Cochin Moon
Pressed on Opaque Yellow Wax. Remastered form the original analog master tapes. One of the holy grails of fourth-world avant-ambient synthesis, and believe it or not, this was a Record Store Day release in Japan this year. Originally released a few months after Haruomi Hosono’s 1978 Paraiso LP — famous for featuring the first trio grouping of the band that would become Yellow Magic Orchestra — Hosono’s Cochin Moon, an album credited to himself and famed graphic artist Tadanori Yokoo, who provid…
Funk Tide - Tokyo Jazz-Funk From Electric Bird 1978-87
Following the success of the 'Tokyo Glow' compilation, Wewantsounds once again teams up with Japanese Tokyo-based DJ Notoya to dig the rich Electric Bird catalogue and come with a versatile selection of sunny Jazz-Funk gems recorded between 1978 and 1987 for the label. A tasty selection featuring Yasuaki Shimizu, Toshiyuki Honda and Mikio Masuda, together with a few American musicians such as Ronnie Foster and Bobby Lyle. Most tracks make their vinyl debut outside of Japan and the album has been…
銀蝶渡り鳥 = Gincho Wataridori
LP version. Wewantsounds continues its extensive Meiko Kaji reissue program in partnership with Teichiku Records and Meiko Kaji herself, with the release of Gincho Wataridori, her debut album from 1972. This is the first time the album is reissued since release and it comes with its original Japanese artwork and newly remastered audio. Famous for her '70s exploitation movies, Meiko Kaji also released a string of great albums on Teichiku mixing Japanese pop and cinematic grooves. This reissue com…
Wamono Disco - Nippon Columbia Disco & Boogie Hits 1978-1982
In the mid-seventies, discotheques were booming in Tokyo and all over Japan. When the Fatback Band climbed the 1975 US and UK charts with their infectious “(Are You Ready) Do The Bus Stop” hit, Japanese label Victor put out the following year the first Japan made Disco tune with “Sexy Bus Stop”, released under the mysterious name Dr. Dragon & Oriental Express, a pseudonym for successful Japanese pop composer Kyohei Tsutsumi. “Sexy Bus Stop” became an instant hit in the country and, taking this o…
Touch - The Sublime Sound Of Yuji Ohno
The space funk, jazz and disco sound of genius Japanese producer Yuji Ohno. a selection - the first outside of Japan - made in collaboration with Nippon Columbia and Yuji Ohno himself. Remastered audio and liner notes by Nick Luscombe in conversation with Ohno.
WaJazz Legends: Jiro Inagaki - Selected by Yusuke Ogawa
Universounds, HMV Record Shop and 180g team up for an exceptional release in their highly acclaimed WaJazz series, to be out on Jiro Inagaki's 90th birthday, October 3rd, 2023, celebrating the life and music of one of the most iconic Japanese jazz musicians of the last 60+ years. This is the ultimate collection of music from legendary saxophone player Jiro Inagaki and his Soul Media band, covering their 1968-1980 golden age, releasing as a spectacular gold vinyl double LP with extensive and deta…
Akira Symphonic Suite
2023 Reissue. Set in the year 2019 in Neo-Tokyo, the world is still recovering from the ravages of World War III. One night, teen delinquent Kaneda has his biker gang hurtle through the busy city. Kaneda’s friend, Tetsuo, is seriously injured during an accident and is taken to an army hospital. There the military notice Tetsuo’s potential psychic power, so they transfer Tetsuo to a secret government laboratory to awakening his latent abilities. When Kaneda gets involved in an antigovernment guer…
Mothra
Tip! We are excited to announce that we are releasing the complete Mothra Original 1961 Motion Picture Soundtrack by Yuji Koseki! This special double LP album marks the very first time that the complete original soundtrack has ever been released on vinyl, anywhere. We are honored to present this release in close collaboration with Toho featuring all new album art by Yuko Shimizu. Join us in celebrating the historical significance of one of the most popular Kaiju monsters who is second only to Go…
Hajiki Uta
Wewantsounds is delighted to announce an extensive reissue program of Meiko Kaji's first five album released in Japan between 1972 and 1974 on Teichiku Records. The program, in partnership with Teichiku and Meiko Kaji, will see her first five albums reissued on vinyl for the first time ever in their original Japanese artwork and remastered audio. Famous for her early 70s exploitation movies ('Lady Snowblood', the 'Female Prisoner Scorpion' and 'Stray Cat Rock' series) revered by Tarantino, Meiko…
Jashumon
* Gatefold with obi, great classic, originally released in 1972 * This mighty soundtrack for Shuji Terayama's nihilistic movie of the same name contains all the elements necessary to reach J.A. Caesar's intended pleasure-centers. Here, turmoil, mind-numbing repetition, abject misery and grisly partriarchs abound, and all orchestrated by Caesar's damaged proto-metal and choral-led psychedelic sound. Mind-infesting in the truest sense, this soundtrack played in the dark is as certified a Gateway t…
