, namely because it sounds similar to recent greats like Beach House in its droning representation of dream-pop. Trebeljahr proves by this point in Our Inventions that she is a fantastic at emitting a wide range of emotions. While her actual vocal range is not noticeably limited, it is certainly not breathtaking enough to launch ships. What makes her presence so special though is her investment in every track, each responding differently depending on the mood and structure. With Acher at the helm, this makes for plenty of enjoyable experiments. Trebeljahr is a perfect fit for this type of atmospheric electronic-pop and, with her three other collaborators, has crafted an excellent album in Our Inventions.

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Lali Puna – Remember

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Lali Puna – Our Inventions

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Lali Puna – Everything is Always

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I tend to agree with Steve Reich on the subject of minimalism, a self-proposed genre whose label is borrowed more from a chronological standpoint than the actual musical content involved. As Reich claimed, it is merely a “convenient way” of classifying artists in the vein of himself, Philip Glass, and John Cage (among several others), all composers who use prevalent trademarks of unified minimalism such as focused repetition and melodic stagnation within a tone that is usually representative of classical or electronic music. Despite such glaring stylistic similarities, every prominent minimalist musician sounds remarkably different from one another in their artistic delivery, prompting Reich’s beliefs to be of a selflessly considerate nature. Considering that there are evident arguments against even the concept of a genre in the first place – with there being no middle-point between it being too open or pretentiously restricted – I suppose you could say this for most genres. Still, the amount of variation in a stripped-down style like minimalism nearly makes it all ironic, as not classifying something that can be so simultaneously complex and simplistic would draw up even more debate. As new artists look to capitalize on such stylistically tied influences, it only makes modernized sense for them to ignore the components of the past and attempt to tie in other elements that, while still largely unclassifiable, end up being more definitively involved.

Grouping Volker Bertelmann into any of the above aforementioned categories would be a crime, as Reich would likely agree. The German musician utilizes a variety of components that are reminiscent of accustomed minimalism, though his additional involvement of elements involving pop, jazz, and even electronica causes his eclectic approach to make a singular classification irrelevant, especially in the world of minimalism. I suppose that grouping him into a form of modern avant-garde classical music would be broad enough to support him, though even that may be too linear. Going under the alias of Hauschka, Bertelmann has been releasing material on the Berlin-based Karaoke Kalk label since 2004. Two of his first releases, Substantial and The Prepared Piano, were released respectively in 2004 and 2005, exhibiting Bertelmann’s potential and glaring talent as a composer but failing to generate much buzz. Both albums saw generally simplistic songs being played within a complex method of playing known as “prepared piano”. By placing a variety of objects like aluminum paper, guitar strings, and wedges of leather in certain places on the instrument, consequently altering the mechanical aspect while steering toward a new melodic approach. The objects vary drastically, and choosing what and how to use it is part of the art itself. The modifications emitted an unconventional sound that varied in use, from a corroded to vibrant sensation. These effects could end up spurring anything from a rhythmic accompaniment to a melodic transition, all engineered by Bertelmann’s keen sense of musicianship.

While Bertelmann is certainly not the creator of the “prepared piano” method (19th century French composer Erik Satie is often credited with that, in addition to John Cage and Henry Cowell for its contemporary revival), his innovative approach within the style makes it impressive nonetheless. Despite the impressive methodical nature of The Prepared Piano, it was not until 2007 – when Bertelmann released Room to Expand – that he started to draw recognition and widespread critical acclaim. A generally stripped-down affair consisting of solo recordings and electronic overdubs, the album was adored enough to launch Bertelmann on a variety of tours that stretched from the US (with Múm) to Japan (with Colleen). He also played a few shows with Max Richter, a previously featured fellow German composer who is in a similar stylistic realm to Bertelmann. Considering the high level of acclaim that Room to Expand deservedly garnered, a grin comes to my face when thinking about how well its follow-up, Ferndorf, is going to be received. In terms of both method and content, it is a considerably more expansive release that sees Bertelmann at his creative peak, at least so far. The most noticeable transition is Bertelmann’s involvement with strings, as he enlisted the cellist duo of Insa Schirmer and Donja Djember to make the overall feel more cohesive.

The album’s title, Ferndorf, translates to “distant village”, a reference to a village in central Germany where Bertelmann grew up before moving to Cologne. Several of the tracks reflect on Bertelmann’s loving relationship with nature, a feeling that has been eroded as people increase in age and lose their touch with innocence. The village allowed him to experience nature in a wholesome form, with this childhood experience being the basis for the entire album. Most of the tracks were named after such natural entities too; “Rode Null” refers to a mountain that was situated behind Bertelmann’s parents’ house, “Freibad” speaks of a body of water located in a nearby forest, and the improvised “Morgenrot” is a reference to a window in his former bedroom that embraced the rising sun each morning. In addition to “Morgenrot”, several other tracks were also completely improvised, notably “Blue Bicycle”, “Alma”, “Nadelwald”, and “Neuschnee”. With its catchy lead piano melody and initial brooding strings, a track like “Freibad” is distinctive and precise enough to be recognized as an intricately engineered work, but Bertelmann’s improvised songs actually resonate with the same artistry and sense of committment. In fact, his sense of adventure is often expanded, as is shown on excellent tracks like “Blue Bicycle” and “Weeks of Rain”, a melancholic closer named after the rainy climates of Ferndorf.

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Hauschka – Freibad

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Hauschka – Blue Bicycle

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Hauschka – Weeks of Rain

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40. Mono in VCF – Mono in VCF

Various bands often attempt to sound “outdated” for stylistic effect. In most cases, when such a method is attempted, there is a thin line between substantial success and ultimate failure. In their self-titled debut album, rookie four-piece Mono in VCF have managed to incorporate their modernistic influences fluidly with past musical approaches that recall Scott Walker, David Axelrod, and The Delfonics. Basically, if you happen to be a fan of underrated musicians from the ’60s who found solace in a darkly haunting sound, Mono in VCF’s debut will likely be one of your favorite albums of the year.. Seamlessly incorporating elements of Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound” with several contemporary aspects of production involving synthesizers and heavily reverbed guitars, Mono in VCF is a thrilling listen from start to finish. Lead vocalist Kim Miller churns out one of the best overall vocal performances of the year on the album, turning her fervently brooding vocals into a spectacle over arrangements that are often descriptive of dark, illusive orchestral compositions. Her seductively gloomy vocals overlapped with the exotic strings in “Escape City Scrapers” makes it seem like a chilling track from a little-known ’60s spy film (Quentin Tarantino should take note), with stunners like “Spider Rotation” often resulting in the same effect. With such a stunning atmosphere implemented in the album, Mono in VCF is easily one of the most impressive debuts of the year.

