Japanese Music Search

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What is the Japanese Music Search? Well, it's a collection of music videos (often known as music PVs - music promo videos - in Japan) and live performances by Japanese bands to give you an idea of the different types of music that are popular with Japanese youths. It's a mixture of JPop and JRock, designed to give you a good cross-section of the different musical styles that have a place in Japanese youth culture.

Get Involved: If you have a favourite Japanese song, band, or artist that you'd like to see featured in The Crystal Buddha Japanese Music Search then email me and let me know. Also, if you are a Japanese band or artist and would like to see your video featured here then also email me with a link to one of your videos on YouTube.

Kinoco Hotel (キノコホテル) - "非情なる夜明け" - 2011

I've only just discovered Kinoco Hotel (meaning Mushroom Hotel) after seeing them featured on an alternative music show on the NHK World English-speaking Japanese channel. Apparently, the band, Emanuel (bass), Keme (guitar), and Fabienne (drums) are all the staff of the fictional Kinoco Hotel, where singer and keyboard player Marianne is the manager.

The song here, 非情なる夜明け, is off Kinoco Hotel's 2011 album, マリアンヌの恍惚 (The Ecstasy of Marianne). Kinoco Hotel's musical and visual style reminds me of old 1960's spy shows that were played up to good effect in the Austin Powers films.

Mad Capsule Markets - "Fly High" - 2001

The Mad Capsule Markets were one of the first Japanese bands that I became aware of, thanks to this video (along with "Scary" and "Pulse") being played on punk rock TV channel "P-Rock TV". Their music stood out due to its mix of live rock instruments, programmed beats, and synth sounds, that seemed to give it that "hi-tech" Japanese style rather than the raw, analogue style of Western rock music.

Sadly, it seemed that no sooner had I discovered the Mad Capsule Markets, than, in April 2005, Takeshi, Hiroshi, and Motokatsu decided to put the band on indefinite hold so they could work on solo projects.

Red Bacteria Vacuum - "Renai Music (恋愛ミュージック)" - 2009

Red Bacteria Vacuum came to my attention all of a sudden in my Twitter timeline when they arrived in LA to support A Perfect Circle (they opened for APC on their entire US tour). The first I saw of them was when Annie Hardy of the band Giant Drag posted a link to a Red Bacteria Vacuum video on YouTube for their song Roller Coaster.

The decision to choose Red Bacteria Vacuum to open for A Perfect Circle seems to have been a controversial one. They're not exactly perfect bed-fellows for APC, and fans at the shows (those who bothered to turn up early enough for the support, at least) were split in their opinions. Some couldn't wait for RBV's set to finish, while others were pleasantly surprised by their cheerful and energetic personas. Some even commented that Red Bacteria Vacuum made up for a less-than-inspiring set by the headliners.

This song, off the album Dolly Dolly, Make An Epoch, shows the current line-up of Kassan (bass and vocals), Ikum! (guitar and vocals), and Jasmine (drums and vocals after original drummer Akeming left the band) pounding out crazy energy and excitement, and is the video that really got me hooked on RBV.

SCANDAL - "Switch [Live]" - 2010

I first became aware of all-girl Japanese pop/rock band SCANDAL in early 2010 whilst watching the NHK World music show J-Melo. They got a passing mention as one of the Japanese bands most likely to achieve international success in 2010, so I decided to listen to some of their music online. The energy and youthful enthusiasm of Haruna, Tomomi, Mami, and Rina was quite infectious, so when I went to Japan in March of that year, I decided to track down their compilation album Best SCANDAL.

On returning to the UK, I became quite hooked on SCANDAL and ended up making several purchases from Amazon Japan, including their latest album, Temptation Box, and their first live DVD, appropriately titled Scandal First Live - Best Scandal 2009.

2010 was a big year for SCANDAL in Japan and, judging by the fact that they were the most requested band by male viewers on J-Melo, they have built up a strong fan following around the World. Since the band are all in their early 20's, they still have a lot of time to achieve even greater things.

Shakalabbits - "G*S*G" - 2004

I was introduced to the music of Shakalabbits by a Japanese friend in 2010. Due to my late discovery of the band, I had a good selection of material to choose from. Whilst I was in Hiroshima, I discovered the Burning Cylinder DVD and Double CD set from 2004, which quickly became one of my favourites as it captured Shakalabbits in their earlier ska-punk mode while on the Clutch Tour to support the album of the same name.

The song here, G*S*G, really captures Uki, Mah, King, and Take-C at their best and shows you the energy of a Shakalabbits show.

Sweet Agness - "燃える女" - 2007

I first saw Sweet Agness performing in a park on Yokohama waterfront on a sunny afternoon in July 2005. After playing a couple of songs, they handed out free demo CDs to the crowd together with a flyer promoting their upcoming gig at Tokyo's Club251. The CD contained two tracks (including this one) that I listened to many times while I was in Japan and also when I got home to the UK.

In 2007, Sweet Agness released their mini-album Rock and Roll Cake, which contained the two songs off the demo CD along with four others. It was the first CD that I ever ordered from Amazon Japan and, due to shipping and import tax costs, turned out to be quite expensive. I still love the album though and listen to it quite often whilst working.

Maybe it's because I saw them on my first ever trip to Japan, but I have a bit of a soft spot for Sweet Agness, so much so that they appear in my novel CRYSTAL BUDDHA twice, including a gig at Tokyo's Club251.