Shintokumaru
Fourth J.A. Seazer album, originally issued on Victor in 1978. Shuji Terayama and J.A.Seazer’s phantasmagoric folk-psych-symph-prog-rock opera. Historical Tenjo Sajiki performance from 1978. J.A. Caesar (also spelled J.A. Seazer and J.A. Ceaser) is the pseudonym for a Tokyo music composer who has been involved with creating music for various theater and film projects since the very early '70s. His music is a radical mixture of progressive rock, traditional Japanese theater music, and Magma-inspi…
The Aegean Sea
Victory present a reissue of Haruomi Hosono, Takahiko Ishikawa, and Masataka Matsutoya's The Aegean Sea originally released in 1979. The album is somewhat of a companion piece to the previous year's Pacific (V 25AH426). A beautiful piece of Japanese smooth fusion-jazz with elements of traditional Greek music and Balearic grooves, it's one of Hosono's cleanest and most focused works to date. Long sought-after by collectors, this record is nearly impossible to find in original pressings outside of…
King Kong Vs Godzilla (Original Motion Picture Score)
Akira Ifukube's score to the legendary 1962 monster movie King Kong vs. Godzilla. Ifukube's visionary music is tense and violent, a perfect complement to Ishirō Honda's film. This incredible score alternates between brass and strings as you witness the death and destruction that comes in the wake of these two classic film monsters' battles.
Eleki Bushi 1966-1974
The aftermath of World War II gave rise to a global phenomenon that saw new generations of young people rise up determined to forge new paths from their elders – culturally, politically, and musically. Japan was no exception and the recent past made the local youth angrier, hungrier and even more determined to fully experience something different from their parents. The country caught on to the early rock & roll craze almost in tandem as it was happening in the States. Teenager Chiemi Eri singin…
Special Sound Series – Vol. 2: The Word
First ever reissue of this highly sought-after 12” in its original format New remaster by the engineers of the original label, Nippon Columbia. Includes “The Word II” popularized by Mac DeMarco’s acclaimed cover (Chamber of Reflection on Salad Days album). Featured on Chee Shimizu’s “Obscure sound” book and many articles on international press and radio shows such as NTS, BBC Radio 1, etc.
Barely known to the international public, the Electone pioneer and virtuoso Shigeo Sekito is the man behind…
Longing For The Shadow: Ryūkōka Recordings, 1921-1939
*In process of stocking* Emerging during the early stages of the recording industry in Japan, the ryūkōka style adopted western classical, blues & jazz elements into traditional and classical Japanese music.This collection of 1920s & 30s ryūkōka recordings follows on from the Kouta Katsutaro tape we put out a couple of years back, and further captures the hauntingly unique sound of a cultural merging that was starting to reflect itself via popular song, ahead of the widespread influence of weste…
Anime & Manga Synth Pop Soundtracks 1984-1990
Trailblazing instrumental synth pop experiments created to soundtrack Japan’s booming 1980s cartoon and comic industries. The brightly futuristic instrumentals on this collection reflect the mindset of composers and musicians who believed in a technological future where everything was possible!
Patlabor 2 The Movie (Original Soundtrack "P2")
Tip! *2022 stock* From the master Kenji Kawai, composer of soundtracks such as Ghost in the Shell, Avalon, Ring, Ip Man, Seven Swords and too many to list. Complete soundtrack to Mamoru Oshii's 1993 superb political thriller science-fiction mecha anime film Patlabor 2. Outstanding emotion-filled ambient soundscape and percussion mastery, with hints of minimalism and modern classical. One of Kenji Kawai's most experimental...and best!
Special Sound Series – Vol. 1: Catch in Alice
Considered by many one of the most gifted and outstanding players in the Electone community thanks to his fresh, energetic, rhythmic and sometimes humorous style of playing, from 1975 to 1977 Shigeo Sekitō released a four-LP album set titled Special Sound Series for the iconic Nippon Columbia. On the first chapter of this series, Sekitō revisits, in his own colourful style, compositions such as "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" by Stevie Wonder, "Oh, My Love" by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, "Andalu…
Utakata No Hibi
** NEW limited 200 copies orange vinyl. Double LP in UV-glossy laminated gatefold sleeve with OBI + includes A1 Poster 60x60cm and lyric sheet**A legendary yet long lost crown jewel from the early 80s Japanese Electronic and Jazz Rock scene - new powerful master, much appreciated by the artist, dbl.12″ in UV-glossy laminated gatefold sleeve with OBI+ includes A1 Poster 60x60cm and lyric sheet** Mariah was a Japanese outfit in the field of art pop, way back in the very late 70s and early 80s with…