Mono in VCF – Escape City Scrapers

Mono in VCF – Spider Rotation

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39. Chromeo – Fancy Footwork

Despite an album cover that appears to intentionally promote a whole new realm of B-list cheesiness, Chromeo’s Fancy Footwork has steadily climbed the rankings as one of my favorite electro-pop albums of the year. Their sophomore album is a mixture of funk and dance, steadily interchanging keys, synths, guitars, and a variety of proficiently executed samples. The duo of P-Thugg (Patrick Gemayel) and and Dave 1 (David Macklovitch) seem intent on bringing their musical approach back about 20 or 30 years ago; considering the sheer quality of Fancy Footwork, it is hard to blame them. Songs like “Momma’s Boy” would have fit perfectly in one of those classic ’80s teen flicks, reflecting the nostalgic approaches of ’80s favorites like The Cars and Hall & Oates in its plentiful array of synth-led hooks. Even though poppy gems in the vein of “Momma’s Boy” and “Outta Sight” are enjoyable enough, the greatest moment of Fancy Footwork comes in the title track, a more modernistic sounding dance track that pulls off all the right stunts. The blaring sound of a police siren kicks off an infectious romp that sees a wholly irresistible chorus, touched by tinges of Moogs and twinkling keys, transform into the epitome of dance-funk perfection.

Chromeo – Fancy Footwork

Chromeo – Momma’s Boy

[audio:http://mineorecords.com/mp3/b07/chromeo-mom.mp3]

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38. Stars of the Lid – And Their Refinement of the Decline

Since their formation over 14 years ago, the Texas-based duo known as Stars of the Lid have churned out some of the most beautiful music within their unique genre of drone-based ambient music. While there are few active bands who have both the talent and patience to manipulate a style that sounds even remotely similar, the importance of composers Adam Wiltzie and Brian McBride toward the scene is incalculable. On their eighth and arguably finest album, And Their Refinement of the Decline, they continue with a style that has earned them such a massive following. A massive double-album that stretches two hours in length, And Their Refinement of the Decline is a stunning listen whose atmosphere is near incomparable. Wiltzie and McBride are composers of the utmost degree, using a variety of neatly laced keys, horns, and strings over stylistic leanings of minimalism and post-classical. The lack of percussion on the album is actually rewarding, as the soundscape that the duo crafts is elegant and imperturbable in nature. Easily one of the most relaxingly enjoyable listens of the year, And Their Refinement of the Decline may very well go down as a classic in its unique genre.

Stars of the Lid – Apreludes (In C Sharp Major)

Stars of the Lid – Articulate Silences, Pt. 2
[audio:http://mineorecords.com/mp3/b07/starsof-art.mp3]

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37. Wilco – Sky Blue Sky

Few will argue against Jeff Tweedy being one of the better songwriters of the decade. Whether you personally consider his early work with Uncle Tupelo or his latter material with the Grammy-winning Wilco to be his absolute best, the frontman’s blend of alternative rock, country, and folk-rock has made him one of the most distinguishable musicians in indie-rock for nearly two decades. As Wilco’s sixth studio album, Sky Blue Sky, earns another Grammy nomination for “Best Rock Album”, one can’t help but think if Tweedy will ever drop in quality. Though the receptive Sky Blue Sky does not compare well to earlier classics like Yankee Hotel Foxtrot or Summerteeth in terms of stylistic depth, Wilco’s newest is certainly an accomplishment to be proud of. The stunning “Impossible Germany” is the album’s clear epic, a tour-de-force that sees Tweedy and guitarist Nels Cline at their absolute best. Though the first two minutes plays off like a conventionally enjoyable Wilco folk-rock song, the final 4 minutes are of exceptional virtue. Transforming into a guitar-led jam session (although it is excellently organized), it proves to be one of the best songs of Tweedy’s illustrious career. With other tracks like the lush “Sky Blue Sky” and the piano-led twang of “Hate it Here” being additionally impressive, Sky Blue Sky touches on more strengths than it does weaknesses.

Wilco – Impossible Germany

Wilco – Sky Blue Sky

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36. The Shins – Wincing the Night Away

Though The Shins are generally a household name at this point thanks to a few unnamed films of questionable quality, it is admirable that they have proven with their third album, Wincing the Night Away, that an increase in commercialization has not tarnished their ability to write instances of utterly irresistible indie-pop. Though the album has topped at #2 in both the US and UK, The Shins’ charm remains quite durable due to their reluctance to let go of their earlier approach. Though Wincing the Night Away is their most polished album to date, The Shins still sound like, well, The Shins. If one is able to wisely look past the sudden recognition they are receiving, old fans of The Shins really have no reason to change their disposition. James Mercer still sings breezy, melodically engaging melodies over quickly captivating guitars, churning out pop hooks in an impressively abundant manner. “Australia” and “Phantom Limb” will likely go down as classic Shins songs, capitalizing on the form of easy-listening indie-rock that has brought the five-piece so much success. Even the cutesy aroma of the synth-tinged “Red Rabbits” and the lack of initial instrumental involvement in “A Comet Appears” are appealing in their own right. Though it certainly will not “change your life”, Wincing the Night Away is one of The Shins’ finest efforts to date.

