New album from World Standard, led by Sohichiro Suzuki, three years in the making, focusing on music from South America, particularly Brazil and Argentina and cover of Portuguese singer Sara Tavares.

Formed in 2007, Kinoco Hotel, hark back to the GS glory days of the sixties. They are four female musicians Marianne Shinonome (vo, organ), Isabel Keme Kamogawa (guitar), Emannuel Kominato (bass) and Fabianne Inawashiro (drums). Their first album became a hit with cool groovsters in Tokyo, looking for something a little bit different and a lot more stylish than your average j-pop stars, and have become favourites at Japan's music festivals, including Rising Sun in 2010. Also influenced by progressive rock, new wave, techno pop, as well as kayo-kyoku of Showa and 60's garage music.

Four piece girls band who hark back to the glorious days of 'GS' - Group Sounds. Formed in 2007, fronted by Marianne Shinonome who sings and plays organ, they have become quite popular in Japan both live and on record. Eight catchy infectious retro-GS songs.

After several years of indie label success, CKB sign to a major. Fortunately they have't compromised their style, the album of 21 tracks starting off in typical mood, before getting more and more interesting with jazz, cumbia, Showa kayo, blues and other styles creeping into their funky music. Bandleader and singer Ken Yokoyama is on top form.

Crazy Ken Band are just that. A slightly crazy band led by Ken (Yokoyama). Their songs have a retro feel of 50s and 60s Japanese pop; kitsch and wacky, yet played with utmost skill by a bunch of great musicians. In the last few years they've become very popular and are regulars on the Japanese music festival scene. 23 tracks of classy, jazzy pop.

Skapara are back with a new album and are currently enjoying one of their peaks of popularity in Japan and around the world. More of their infectious blend of ska, rock, jazz and pop. Guest vocalist is Fumio Ito from Kemuri. 1. Perfect Future 2. Megami no Negai 3. Punch 'n' Sway 4. Me and My Skyline 5. 964 Speedstar 6. Warrior Chant 7. Last Temptation 8. Latin Scorche 9. A Song for Athletes 10. All About My Monster 11. Pride of Lions 12. Transit Passenger 13. Walking Angel

New album, marking TSPO's 20th anniversary, features pop singers Tamio Okuda, Kazuyoshi Saito and Crystal Kay, and past collaborator and reggae musician, Denis Bovell. Plus DVD with live footage and interviews from the past 20 years.

2 CD best of set from the excellent 'Suka Para' from their more recent and most successful years. Originally formed in 1985, the group have played numerous shows around the world, and have released at least 18 albums. Their music is an energetic blend of ska, with jazz and rock. CD1 has 13 tracks including Down Beat Stomp, Call from Rio, Walk Between Raindrops and Stroke of Fate. CD2 also has 13 tracks including the original version of Skarada and a live version of White Light. Guest vocalists and musicians include Takao Tajima, Yusuke Chiba, Tamio Okuda, Hanaregumi, Chara and Hirota Komoto.

Limited edition version of the Best of Tokyo Ska comes with DVD featuring seven unreleased music videos and seventeen music clips.

Ganga Zumba is the new group of Kazufumi Miyazawa one of Japan's leading musicians. Ganga Zumba comprises several members who formed part of Miyazawa's solo projects. These include from Brazil pandeiro percussionist Marcos Suzano, keyboardist Fernando Moura, from Cuba, Luis Valle on trumpet and from Japan, Hiroshi Takano on guitar, on drums (also with Orquesta de la Luz) Genta and Reiko Tsuchiya on violin and Chinese erhu. Habatake! is a mini-album of 7 tracks. More pop than Brazilian, great songs, good performance.

Pioneers of the Shibuya sound have a new best of double CD. The 35 tracks were chosen by the group's Yasuhiro Konishi. Disc 1 is his selection of their best songs while disc 2 features live and rare tracks.

Crazy Ken Band's latest is their usual brew of kitsch 50s and 60s Japanese pop with large doses of wit. 21 track CD plus DVD of their entertaining tunes with elements of funk, soul, hip hop and tango, with strong Japanese flavours.

Crazy Ken Band play a kind of 50s retro big band style of music, with a large slice of added wit. Their musical and comical talents are equally high, their albums an infectious and joyous blend of sounds. This new album was inspired by singer Ken Yokoyama's home town of Yokohama. Full of exoticism, with images of sleezy nightclubs and life on the dock of the bay.

Japanese pop (kayoukyoku) mixed with rock and elements of Japanese bossa nova, with a large dose of humour make for a hugely enjoyable album. 2CDs including CD extra with promotion video.

For many, quite simply, Japan's greatest ever group and their greatest album. Nearly 30 years on, YMO are still cited by seemingly any creative Japanese musician operating in rock, dance, club and other genres as a major influence and by many international artists too. Formed in 1978 by Ryuichi Sakamoto, ex Happy End bassist Haruomi Hosono and ex-Sadistic Mika Band drummer Yukihiro Takahashi, they pioneered techno pop. On their second album Solid State Survivor, YMO combined their synth/drum machine sound with some memorable tunes such as Technopilis and Behind the Mask (later covered by Eric Clapton). The group disbanded in 1984, all have pursued successful solo careers, reuniting recently as Audio Human Sponge. Their legacy as YMO is timeless.

