EPO -- I Can't Let Go

 

Welcome to Friday on "Kayo Kyoku Plus". The past 24 hours have been especially turbulent for a number of reasons on the international and national fronts, but if you're looking for some escape and you are into Japanese popular music, feel free to indulge yourself here.

Came across EPO's August 1988 album "Free Style" on J-Pop Fantasia's channel but I would like to focus on one track "I Can't Let Go" (14:13) which is quite scrumptious, especially considering that it is J-Urban Contemporary Friday here on the blog. Written by Linda Taylor and composed by the singer herself, EPO and her duet partner, session vocalist and musician Andrew Caine, engage in some sublime late 1980s City Pop with those champagne keyboards and dollops of soul.

Gonna have to dig further into "Free Style". If I can't actually live it up in Tokyo at night anymore, there's nothing like living vicariously through this type of music.