The Shins – Australia

The Shins – Phantom Limb

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35. M.I.A. – Kala

After releasing the most talked-about debut of 2005 in Arular, M.I.A. could have easily sunk under the pressure and released a disappointing sophomore follow-up. It is what many other artists do, after all; many find the hype and pressure too much to handle. But coming from the outspoken, intelligent, and confident Maya Arulpragasam, it is not much of a surprise that Kala is of an equal, if not better, nature than her receptive debut. She has lived a life that just begs for a movie, making such music-related pressures seem obsolete in comparison. Kala is a continuation of the stylistic genius displayed on Arular, exchanging instances of hip-hop, world music, electro, ragga, and funk over rapidly paced lyrical deliveries that are often either political or ambiguously unidentifiable in nature. M.I.A.’s unique style is what has given her such widespread recognition, as no genre seems out of reach in her ceaselessly expanding bag of tricks. The throwback electro-dance in “Jimmy” makes it one of the album’s catchiest tracks, while the sample-oriented, unconventional hip-hop flair in “Bird Flu” is as equally enjoyable despite the comparative style being in stark contrast to “Jimmy”. Kala is an album that is impossible to describe in just a few words, as M.I.A.’s stylistic flair is too impressively widespread to attempt a concise explanation.

M.I.A. – Jimmy

M.I.A. – Bird Flu

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34. Justice – †

It would be easy to call Justice one of the most acclaimed bands of the year. Suitably enough, it is hard to find a year-end list that does not list their absolutely infectious “D.A.N.C.E.” as one of the best singles of the year. It is certainly justifiable too; the debut album from France’s latest electro-house duo is filled with moments of absolute irresistibility, with the catchy ode to Michael Jackson (“D.A.N.C.E.”) being the most immediately accessible of the impressive 12 tracks on the ambiguously titled album. Though a few fillers stop † from being a true dance classic, gems like “D.A.N.C.E.” and “Waters of Nazareth” are impossible to disregard. Regarding a prominent Daft Punk influence with a more pop-oriented flair, Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay have incorporated slick production with brilliant dance-enabled hooks that result an absolute tour-de-force. Though a similar style of production is repeated throughout the album, the glorious synth-aided melodies are guaranteed to have the majority of the album’s tracks on repeat for quite awhile. From the gritty moogs in “Waters of Nazareth” to the chirpy throwback style of “Valentine” (excellent shades of Yellow Magic Orchestra), the diversity within the repeated style is reason for listen alone. Additionally, one of the greatest aspects of the release is the output of great remixes from the album; it is proof of other artists’ admiration for this infectious output. Whether you are blasting † alone in your dorm room on a Monday afternoon or if one of the album’s stellar tracks is pulsating through the dance floor on a Friday night, Justice’s † has certainly lived up to the hype. It is one of the most infectious dance albums of the year.

Justice – D.A.N.C.E.

[audio:http://mineorecords.com/mp3/b07/justice-dan.mp3]

Justice – Waters of Nazareth

[audio:http://mineorecords.com/mp3/b07/justice-wat.mp3]

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33. !!! – Myth Takes

Though their unconventional name (pronounced “Chk Chk Chk”) may give off the impression of a disregard for , the musical output of !!! says otherwise. In their third release, Myth Takes, the group puts forth an exceptional effort through excitable, genre-bending songs that are virtually tireless in nature. Previously known for their pushy rock epics that simultaneously tackled topics like drugs, demons, and politics, Myth Takes marks a step forward in their stylistic ambitiousness. Funk is arguably the most prevalent, with the outstanding “A New Name” capitalizing on Justin Vandervolgin’s pulsating bass line. Between the rhythm section lies a swipe of an electric guitar every measure, all until singer Nic Offer expertly pulls off some demonic Barry Gibb impression. Though older !!! fans may listen and scratch their heads, “A New Name” is clearly one of their best songs to date. The rest of the album is very enjoyable as well, with the energetic Zappa-induced “All My Heroes Are Weirdos”, the swooning “Heart Of Hearts”, and the guitar-driven eight-minute epic “Bend Over Beethoven” being additional highlights. To make things even better, Myth Takes also encompasses some of the best, albeit appropriately apocalyptic, cover art of ’07. In the most accessible album of their careers, the enjoyably named !!! have achieved admirable success.

!!! – A New Name

!!! – All My Heroes Are Weirdos

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32. Art Brut – It’s a Bit Complicated

Witty one-liners, snappy guitars, hilarious sociological musings… yeah, Art Brut’s excellent debut, Bang Bang Rock and Roll, was all of that and more. It was one of my favorite albums of 2005, with Eddie Argos’ distinctively British vocals being in perfect contrast to the rhymes and melodic croons that he seemed at ease conveying. Set against the backdrop of catchy punk-pop and indie-rock, Argos often found himself transformed into a humorously fanatical poet, relaying hopeful tales of “drinking Hennessey with Morrissey” on some faraway beach while simultaneously lamenting frustration of NME’s ridiculous stylistic niches. Two years after their debut, It’s a Bit Complicated follows up in expectable form. Though Argos’ wittiness has appeared to decreased ever so slightly, the melodic instrumentation is as strong as ever in exciting tracks like “Direct Hit” and “People in Love”. Though it is less prevalent on several other tracks, Argos’ lyrical wit remains fully demonstrative in the album’s best track, “People in Love”. “People in love, lie around and get fat, I didn’t want us to end up like that,” he opens the song, fully confident of his band’s peculiarly delightful style. Though nothing on It’s a Bit Complicated reaches the anthemic charm of “Emily Kane”, Art Brut’s sophomore album continues the band’s uniquely engaging stylistic trend of treating listeners to a mutual appreciation of witty lyrical wordplay and infectious instrumental prowess, resulting in an experience that is nearly as excitable as its predecessor.