The Ultimate Collection of YMO does exactly what it says on the tin. 2 CDs of their best tunes from their brief but brilliant career, 1978-1983. 34 tracks. CD 1. Computer Game 2. Firecracker 3. Tong Poo 4. La Femme Chinoise 5. Technopolis 6. Insomnia 7. Rydeen 8. Behind the Mask 9. Solid State Survivor 10. Radio Junk 11. Jingle 'YMO' 12. Nice Age 13. Tighten Up 14. The End of Asia 15. Citizens of Science 16. Hirake Kokoro Jiseiki CD2. 1. Cue 2. Ballet 3. U.T. 4. Gradated Grey 5. Taiso 6. Lover Come Back to Me 7. Kimi ni Mune Kyun 8. Chaos Panic 9. Ongaku 10. Lotus Love 11. Kai-kou 12. Kageki-na Shukujyo 13. The Madmen 14. Ishin Denshin 15. Perspective 16. M-16 17. Pocketful of Rainbows 18. Behind the Mask (Bonus Track Seiko Quartz CM Version).

1971. Happy End are noted for being one of the first Japanese groups to perform original songs sang entirely in Japanese while influenced by western rock and folk. They are considered pioneers and their members included bassist/vocalist Haruomi Hosono (later of Yellow Magic Orchestra), guitarist/vocalist Eiichi Otaki, guitarist/ vocalist Shigeru Suzuki and drummer Takashi Matsumoto. The band lasted only four years from 1969 recorded three albums but have certainly left their legacy.Kaze Machi Roman is considered the best of those albums and includes the song Kaze Wo Atsumete, used in the soundtrack to the film Lost in Translation.

Haruomi Hosono teams up with fellow former YMO member Yukihiro Takahashi for an album described as 'electronic folk'. As always with Hosono, innovative and original.

Shinji Sato, vocalist with Fishmans, tragically died in 1999. He was the driving force as the principle songwriter behind one of Japan's most respected groups. They recorded 10 albums, mixing different styles of music from rock, funk, hip-hop, reggae, dub and rocksteady into a sound that became distinctly their own, which coupled with Sato's songwriting skills was a winning formula. Fishmans legacy lives on today as an influence on many artists and still with a large fan base.This 2 CD collection of 29 tracks includes 'B sides' from long deleted singles and unreleased demo tracks.

Second volume of influential and much loved group. 2 CDs, 27 tracks including rare demos.

Lying somewhere between club and rock, sometimes described as the 'Shibuya Sound', with some great songs and rhythm tracks. Unfortunately the singer recently died.

First album in two years from the excellent duo, whose records sound like they are a 10 piece band. Yoshie Nakano and Masaki Mori started out in 1996 in Osaka, but these days make Tokyo their home. They were first influenced by trad jazz, which is still strongly evident in their music, which they then combined with 1920s Japanese pop music. Added to this are elements of ska, new wave rock and pop creating a collage of sounds. On this album, mixers, producers and guests include musicians from Little Tempo, Dry and Heavy and Mama Milk! Ego Wrappin' have become a big hit in Japan and it's easy to hear why on hearing this.

One of Ego Wrappin's best albums from a few years back. Big band high energy original jazzy brew.

2 CD compilation of the excellent Ego-Wrappin', from their beginnings to the most recent. Ego-Wrappin' are essentially Yoshie Nakano (vocals) and Masaki Mori (guest). Their music evokes the spirit of showa era pop and pre-war jazz; pure pop fun, mixing jazz rock and other genres with exceptional skill.

One of the best releases of 2002, from one of the best Japanese bands to emerge in recent years. Powerful female singing in jazzy, big band arrangements featuring saxophones, trombones, trumpets, drums, percussion, double bass and more. Exciting up tempo numbers, slow ballads, and consistently good material throughout. That rare breed of big selling, widely appealing, and critically acclaimed album.

Sayoko, ex-singer with Zelda teams up with Jun Nagami to form Ape. Her previous work was mainly reggae, but she seems to have picked up a load more influences in her absence, mainly from Africa. Nagami plays electric guitar, Sayako sings while Irama Inoura (ex-Sunsetz member) plays a dazzling array of percussion instruments. Includes traditional songs from Mali and Tanzania, Jamaica, Okinawa, plus Lee Perry and some great new songs. Slightly wackly, fun, spontanesous, joyful and utterly charming.

Zelda were Japan's first all girl punk group. As they got a bit older they started to get interested in other music such as reggae and world music which they incorporated into their sound. The group have disbanded, but this wonderful double album is a great retrospective of a band fondly remembered and still with many fans.

Critically acclaimed second album of cool club pop with an array of sounds and acoustic instruments adding great depth. Good songs, slightly dreamy vocals, and consistently good throughout.

