Shibuya-kei is a microgenre of pop music or a general aesthetic that flourished in the mid to late 1990s. It emerged as Japanese retail music from the Shibuya district of Tokyo; artists purveyed a cut-and-paste style that was inspired by previous genres based on kitsch, fusion, and artifice. Shibuya-kei draws heavily from 1960s culture and Western pop music, especially the orchestral domains occupied by producers Burt Bacharach, Brian Wilson, Phil Spector, and singer Serge Gainsbourg.
Keigo Oyamada, also known by his moniker Cornelius, is a Japanese musician and producer who co-founded Flipper's Guitar, an influential Shibuya-kei band, and subsequently embarked on a solo career. In 1997, he released the album Fantasma, which landed him praise from American music critics, who called him a "modern-day Brian Wilson" or the "Japanese Beck". In 2007, Rolling Stone Japan named two of Oyamada's albums amongst the "100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums of All Time", with Fantasma ranking in 10th place and Camera Talk by Flipper's Guitar ranking in 35th place.
The Fantastic Plastic Machine is the debut studio album by Japanese musician Fantastic Plastic Machine. It was released on October 10, 1997 by Readymade Records. The album was subsequently released in Germany on April 24, 1998 by Bungalow Records and in the United States on September 15, 1998 by Emperor Norton Records.
Luxury is the second studio album by Japanese musician Fantastic Plastic Machine. It was released on September 10, 1998, by Readymade Records. The album was released in Germany on March 29, 1999, by Bungalow Records and in the United States on April 27, 1999, by Emperor Norton Records.
Mari Hiki, better known by her stage name Kahimi Karie, is a Japanese singer, songwriter and photographer. Her music is closely associated with the Shibuya-kei aesthetic. Karie sings in English, French and Japanese, among other languages.
Yukari Fresh, is a Shibuya-kei artist.
Sound Museum is the second studio album by Japanese music producer Towa Tei, released on May 25, 1997 by East West Records. Collaborators on the album include Kylie Minogue, Biz Markie, and Bebel Gilberto.
Made in USA is a compilation album by Japanese pop band Pizzicato Five. The album was released in the United States on October 11, 1994 by Matador Records, serving as the band's first full-length, and second overall, American release on the label. Along with the Five by Five EP released earlier in 1994, it introduced Pizzicato Five to a Western audience.
Chat Chat is the debut studio album by Japanese musician Takako Minekawa, released on June 25, 1995 by Polystar.
Maxi On is an EP by Japanese musician Takako Minekawa. It was released on July 12, 2000 by Trattoria Records. In the United States, it was released on November 14, 2000 by Emperor Norton Records. The EP is a collaboration with American indie rock band Dymaxion.
Happy End of the World (ハッピー・エンド・オブ・ザ・ワールド) is the tenth studio album by Japanese pop band Pizzicato Five. The album was released on June 21, 1997, by Readymade Records. In the United States, it was released by Matador Records on September 9, 1997, and peaked at number 32 on Billboard's Heatseekers Albums chart. A companion remix album, Happy End of You, was released in 1998. Happy End of the World was reissued by Readymade on March 31, 2006.
Fun 9 is the fourth studio album by Japanese musician Takako Minekawa. It was released on July 7, 1999 by Polystar. The album was released on November 16, 1999 in the United States by Emperor Norton Records.
Athletica is a 1997 EP by Takako Minekawa.
Cloudy Cloud Calculator is the third studio album by Japanese musician Takako Minekawa. It was released on December 10, 1997 by Polystar. The album was released in the United States on November 17, 1998 by Emperor Norton Records. Minekawa played almost every instrument on the album and wrote, produced and arranged nearly all its songs.
Point is the fourth studio album by Japanese musician Cornelius. It was released in Japan on October 24, 2001, by Trattoria Records, and in the United States on January 22, 2002, by Matador Records. Point peaked at number four on the Oricon Albums Chart. The album was reissued on CD by Warner Music Japan in 2019 with a second disc containing the Five Point One music video collection.
Fantasma is the third studio album by Japanese musician Cornelius, released on August 6, 1997, on his label Trattoria. Cornelius envisioned the album as "a one-on-one experience between the music and the listener. ... It starts with you entering into the journey and ends with you returning to reality." It peaked at number six on the Oricon Albums Chart and number 37 on the UK Independent Albums Chart. Three singles were issued from the album: "Star Fruits Surf Rider", "Free Fall", and "Chapter 8 – Seashore and Horizon –".
The First Question Award (ザ・ファースト・クエスチョン・アワード) is the debut solo studio album by Japanese musician Cornelius. It was released on February 25, 1994 by Trattoria Records.
Trattoria Records is a Japanese record company formed by Keigo Oyamada in 1993. The record company was founded by Keigo Oyamada in 1993 and is currently owned by Polystar, a group of independent record labels.
Takako Minekawa is a Japanese musician, singer, songwriter and writer.
Voyager is an album by Scottish musician Momus, released in 1992 by Creation Records. Voyager marked Momus' increased popularity in Japan, where he was signed to Nippon Columbia and began to collaborate with a number of notable Shibuya-kei artists.