Art Brut – People in Love

Art Brut – Direct Hit

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31. Dondolo – Dondolisme

Another French electronic artist? Indeed, but with the quality that such a demographic is putting out, there is absolutely no need to complain. Compared to native contemporaries like Justice, Air, or Daft Punk, Romain Guerret’s electro-funk project, Dondolo, is certainly on the same page, though his implementation of funk and ’80s power-pop creates cause for separable acclaim. While synths do make up the majority of his tracks, Guerret also implements funk guitar riffs, mesmeric bass lines, and ceaseless percussion mixed with variations of vocoder and spoken monologue. On his latest album, Dondolisme, Guerret features nearly-instrumental synth gems like “J’ai Deux Amours” and “Zarte Melody” along with the power-pop infused guitar-led irresistibility of “A Question of Will”, the latter being one of the catchiest tracks of the year. With its swiftly executed guitar riffs and fast-paced vocal mumblings being a full-on embrace of guiltless new-wave, the male-female vocal correspondence is executed faultlessly in a throwback style of sorts. Whether one enjoys the sensational new-wave revivalism in “A Question of Will” or the lusher, more synth-oriented atmosphere in “Fluffy Angel”, the diversely enjoyable Dondolime is both catchy and methodically variegated enough to warrant an impressionable taste. It is an impressive effort from Romain Guerret, a name that is certainly climbing the ranks of elite French electronic producers.

Dondolo – A Question of Will

Dondolo – Fluffy Angel

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The post Best Albums of 2007: #40 to #31 appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

I try to spread the genres out a bit with my day-to-day articles. A little bit of pop one day, a touch of rock the other, and full-fledged electronica the next; diversity certainly makes our lives a lot less tiring. It also keeps me on my toes, disallowing me any opportunity to grow tired or ashamed of one particular genre. Like many of you, I have learned to love it all. Considering that I just featured the irresistible all-girl dance-pop of Girls Aloud on Saturday, I was admittedly a bit hesitant about posting Private so soon. Simply, I did not want to overwhelm people with, in my opinion, the two best dance-pop albums of the year by posting them in the same week. We all need time for albums to grow on us and there is no doubt in my mind that fans of one group will surely cherish the other as well. Sure, while neither Girls Aloud or Private serve up the masculine, guitar-powered form of indie-rock that has been the supreme choice for elitist showmanship, they are offering some of the strongest songwriting I have heard all year. Call me impatient, but I simply could not wait any longer. The “acceptable” norm gets dull sometimes anyways

I also suppose some might say that posting a band that the infamous Perez Hilton has already praised goes against the purpose of this site in its goal to expose quality lesser-known artists to an audience that truly deserves the opportunity to listen to them. However, as it seems now, their presence throughout music blogs is nearly obsolete. Maybe Hilton scared them off. Still, considering that Private’s debut offers some of the catchiest dance-pop tracks of the year, I find it hard to resist sharing. Much of this acclaim can be attributed to the stunning talents of Thomas Troelsen, a masterful composer and producer from Denmark. Though his name remains fairly unknown outside of Denmark, his work is cherished in his home country for good reason. Make no mistake though, he has had his share of time on the international charts; it was just not as a performer. He has produced several chart-topping hits primarily aimed at a dance aesthetic, notably Junior Senior’s “Move Your Feet”, Monrose’s “Hot Summer”, and Melody Club’s “Baby”. With those three acts hailing from Denmark, Germany and Sweden, respectively, Troelsen seems intent on capitalizing on the European craze for dance-pop. With his skills, I cannot say I blame him either.

The formation of Private dates back to Troelsen’s first breakout group as a performing artist. He manned the vocals and synths for the Danish six-piece, Superheroes, a group that saw three successful albums and three notable singles in their native Denmark. Upon Superheroes’ abolishment in 2006, Troelsen nabbed two of Superheroes’ other four members and formed Private. Now comprised of Troelsen, guitarist Asger Tarpgaard, and vocalist Tanja Simonsen, Private seems destined for ultimate success. They have already achieved a monumental amount of it in Denmark, as their outstanding single, “My Secret Lover”, sits atop firmly at #1. With their new album, the similarly titled My Secret Lover, starting to generate substantial hype amongst the dance scene, Private is truly one of the several breakout successes of 2007. I have found it to be one of the catchiest albums of the year, with gems like “I Can’t Wait” and the self-titled “My Secret Lover” being sparkling examples of what quality contemporary dance-pop should sound like. Troelsen’s style with Private recalls the dance sensibilities of Michael Jackson and Prince at their peaks, all while providing a futuristic sound of electronica in the process. Though the majority of songs on My Secret Lover are introduced by a glaring synth that sounds 20 years too late, the majority eventually fold into intricately layered dance masterpieces.

Though it can be overshadowed by the irresistible “My Secret Lover” in terms of initial appeal, my favorite track on My Secret Lover is “I Can’t Wait”. As it begins with a swanky synth and seductive bass line, Troelsen’s vocals immediately thrust the song into the category of “dancefloor favorites”. The chorus is unconventionally introduced immediately but, with it being the most likable part of the song, it proves to be highly effective. As the song nears its final stages with a Yellow Magic Orchestra-like synth solo, it should be recognizable to many that Private are quite different from other aspiring dance-pop acts. They are tighter, more fluid, and their bag of hooks seems bottomless. Though Troelsen’s use of a drum machine is spread throughout the album, “I Can’t Wait” shows wholeheartedly that it does not interfere with the crisp production and vocal delivery. Much of it is on the shoulders of Troelsen because, simply put, he sounds like a pop star in his prime. He can sing, produce, and write songs with excellent proficiency. There are not many artists who can say the same.

Tanja Simonsen is found singing backing vocals on “I Can’t Wait” and several other tracks but she most notably takes center stage on the serene “One in a Million”. It is a spacey treat that is a good display of Troelsen’s unselfishness, giving his fantastic voice a rest to give Simonsen a shot. She pulls it off just as well. He also takes aid from a few guest songwriters on three of the tracks, “Crucify My Heart” (with Tom Burris), “Killer on the Dance Floor” (with Remee)), and “Waiting for Tonight”; the latter was written by both Troelsen and Junior Senior member Jesper Mortensen. If you are a fan of ’80s pop and contemporary dance, Private’s My Secret Lover could very well be your favorite album of the year. Apart from a mediocre song or two in the middle, it is near flawless.

