I was trying to categorize this Haruko Kuwana（桑名晴子）song since it's some years removed from her peak City Pop days. Well, when I put it through the "What's My Genre?" wringer (Sonoteller is always busy), I got the following:
Synthpop (53%)
J-Pop (40%)
Blues, Funk, Alternative / Indie R&B (22%)
Funk (19%)
New wave (16%)
I'm talking about Kuwana's track, "Biyaku '85" (Aphrodisiac '85) from her June 1985 album "Don't You Know". The above genres are quite the heady mix which I guess would fit for a song with a title like that. Perhaps like the more famous "Love Potion No. 9", the aphrodisiac for 1985 has quite the mélange of spices and herbs and all that. But I'll just go with my Labels of Pop and J-R&B and if anyone can provide a more pinpoint version of that latter genre, I'd be grateful. In any case, it is quite heady and Kuwana's vocals are quite panther-y and slick. Yoshinobu Kojima（小島良喜）and Kyohei Sakayaki（月代京兵）were the composer and lyricist respectively.
Japanese musicians really like to mix up genres.
ReplyDeleteThey do indeed. No borders at all.
DeleteAs a composer myself (i'm very amateur) , I would like to mix two or three genres.
DeleteI think it would be a worthwhile challenge. Which genres would you like to mix together? Technopop and City Pop? Rock and blues?
DeleteTechnopop, Ambient, or Eurodisco. Most of my songs are mostly technopop and Ambient though.
Deletehttps://on.soundcloud.com/Ok1zQ3tH7WbFkfWmPE
https://note.com/bright_acacia92
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjdE96YScmtakxXVbnlcuD_ajpU39kfCC&si=T9z0W_ly5u4tu4Hk
I like your "Shopping Street". it sounds like a combination of YMO and Kraftwerk. On the YMO side, I'm reminded of "Absolute Ego Dance".
DeleteI think I recall seeing this album cover on this blog before.
ReplyDeleteIt's possible. Maybe one of us covered another track from "Don't You Know".
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