MUSENKI® is excited to introduce “Tokyo Riddim Vol. 2”, a compilation that dives deep into the rich, cross-cultural fusion of Japanese reggae pop, a genre that, much like Japan itself, effortlessly blends tradition with experimentation. This second volume, curated by Kay Suzuki, brings to light a vibrant and unique chapter in music history—one where Tokyo and Kingston connected, sparking a fresh sound that reverberated far beyond either city's shores.
What’s little known is that the pioneering Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, long before he became synonymous with Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) and electronic experimentation, made his first significant musical journey not to the U.S. or Europe, but to Jamaica. In 1978, as YMO prepared to release their debut album, Sakamoto found himself at Dynamic Sound Studios in Kingston. There, alongside reggae luminaries like Neville Hinds and Rita Marley, he played synths for Japanese idol Teresa Noda. The resulting tracks, "Tropical Love" and "Yellow Moon," serve as fitting bookends for this volume, bridging a sonic exchange that sparked Sakamoto’s lifelong fascination with dub and reggae.
“Tokyo Riddim Vol. 2” moves beyond city pop, venturing into uncharted territory where new wave, dub, and electronic experimentation collide. Artists like Yosui Inoue, who explored reggae, Afrobeat, and electro-Balearic rhythms, and Kay Ishiguro, whose Stevie Wonder-inspired "Red Drip" enlisted J-reggae pioneer Pecker, highlight Japan's openness to global influences. Yet, as these tracks demonstrate, Japan was never simply importing sounds—it was remixing them, creating something entirely its own.
The compilation also pays homage to artists drawn to the allure of Compass Point studios, like Juicy Fruits and Yuki Nakayamate, whose disco noir sensibilities evoke Grace Jones’s detached cool. Meanwhile, artists like Risa Minami and Tomoko Aran, through collaborations with trailblazers like Yasuaki Shimizu and Mariah, took reggae into even more experimental realms, transforming it into something distinctively Japanese.
What stands out across this volume is not just the music, but the way it underscores Japan’s refusal to be boxed into Western musical paradigms. Instead, it carves its own space in the global soundscape—a testament to the boundless creativity that flowed between Japan and Jamaica, where commerce, culture, and creativity fused to form a new musical language.
With expertly curated liner notes by Anton Spice, Kay Suzuki, and Ayana Honma, and eye-catching artwork by Noncheleee, “Tokyo Riddim Vol. 2”. is more than a collection of tracks; it’s a cultural document celebrating a truly unique and often overlooked chapter in music history.
Available for aficionados here at MUSENKI—dive into the experimental soundscapes of Japanese reggae pop and experience a genre like no other.