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Private – My Secret Lover

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Private – I Can’t Wait

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Private – One in a Million

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When it comes to music, age knows no limit. While it is customary to expect genius composers like Philip Glass or Ryuichi Sakamoto to continue creating music into their latter years due to the precise and delicate nature of their instrumentally laden craft, there are a handful of aged individuals who can tackle the art of pop music willfully without coming across as desperate or stylistically frail. This being said, many modern bands would be hesitant if their lead singer was a 50-year-old women. This type of hesitation would be obsolete in appliance to the talents of Julee Cruise. As the lead singer of Marcus Schmickler’s psyche-shoegaze project, Pluramon, the only thing that should audibly matter to listeners is her wide-ranged experience. Known to many hip connoisseurs as the lead singer to the theme song of cult television television show Twin Peaks (and also an actress on it), her collaborations stretch as far as David Lynch, Angelo Badalamenti, Supa DJ Dimitri, and most recently German-based Marcus Schmickler. If you have not noticed or are not a fan of Lynch’s work, Cruise manages to dabble in tones that would be widely considered “dark”. With a voice that remains airily haunting with a tinge of fragility depicting romanticized longing, it has always been an extremely suitable fit.

Though her career remains ample with respectable figures in tow, I personally am most enamored with her work involving Pluramon. Apart from the fact that Schmickler is a skilled songwriter in his own right, their collaborative purposes go together like peas in a pod. His atmospheric, brooding mixture of post-punk, shoegaze, and psychedelia, has been treating audiences since the release of their debut in 1996, Pickup Canyon. Though Pluramon’s early material did not feature Cruise on vocals, albums like Render Bandits in 1998 did more than enough to solidify their status as one of the more enjoyable shoegaze acts out of Germany. When Cruise’s involvement with Pluramon became more readily apparent with their fourth album, Dreams Top Rock, in 2003, it marked the initial stages of their fruitful partnership. Along with a variety of other instrumentalists and backing vocalists, Pluramon has become an act distinguished by their ability to blend rhythmically based instrumentation with plentiful effects of surrounding reverb and atmospheric serenity, all marked by precise musicianship.

With Pluramon’s fifth and most recent album, The Monstrous Surplus, set to be released on October 23rd, it marks perhaps the first occasion where Cruise’s involvement is full-fledged to a point where she is considered an official member. With that in consideration, it has also evolved to be the best album from the band in recent memory. I know it may sound generic, but the one word to describe it would be “beautiful”. Any of those in doubt should look no further than “Border”, a sprawling, lush beauty of a song that works of droning guitar lines, echoed percussion, and a pair of reverbed vocals that lifts the song into places unimaginable for previous incarnations of the German shoegazers. The first few lines do a nice job in summing up the song’s reflectively romantic outlook. “This is life – it’s alright because I’m in love,” Schmickler sings with a deep croon, with Cruise’s endearingly airy vocals supplementing his shortly thereafter during a chorus that relies on minimalist structures and guitar-based arpeggios. When the song erupts into a near-explosion of ringing keys and singularly driving synths, Cruise’s vocals become more frontal and the moment provides an instant realization into one fact: “Border” is the best song Pluramon has ever produced.

While they are certainly not as strictly in the genre of “shoegaze” as other influential artists like My Bloody Valentine or Cocteau Twins, the diversity of Pluramon makes the personal experience quite rewarding. The thing that most impresses me about The Monstrous Surplus is its ability to remain consistent. While past Pluramon albums have found struggles with some songs being of a lesser quality or stylistic reach than the stronger efforts, this is a cumulatively impressive album that reaps from a collection of beautifully executed songs. While the outstanding “Border” was largely reliant on instrumental progression and slick production, “If Time Was On My Side” and “K-Land” are largely dependent on the elusive vocals of Julee Cruise. With guitars being the main instrument of trade in both songs over the occasional whirring of synths, both are nearly rewarding as “Border”. Cruise carries a leading vocal melody through traditional structures that increase in intensity as the song itself progresses. Though the sample-led “Fresh Aufhebung” is a slight mess in comparison to the other tracks on The Monstrous Surplus, the rest of the tracks are extremely enjoyable and should hopefully serve as the epitome of future releases from Pluramon. With a relaxing demeanor contained in songs that are both serene and elegant, The Monstrous Surplus is one that will be hard to miss.

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Pluramon – Border

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Pluramon – K-Land

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Pluramon – If Time Was On My Side

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For the tourism offices in Sweden, the past several years must have been a breeze. With such a bustling outlet of quality Swedish musical acts gaining reputable fan bases overseas, international fans have inherited the desire to visit Sweden now more than ever. Though Sweden has been contributing to the universal music world to a significant degree ever since the emergence of ABBA in the early ’70s, one of the most substantial impacts has occurred in the past five years. With electronic groups like The Knife, orchestral art-rock collectives like Love is All, and the talented classical guitarist José González representing the previously uncovered diversity of Swedish music, the foolish stereotype that all music from Sweden sounded like ABBA was quickly discarded. Instead of having one band represent an entire country’s music scene, Sweden has finally reached the point where the amount of innovative, quality native artists exposed are comparable to the amount found in the US or UK. As fantastic as ABBA was, it is a great thing to see a country’s musical representation become broader and less generalized. The rest of the world has picked up on this ideology too. There are now clubs around the world devoted entirely to Swedish music, blogs like swedesplease that exclusively cover Swedish music, and American labels like Twentyseven that focus solely on up-and-coming artists from Sweden. I guess you could say that the new wave of artists from Sweden are building their own little cult followings throughout the rest of Europe and the United States. Even if some of the artists are too sugary and lighthearted for some, much of the attention is well-deserved.

Pelle Carlberg is one of the most conventional of Swedish artists. Like many before him, Carlberg makes abundant use of soaring pop hooks, orchestral instrumentation, and jangly guitars. However, he is also quite diverse in surprising listeners with an occasional all-acoustic song or breathtaking classical piano composition. Like Jens Lekman did a few years ago, Carlberg has been drawing nothing but rave reviews from critics focused on Swedish music. One of the most well-informed sources of Swedish music online, the previously mentioned swedesplease, calls Carlberg’s music “quite simply of a higher order than anything else being released”. From a writer who knows more than a few things about rivaling Swedish music, that is certainly a complement to take to heart. It would never phase Carlberg though, as he is quite the veteran in regard to a musical career. Now 37 years old with four kids, Carlberg has been active in professional music since the late ’80s. Prior to the release of his debut solo album, Everything. Now!, in 2005, Carlberg was known primarily as the frontman for Edson, a chamber-pop six-piece that is currently on a temporary hiatus. After Edson completed three delightful albums in three years, Carlberg searched for a project that allowed him to explore his songwriting skills more freely. After signing to Labrador in Sweden and Twentyseven in the USA, Carlberg launched Everything. Now! to successful reviews. Released barely over a year after Jens Lekman’s stateside debut, When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog, the applicable American audiences relished Carlberg’s proficient use of acoustics, baroque pop, and pure Swedish power-pop. His witty, half-satirical lyrical wordplay was just as similarly enjoyable in Carlberg’s distinctive tone of revolving romanticism.

