If you love the anime, Initial D, then you’ll love MF Ghost. And AMPM is leading the race with a musical teaser of Stereo Sunset ahead of their album release.
Don’t let the title deceive you because it’s October. But MF Ghost is a new anime series that’s now broadcasting in Japan and it is a sequel to Initial D. Fans can enjoy the musical teaser, ‘Stereo Sunset (Prod. AmPM)’ while waiting for this series eventual release to foreign markets.
This track is available on various music streaming platforms, and it’s sung by Himika Akaneya from voice actor/idol hybrid unit i☆Ris.
To bring the anniversary of Cowboy Bebop to a close, coming Dec 13, 2023 is the vinyl release of the complete soundtrack of the series (in all its forms)!
The original anime Cowboy Bebop, directed by Shinichiro Watanabe, was broadcast on TV in 1998. Its stylish visuals left a profound impact on viewers, transcending the boundaries of anime and inspiring numerous fans. The anime TV series achieved immense popularity, not only domestically but also internationally. It was subsequently adapted into a theatrical version and even a live-action series on Netflix.
Notably, the music composed by Yoko Kanno, which accompanied the visuals, gained significant recognition. The soundtrack’s first volume, titled “COWBOY BEBOP,” included the iconic opening theme “Tank!” and achieved tremendous success. It was awarded the 13th Japan Gold Disc Award for Animation Album of the Year. The music’s versatility spanned genres from jazz, rock, and French pop to house music. Additionally, the renowned jazz engineer from Blue Note Records’ golden era, Rudy Van Gelder, contributed to the production, further elevating its reputation beyond the confines of anime music both domestically and internationally.
Now, an 11-disc box set, encompassing all 7 albums and maxi-singles of the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack, is set to be released on December 13, 2023. Encased in a deluxe box, each title’s jacket will sport its original design. The artwork, which received high praise at the time of the CD releases, will now come in LP size, a tantalizing prospect for collectors.
Electronic DJ duo AmPM has put together a full album and also released a music video Traveling Without Moving to show how to keep listeners dancing!
AmPM’s debut album ‘Traveling Without Moving’ is finally here, and it’s jet-set on taking listeners to a sonic journey that best represents what Tokyo, Jakarta, Amsterdam and New York City is all about! And the best part of this release is that it features guest vocalists from the UK, Singapore and Japan (11 talents in total), including hotly tipped Lilly Ahlberg and RAENE.
From the Press Release:
This album encapsulates the essence of exploration, experiences, and personal reflections on travelling. Through their imaginative lyrics, AmPm and their featured vocalists delve into the emotions, memories, and impressions associated with these vibrant metropolises. “Travelling is an integral part of our lives, and we have drawn inspiration from our own journeys,” explained the band. “This album serves as a window into our personal stories, inviting listeners to experience the diverse emotions associated with travelling. Each city represented in the album holds significance to us, whether it be Tokyo, Jakarta, Amsterdam, or New York City. We wanted to create a musical narrative that captures the essence of these cities and the unique feelings they evoke.”
This song draws on inspiration from a broad spectrum of electronic genres, with house at its heart. The album brings together a collection of lighter-than-air pop songs which immerse listeners in a world of sonic bliss. Each track takes on a unique identity, blending infectious melodies, lush harmonies, and pulsating rhythms. “We have created a work that can give an individually unique experience to our listeners,” say the band. “We also wanted to fully express house music, which is at the core of our sound. It’s a very original sound; a sense of pop, but also with speed and exuberance, with house music at the heart of it. This album is a signature of what AmPm are, and we’re proud to say that we’ve made a house music album that represents the year 2023.”
‘Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless)’ gets reimagined by Japan’s AmPm and DJ Shigge!
Japan’s masked production unit AmPm made their debut with 2017 hit single ‘Best Part of Us’, building an audience all around the world.
AmPm has a new single titled ‘Stranger Things,’ and it has nothing to do with the Netflix show of the same name. Instead, this seventh single is a dance track that reimagines ‘Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless)’, the timeless 1990s hit by Crystal Waters, which has more recently found new audiences around the world via the sampling scene. Ever since this masked production unit made their debut with the 2017 ‘Best Part of Us,’ audiences world-wide have been captivated by their sound, and there’s good news!
This track will also be included in their still to be named upcoming album and the theme will be about global travel. Links to where this song can be heard at Spotify and Apple Music. Full listings of where else it can be streamed at are listed here.
Blondie Against the Odds Graphic Novel and Album Release News is GOLD!
In the mid-70s, singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein were more than pioneers. Not only did they pioneer the new wave genre, but also broke the mold for what the New York sound was about. The band Blondie was more than a punk rock band too. From their self-titled debut album, “In the Flesh” got heads turning, and all it took were two more albums before they became mainstream with the disco-infused “Heart of Glass.”
I fell in love with their music somewhere in between, and back then, all I had were regular magazines to get any information about who they were. We didn’t have the Internet back then. Because they were relatively young, and as their fame grew, so did my passion to collect all their albums.
Coinciding with the upcoming launch of the Blondie:Against The Odds graphic novel–which features a short biography, and stories based on their music–this fall, Z2 Comics and Blondie will include the 124-track archival box set Against the Odds 1974 – 1982 too! It’s a curated collection, remastered from original analog tapes on vinyl and I can’t be any more excited. Now if only they can visit Victoria, BC and perform here! Realistically, it’d have to be in Vancouver, BC; I’ll be fine with that too.
The album will be out on August 26, 2022, but if you’re patient, buying the version with the graphic novel will make the experience all the more worthwhile.
From the Z2 Press Release:
The package features 52 bonus tracks across four albums—Plaza Sound, Parallel Beats, Coca Cola, and Home Sounds—and comes with a 128-page hardcover book inside a foil-wrapped slipcase.
The package definitively captures the iconic band’s inception and rise, as Blondie merged disco, rock, and beyond in the punk cradle of New York City’s Lower East Side. Limited to 100 copies, the Blondie 1974-1982: Against The Odds 4-LP box set will be released in platinum editions of the Blondie: Against The Odds graphic novel anthology.
Don’t let the title deceive you because it’s October. But MF Ghost is a new anime series that’s now broadcasting in Japan and it is a sequel to Initial D. Fans can enjoy the musical teaser, ‘Stereo Sunset (Prod. AmPM)’ while waiting for this series eventual release to foreign markets.
The original 
Japan’s masked production unit 
