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Ayano Uema’s recording of her 2nd album
While I couldn’t find a release date for utasaa Ayano Uema’s forthcoming (and untitled) sophomore album, we can rest assured that she’s busy recording for it and is posting her progress of it on her blog here, here, and here. If you haven’t already purchased it, Ayano’s (and two other awesome female utasaa, Mika Uchizato…
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HY’s “366日” used as the theme song to “Akai Ito”
If you should know the name of at least one indie label band from Okinawa along with all of the other things you’ve accumulated in your mind for 2008, know HY. The band, despite their continued popularity, remain unsigned to a major label (by choice) and have released a total of five albums in a…
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Siori (しおり)
I recall hearing about a singer from Okinawa who had made the jump as an indie artist to a major label and it’s funny that I’d stumble upon her via the U.S. iTunes store. Siori (alt. Shiori) is a 21 year-old J-pop singer-songwriter from Shuri who made her indie debut with the 2006 single “Smile”…
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MINA to rejoin MAX!
After leaving MAX in 2002, original member MINA has returned to the group filling in the spot left by the exit of AKI back in August of this year (who ironically took her place). In 2002, MINA left the group to raise her child (she now has two children) and since last year has been…
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Ayano Uema’s official website is up!
She announced it today on her blog and here it is: uemaayano.com! Filled with a lot of Ayano pics (some of them quite huge but it’s not like we’re complaining), her official website contains information on her schedule, profile, and links to her blog and original goods too. Once again, we see a reference to…
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Ryukyu Beatles, not an insect, rather, it’s the name of an album
Yup, Richie here at Karakui.com is a pretty big fan of The Beatles and it’s pretty cool to see their music redone with an Okinawan twist. The group of this wonderful album are calling themselves “Soul Gakudan” and they’re none other than Toru Yonaha (sanshin, fue), Kazunari Uechi (taiko), Yoko Onaga (koto) and Natsuko Morita…
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Syakari celebrates 10th anniversary with a best of album
Pop group Syakari will be marking their 10th anniversary with their very first best of album titled “10th anniversary BEST~Boku to Iu Na no Chizu~.” The 15-track album will be released on 10/22/08 and retail for ¥2,800. Included is their single (above YouTube clip) “Taiyou no Hito” and the best of album spans their album…
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Akane Murayoshi releases debut album!
A song that I completely fell in love with in 2006 also happened to be the Miuta Taishou Grand Prix winner of that same year: “Miyarabi nu Hana.” The song—sung by upcoming utasaa Akane Murayoshi of Kumejima Town—also performed at the Okinawan Festival in Hawaii in 2006. The album, unsurprisingly titled “Miyarabi nu Hana,” was…
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And the awesome new releases for 2008 keep coming!
Geez, I’m really going to go broke this year what with all these great CD releases in the 2nd half of 2008 and with my mom’s and big bro’s birthdays this month, Xmas and that shiny new iPod nano. But I digress. Coming on 10/10/08, an artist whom I really, really admire, Suekichi Matsuda, will…
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Rinken Teruya’s solo album, “Pause,” available on iTunes
We all know him as the leader of perhaps the greatest recorded O-pop group in history, Rinken Band, and Rinken Teruya is finally recording a solo album. Pre-released in a digital format exclusively at the iTunes Store in August 4th of this year (yeah, I missed it), “Pause” (link opens iTunes Store) is an instrumental,…
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