Unfortunately for Pelle Carlberg, while artists like Lekman, The Knife, and González have found a nurturing American fan base, Carlberg remains to be recognized in the group of Swedish international superstars. Even though he is a favorite in his native Sweden, Italy, Germany, Taiwan, and even Indonesia, his luck in the United States has not come as easy. It surprises me too, as Carlberg is as accessible as they come. Perhaps it was the stylistic hesitation of Everything. Now! that turned American listeners off. It seemed that half of the album was assorted with delicately crafted acoustic churners like the exceptional ballad of critical bitterness in “Go to Hell, Miss Rydell” while the other half consisted of full-band accompaniments in the zealous vein of “Bastards Don’t Blush”. Though I personally enjoyed all of what Carlberg had to offer, I imagine that the majority of listeners likely preferred one half over the other. As comparisons chugged along likening Carlberg’s tirelessly witty lyrical style and twee-folk deliveries to the “Swedish version of Belle & Sebastian”, Carlberg pushed on relentlessly in writing his follow-up sophomore album, In a Nutshell. Released earlier this March, it represents a more polished attempt as Carlberg’s hesitation is now replaced by cohesiveness and doubtless certainty. Correcting upon the few flaws of Everything. Now!, the tracks on In a Nutshell are now bound together by stylistic confidence. Rather than sounding like two separate artists throughout the album, Carlberg has now weaved together his previously successful attempts of full-band and acoustical approaches into one seamlessly satisfying form.

In a Nutshell seems to dwindle down in terms of instrumental accompaniment as it progresses. The peppy opener, “Pamplona”, is the most involved track on the album, relaying vivacious displays of strings, keys, hand claps, and other percussive elements. It may also tickle you a bit to know that Carlberg apparently plays nearly all of the instruments on In a Nutshell; quite an accomplishment considering the variety of sounds utilized throughout the album. “I Love You, You Imbecile” is vintage power-pop as Carlberg breezes through a male-female vocal duet, highlighted by a mutually ardent chorus that is distinguished by vocally melodic similarities and weightlessly effervescent keys. While the first two tracks are substantial examples of Carlberg’s melodic abilities, his lyrical talent shines through superiorly in the brilliantly humorous “Crying All The Way to the Pawnshop”. Lamenting his own career choice to make it as a songwriter, Carlberg has the admirable amount of modesty to mock on his lack of success in America. “If I didn’t have bad luck I’d have no luck at all,” he signs reflectively over the usual assortment of keys and guitars. “If I couldn’t sing, if I couldn’t sing, I’d probably make decent money.” Sure, he may have made more money working behind a desk for his entire life but where is the fun in that? Carlberg’s languished form of self-pity, foretold lyrically on nearly every track on In a Nutshell, is comical due to its lighthearted and playful wit. “If I ever get happy I won’t give a fuck,” Carlberg sings in the similarly natured “I Just Called to Say I Love You”, abruptly transitioning his lyrical perspective from bitterness to romanticism as he repeats the title of the song after each verse.

Even the acoustically-laden folk songs on In a Nutshell are vast improvements upon Carlberg’s earlier works. The tale found within the enthralling “Middleclass Kid” proves to be a probable summation of Carlberg’s childhood as he looks back on short-lived nostalgia, his sister’s irrational fear of divorce, his grandparents’ stance of conservatism, and his father’s early breakfasts. He revolves such topics around his own youthful desire to create music and “start a band”, seeing such points of inspiration as one of life’s overlooked qualities. The collaboration between the banjo and strings provide for a very genuine and homely effect. It almost seemed like I knew the Carlson family personally after listening to “Middleclass Kid”. Carlson is one of those rare artists who is able to produce quality music both in the forms of lyrical astuteness and melodic competence. He is yet another songwriter overdue for some recognition in the United States.

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Pelle Carlberg – Crying All the Way to the Pawnshop

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Pelle Carlberg – I Love You, You Imbecile

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Pelle Carlberg – Pamplona

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Lou Reed opened up his classic 1973 album, Berlin, with the lingering words, “In Berlin, by the wall, you were five foot ten inches tall.” A native of New York City, Reed’s lyrics were particularly striking at a time sixteen years prior to the abolishment of the Berlin Wall. Both politically eloquent and emotionally rousing, Reed’s album depicted two troubled youths in a deep state of love, even while forced into the perils of drug addiction, abuse, and suicide with the pressure of the country’s perilous past lingering on their minds. With lyrical intellect adorned with a political and emotional coat, Berlin was one of the first rock albums that interchangeably connected politics with natural human emotion, detailing the often overlooked sociological effects of an individual in the midst of a situation that renders completely uncontrollable. It was also arguably the first commercial album that effectively relayed the personal views of Germany’s past from a New Yorker, as Reed was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Freeport. Now over thirty years later, Berlin has transformed into a thriving city where industry and positivity have regained a new form of power. Much like New York City, it has become the central thriving point of its respected country, both in terms of industrial and artistic production.

