Their fifth album and the first with a new line-up, that includes drummer Christopher McGuire. Innovative music combining memorable melodies with clever backing and instrumentation. Price: £18.99
Soundtrack to the film 'Jose, a Tiger and Fishes' from this excellent rock band. Two songs and five instrumental tunes, with guest Yumiko Ono from Buffalo Daughter. Price: £16.99
Second album by well regarded rock group released in 2000, some tracks featuring Jim O'Rouke, creating a different style of progressive and electronic music. Price: £18.99
First album released in 1999. In comparison to their genre-less later material, it sounds quite poppy, but still enjoyable and clever. Price: £18.99
An album of self covers from Miyazawa, of songs he has written over the years for other artists, such as Sandii, Sayoko and Okinawans Yoriko Ganeko and Shokichi Kina. Mostly recorded in Japan with Japanese musicians, very different from his recent multi-national solo efforts. Probably recorded more for the Japanese market, with the quality of the songwriting top notch. Some Brazilian and tango influences add the world elements to otherwise fairly straight forward pop music. Price: £18.99
One of the best punk groups to emerge in recent years. From Nagata, Kobe, includes a 100mph version of the classic Soul Flower / Heatwave / Takashi Hirayasu song 'Mangetsu No Yube'. Great, cathcy melodies, fun, energetic with a political message, as all good punk should be. Price: £18.99
Latest album on a new label. The energy levels are turned up full, with a stronger message than ever. Recently toured in US winning many fans. Price: £18.99
One of their most critically acclaimed albums. Straightahead punk and rock, with the usual strong melodies and energetic performance. Price: £18.99
Second major album. More sophisticated, yet keeping that certain hard edge. Price: £18.99
Compilation of some of the best female artists coming out of the Kansai region (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe) probably Japan's most fertile breeding ground for new talent. From folk/rock singer songwriter types, (Sun, Geka Bijin) to avant garde, experimental artists, (Kazumi NikkaIdo, Fuchigami to Funato) and girl punk, (M.A.G.O). Intriguing. Price: £16.99
NHK children's programme, which features UA as it's singing host. 20 tracks of children's songs, sang by the excellent UA and arranged by some of Japan's best musicians operating in the rock and pop scenes such as Takuji Aoyanagi (ex-Little Creatures), Yumiko Ono (Buffalo Daughter), Tamuro Geniji (steel guitar) Asa-Chang, Tico (Little Tempo). Double CD, with Disc 2 a karaoke version. Price: £19.99
UA has been one of Japan's most innovative female singers since the mid 1990s. This compilation draws from material throughout her career, including all the hits and best album tracks, ranging from pop to the more inventive. Excellent place to discover this amazing artist. Price: £23.99
Double live album from one of Japan's best female artists. These live versions of her best known tunes are refreshingly different, played by her band that includes Asa Chang on drums, Masato Suzuki (bass, from Little Creatures), Hiromichi Sakamoto on cello, and Yumiko Ono (synthesier, from Buffalo Daughter) and Hirofumi Asamoto on keyboards (Ram Jam World). A rare talent, who never seems to compromise, instead challenges her audience and herself. Price: £19.99
Chitose Hajime has become more of a pop singer than an Amami island roots singer, following her million selling first album. Much better than nearly all other Japanese pop albums, with classy production, tingling vocals and a dry, quite hard sound. Not too many traces of sanshin (traditional banjo), but still a hint of that Amami shima uta falsetto vocals give it that roots edge. Price: £18.99
Perhaps not their best, but nevertheless, enjoyable, thought provoking album 'dedicated to the solidarity of souls demanding peace in the world'. Includes 'All Songs Go Forward to Freedom', some inspired by Iraq, East Timor and Northern Ireland. Mainly straight rock, without the Japanese elements of Mononoke Summit, and covers of the Clash's Bankrobber and Van Morrision's 'Moondance'. Price: £16.99
Hiroshi Yamaguchi, leader of Heatwave, once said the group is finishing. Seeing as he is basically Heatwave, nothing much changed and now he's back with another album and the name of Heatwave again. There is nothing much Japanese here, just great songs, good singing and guitar playing in the mode of Waterboys, Hot House Flowers and hints of Van Morrison or Bob Dylan. Big selling indie album, great rock 'n' roll. Price: £18.99
It's been three years since Hashiken released his last album. On his latest, this talented singer and songwriter injects latin and bossa nova influences into his folk pop songs. Includes his version of a song for the Okinawan roots idol Chitose Hajime. Price: £18.99
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. Price: £18.99
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. Price: £17.99
Chuei Yoshikawa is an acoustic guitar player and Osami Okamoto a well known lyricist. Yoshikawa plays with a different guest vocalist on each track, on songs with lyrics by Okamoto. What marks this album out is the range of those guests. From the gravely voiced Sion, Nakagawa of Soul Flower Union, Hashiken, Higa of Okinawan group Begin, Okinawan female singer Kuwae, idol singer (but actually very good) Fukuyama, and folk icon Minami, and ex- Soul Flower female singer Utsumi. Relaxed, informal, well performed, good songs. Price: £18.99