Recorded in Brazil, one of Japan's most famous musicians worldwide, Ryuichi Sakamoto teamed up with top bossa nova musicians, combining his piano expertly. One of the most critically acclaimed albums in Japan in 2001.

Double Famous are a 10 piece group, including members from the much lauded Little Creatures and Port of Notes. They play instruments including kazoo, ukulele, accordion, piano, sax, trumpet, bongos and congas. Their music is an original blend of Brazilian, jazz, dance, African with an Asian sensibility. Superb live album includes Chinese, African, Latin and Caribbean tunes.

Kama Aina is Takuji Aoyagi from Little Creatures and Double Famous, two of Japan's coolest outfits. On this album he collaborates with Scottish artists from Glasgow such as Bill Wells, Katerina Michelle and Isobel Campbell (ex.Belle and Sebastisan). Recorded in Tokyo and Glasgow.

Excellent collaboration album featuring Takuji Aoyagi of Little Creatures and Double Famous calling himself Kama Aina (Hawaiian for lslander) a guitarist who lends his hand to virtually any stringed instrument. On this Hawaiian themed album he is joined by two other guitarists R.T. (Ren Takada) who has played with Haruomi Hosono and Moose Hill (Goro Ito). Recorded i n Tokyo and Hawaii.

Their second collaborative album has a more relaxing feeling. All tracks recorded in Hawaii.

Port of Notes are guitarist Daisuke Kojima (aka DSK) and singer Miyuki Hatakeyama who also sings with Double Famous and Asa-Chang. Melancholic, cool, bossa influenced. Produced by Jesse Harris.

Brazilian and other latin flavoured guitar music. Laid back pop, designed to chill out to.

Port of Notes is the innovative duo of Miyuki Hatakeyama(vocals) and DSK(guitars). Cool and laid back this is their first album since 'Duet With Birds' released in 2001.Features Takayoshi Matsunaga and Naoyuki Uchida from Dry & Heavy and the very famous Yumi Matsutoya.

Critically acclaimed album by one of the originators of the Shibuya sound. Cool pop with a soul undercoat.

Singer Songer features enigmatic Okinawan born female singer Cocco together with Quruli's guitarist/singer Shigeru Kishida, bassist Masashi Sato, and support members Hirohisa Horie on keyboards and drummer Dai Taro. Cocco had officially retired from music for a more reclusive lifestyle before teaming up with her new friends to re-record her previous hit 'Sing a Song - No Music No Life'. The music is a kind of jangly guitar indie-pop with strong melodies and Cocco's emotive vocals soaring over the top. A much anticipated first album.

Inventive album of eerie, slow backing of sitar, programming, acoustic guitar and effects set to female vocals. Strange, original songs, that get better with repeated plays. Includes version of the Japanese lullaby, Takeda no Komori Uta.

Acoustic guitar, percussion and club rhythms on laid back, chill out album, half instrumental and vocal.

Second album from guitar player and multi-instrumentalist with multi-worldwide tastes. From laidback solo acoustic guitar originals and covers (Redemption Song) to upbeat guitar and percussion workouts. 12 tracks.

Soft, folkish rock. Good songs and female vocals, pleasant enough without having anything significantly different or exciting about it. Nevertheless, perfectly fine at what it is, and could appeal to fans of UA or the like.

Japanese / Korean folk pop group playing piano, guitar, bass, accordion and percussion. Well structured songs, good melodies and yes, rather dreamy...

Soft folk style with some jazz soul and latin flavours. Good songs from talented group.

10 years ago a Japanese hip hop group would rather be associated with anything than Japanese traditional music.These days it's almost de rigeur to start off with some traditional shamisen or similar. The rest is pretty much standard fare Japanese rap and hip hop, a scene which has developed a new confidence and originality, why, it's even become cool to have some shakuhachi (bamboo flute) in the mix too. Be warned, the last 20 minutes is wasted with natural sounds, relaxing but out of context here.

Above average blues based rock played on acoustic guitar, slide guitar, with electronics and programming by Pardon Kimura.

Tokyo Ethmusica features sound producer, Daichi Hayakawa from Tokyo and two female singers, Yong Ae, a fourth generation Korean and Miho Hirae from the island of Ishigaki, Okinawa, in the south of Japan. Hayakawa writes songs inspired by various world music, and the singers express his vision. Daichi Hayakawa comes from an academic and musical background The three artists met in Tokyo in 2003 to form Tokyo Ethmusica. They first released a mini album from an independent record label in January 2004. The group have since been picked up by various radio stations and TV programmes, and by a major record company. Their sound is fairly pop, with the world music elements kept as a sort of decoration in the background. Tokyo Ethmusica sing not only in Japanese but also in Korean and English.

Second album is pretty much the same as the first. This one includes the hit single 'Free World'.

Not many bands have the confidence to call their first album, 'Greatest Hits', but this did eventually go on to produce several hit singles. Imagine Sheryl Crow singing Japanese with a grating American accent., although half the words are in nonsense English as well. Very successful in Japan and now craving success outside.