Jason Friedman, the lead songwriter for The Boggs, can relate to Reed’s recollection thoroughly, even while Friedman has been placed in a less turbulent contemporary society. Based out of Brooklyn, Friedman relocated to Berlin for artistic intentions both revolved around music and video production after The Boggs’ second album, Stitches. After sketching out the ideas for Forts, the Brooklyn-based group’s third album, Friedman returned to his native New York to hammer out the details and record the final product. With an increased intellectual view of cultural diversity and domestic transition, Friedman appeared set to incorporate both his philosophical and musical learnings into their third album. Seeing the great potential that the first two Boggs albums held, Friedman once again gathered a few familiar figures from some very recently admirable acts, most notably Julian Gross of The Liars and David Lloyd of Cause For Applause. The first two releases from The Boggs were highly symbolic of great detail and dedication, with innovative production being shrouded by a variety of instruments ranging from brass and xylophones to bass and guitar. Despite the diversity and impressive use of range, the general view was that The Boggs were always a mere inch away from fulfilling their potential, with overambitious intentions portraying a generally unorganized collective of oddball pop. While their musical intellect was certainly representable, Friedman and his backing band often shrouded their most memorable hooks through numerous layers, producing what quite frankly was a very messy album in Stitches.

Hoping to correct this criticized form of disorganization, Friedman’s Forts holds a handful of songs that truly capture the intended essence of The Boggs. The self-titled opening track finds the band in form consistent to their first two releases, compiling non-traditional percussion over layers of keys and guitar swipes that sound nearly in the form of a rich tribal dance. “Forts” does indeed hold an infectious chorus that boasts a diverse transition from the initial verse; an aspect that the band previously struggled with on their first two albums. Surprisingly, the next track on Forts, “Remember The Orphans”, explores entirely new territory altogether for the band with vocals that sound oddly like Damon Albarn’s seventieth project, masked under accompanying female shouts that are regularly consistent throughout the album. The vocal approach also applies for the volatile “Arm In Arm”, a track led by a distinctively animated distorted guitar that treads through the track in a consistent manner, with an increase of rapidity signaling an eruptive chorus laced with Friedman’s husky vocals. Imagine such a thing. A contemporary band based in New York and Germany that sounds like a traditionally jumpy mid-90s British experimental pop band. Even so, this eccentric pop song is one of the gems on the often inconsistent Forts, an album that contains many of the same weaknesses that the first two albums possessed despite excitable songs like “Remember The Orphans” and “Arm In Arm”.

The first half of Forts is actually quite good in being the best batch of songs the band has ever written. The dramatic strings touched in “One Year On” provides a nice setting for a new set of vocals that sounds like an unconventional cross between Stephin Merritt and Stuart Stapley. Whether it is easy to adore or dislike the constant etches between Albarn, Merritt, and Stapley, those searching for forms of consistency will not be enamored with Forts. The latter half of the album is filled with dull acoustic attempts like the repetitive “After The Day” and the incoherent jumble that is “Melanie In The White Coat”. It gets no better with “If We Want (We Can)”, sounding like a drunken sorority with access to a furious percussionist. While The Boggs create several interesting innovations and excitable circumstances with tracks in the more coordinated vein of “Bookends” and the structural consistencies of “Remember The Orphans”, it appears that The Boggs’ only form of significant growth has come in the increased patterns of well-synchronized rhythm sections and early Brit-pop comparisons. While their potential continues to glow brightly, it will take quite a bit of newly constructed musical unity and organization to achieve their evident goal of being mentioned in the same sentence with Xiu Xiu, !!!, The Liars, and other groups in the upper tier of enjoyably unconventional pop music.

5.8/10

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The Boggs – Remember The Orphans

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The Boggs – Forts

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The Boggs – One Year On

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De/Vision are a German based electronic/techno band that to me, sound basically like a German version of Depeche Mode. Of course, when it comes from Germany it’s also going to have a little bit more of a techno feel at times, all while maintaing the dark and mysterious feel of Depeche Mode. They have been around since 1988, so some of you may already be familiar with them. For those who are not, here are two songs off their latest album, Subkutan, to show you what they’re like:

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De/Vision – Star-Crossed Lovers

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De/Vision – Addict

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Though their name may provide a suitable fit, Whitest Boy Alive is not a solo rap project by some random white kid in the suburbs. It’s actually the opposite. Hailing from Berlin, Germany, Whitest Boy Alive started out as an electronic dance band, but slowly but steadily shifted into a pure band with no electronic elements. That’s right — guitars, bass, keyboards, and drums with stellar production, suitable vocals, and catchy melodies. Their new album Dreams was recorded live, something that seems to be the new fad these days.

Their sounds can vary, from the excitable opener ‘Burning’ to the mellow and downbeat ‘Don’t Give Up’. ‘Burning’ has one of those melodies that are instantly likable after the first few seconds. The bass and drums take over for much of the beginning of the song, until the gracious guitar melody kicks back in and provides some new emotion. ‘Figures’ is a track that eventually builds up into a layer of hooks, while ‘Don’t Give Up’ is a beautiful song led by likable keys, eventually building up a nice guitar hook. I strongly recommend Dreams.

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Whitest Boy Alive – Burning

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Whitest Boy Alive – Don’t Give Up

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Whitest Boy Alive – Figures

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In our first feature, we take a look and a listen at ten outstanding songs from Japan.

Music from many countries often combine their own individual elements with many Western influences. Japanese music is renowned for this. While most Japanese music is either regarded as classical kimono ballads or sappy anime songs, several outstanding genres are hidden to the naked Western eye. Modern Japanese indie, pop, and rock artists are extremely fond of music outside of their country, while still showing a respectability and admiration for their own personal roots. Modern music took great storm in Japan a few decades after the big movement in the United States and Europe, first appearing as a large standpoint in the 1960s with psychedelic rock bands and folk-rock.

As of now, Japan remains on a similar page musically as the rest of the world. With several created genres – ranging from Shibuya-kei to Enka – have made their impact on world music. Despite Japanese-originated genres, most modern Japanese indie music sounds very similar to Western music… well, if you don’t count the language, of course. I chose ten songs that made an impact on me and my view on Japanese music.

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The B’z – Motel

I’ll naturally start off with one of my favorite Japanese bands. The B’z consist of the duo Tak Matsumoto (guitar) and Koshi Inaba (vocals, keyboards). Making their debut in 1988, The B’z may be the most successful Japanese rock bands of all time, selling over 50 million records. Matsumoto and Inaba are truly the Marr-Morrissey duo of Japan, with Matsumoto writing the music and Inaba writing the lyrics and doing the vocals. Matsumoto is a sensational guitarist and his musical songwriting is outstanding. His arrangements are as catchy as they come and they can stand up to any band in the world as far as this goes. If you’re looking for an introduction to Japanese music, The B’z are the way to go.

Buy
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Kagerou – Kakokei Shinjitsu

Kagerou was the first Japanese band I truly fell for. Despite their overdrawn and ghoulish appearance (yes, they are all guys), their music can be elegant, emotional, and powerful. They really don’t sound as gothic as they look, and the gothic band look in Japan is called ‘Visual-Kei’. They are known for crossdressing, wearing makeup, and odd outfits but are actually rarely homosexual or bisexual. It’s just a unique style in Japan, taking roots from such Western artists as Bauhaus, David Bowie, and T-Rex.. Frontman Daisuke has some of the most unique vocals I have ever heard, and it’s certainly a compliment. An outstanding band with an outstanding catalog of albums and mini-albums (EP’s in Japan).

Buy
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Pizzicato Five – Let’s Spend The Night Together

I’d like to introduce all of those who don’t know about it, to the wonderful genre of Shibuya-Kei. Shibuya-Kei is a genre of music that originated in Japan that combines several styles, including blues, fusion, traditional music, folk, and rock. It is said to be Japan’s most popular original genre, with several modern Western (particulary French) artists heavily influenced by it as well. Pizzicato Five is one of the most famous Japanese bands to Westerners because of their very nice flow and accessible jazzy sound. Their signing to Matador certainly didn’t hurt their Western status either. Their music has even had small cameos in several Western entertainment such as in Goldmember (Austin Powers), Charlie’s Angels, and Futurama. They are considered one of the most successful Shibuya-Kei artists of all time.

Buy
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The Pillows – Our Love And Peace

The Pillows are one of the Japanese bands who gained popularity because of the anime popularity in Japan. A regular in the series FLCL, they are one of Japan’s more popular rock bands. Their popularity in the United States is starting to increase as well, as they kicked off a tour in the United States in March 2005. The three core members of Sawao Yamanaka (vocals), Yoshiaki Manabe (guitar), and Shinichiro Sato (drums) have been together with 1989 making a great amount of catchy songs. I chose ‘Our Love And Peace’ because it is highly enjoyable, not too fast or loud, and just generally fun.

Buy
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Dir En Grey – Yurameki

Though they apparently consider themselves no longer visual-kei, Dir En Grey is one of the most successful Visual-Kei artists ever. As displayed because of hundred of fan sites and fan cults, they are one of the most popular. Their frantic style of play and consistent albums have made them a trademark in Japanese music. They are younger than most Japanese bands of their stature, having been around for less than ten years. They are exceptionally popular in Germany. They have been a band known to embrace English roots, as each of their albums is often seen going in a different music direction, sometimes approaching full English. Their album, Withering To Death, (released in 2005 in Japan) will see a United States release on March 21, 2006.

Buy

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Inugami Circus-dan – Kagerou

It’s just a coincidence that their song name is the same as one of the band names above, it’s no relation. ‘Kagerou’ would mean ‘dragonfly’ in English, just in case you’re interested. Originating in 1994, they are actually a Visual-Kei band with a real girl! Her name is Kyouko and she is the vocalist too, and she adds a nice flavor to the Blues-influenced rock. Their lyrics tend to be associated with ghostly and violent things, so they are one of the bands that actually reflect their attire. Nonetheless, the music is quite good.

Buy

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MUCC – Dilemma

MUCC got their name from the number ’69’. In Japanese, ’69’ can be pronounced “mukku”. With that interesting bit said, they are one of the louder bands in the Japanese genre. Like Dir En Grey, their frantic play style can be found, but it is often more consistent. The song ‘Dilemma’ is very entertaining. They are currently a hot selling band, since forming in 1997.

Buy

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Cibo Matto – Birthday Cake

Yeah, it’s that song from Jet Set Radio! Cibo Matto was actually formed in New York, but the founding members are Japanese (Miho Hatori and Yuka Honda) and combine many Japanese elements so I fit them in here regardless. They’re basically in a genre of their own, combining general shibuya-kei, Latin music, and even rap to create a very interesting sound. They are really only for a specific group of people, but all music fans should respect and admire their sound. They broke up in 2001 but their two albums (Viva! La Woman and Stereo Type A) are both very fun stuff.

Buy

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Tokyo Jihen – Blackout

I already raved about Tokyo Jihen in another post on this blog, but their new album Adult is just so damn good that here is another track. ‘Blackout’ is the track that grew on me the most. I’m really digging the keys, claps, and Shiina Ringo’s usual great vocal style. Here is what I wrote about Tokyo Jihen in a previous post: Tokyo Jihen is the brainchild of popular Japanese singer/songwriter Yumiko Shiina, better known as Shiina Ringo. She chose the nickname of ‘Ringo†because of her admiration of Ringo Starr and Fiona Apple (â€ringo†means ‘apple†in Japanese). In my opinion, Shiina Ringo is probably one of the most rawly talented songwriters in the world. I know that may seem like a high honor, but she has displayed signs of outstanding song and structure writing since her debut album, Muzai Moratorium, in 1999. After a successful solo career for seven years, she fulfilled her desires to create a full band by forming Tokyo Jihen in 2004. Translated to The Tokyo Incidents, Tokyo Jihen combines several music styles, mostly blues, to make a great sound.

Buy

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Chara – Atashi Ha Kokoyo

Chara creates quite lovable music. Chara is Miwa Sato, who has been making quality J-Pop since the early 90s. With vocals that could pass for a middle school girl, it fits in right in with the twinkling keyboards and catchy beats in ‘Atashi Ha Koyoko’. I strongly recommend her greatest hits compilation, Caramel Milk.. Child-like qualities in vocals are often considered a plus in Japanese pop music, and Chara comes with no exception. She released an album with imminent English in Montage with Yen Town Band in 1996. It is my favorite album from her, though her greatest albums should be a great introduction.

Buy

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