Yukari Fresh

Last updated
Yukari Fresh
Origin Tokyo, Japan
Genres Shibuya-kei, Pop, J-Pop
Years active 1997–present
Labels Escalator Records
Website Official Escalator Records Website
Members Yukari Fresh (Yukari Takasaki, ゆかり　高崎)

Yukari Fresh (real name Yukari Takasaki(高崎ゆかり,Takasaki Yukari)), is a Shibuya-kei artist. [1] [2]

Shibuya-kei musical genre originating from Japan

Shibuya-kei is a microgenre of pop music or a general aesthetic that flourished in the mid to late 1990s. Emerging 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 inherited musical characteristics from earlier 1980s Japanese city pop, while incorporating strong influences from 1960s culture and Western pop music, especially the orchestral domains occupied by producers Burt Bacharach, Brian Wilson, Phil Spector, and singer Serge Gainsbourg.

Contents

Beginnings

Yukari Takasaki was one of seventeen members of Tokyo's Escalator Records' first bands, Snapshot. The duo (Takasaki and her current husband, Yugo Katayama) released several singles and EPs, but turned to solo and other collaborative work in the later mid-90s.

Solo debut

Yukari debuted with the cheekily titled Yukari's Perfect! in 1997 on Escalator Records. The record featured such guests as Hideki Kaji and the Genbeat. The poppy, whimsical record gained the attention of Shibuya-kei artists (Cornelius, Kahimi Karie, and other early Shibuya-kei artists) and Germany's Bungalow Records (the label which pressed a split single with Stereo Total later in 1997), even though Yukari was still a newcomer to the solo music scene. Yukari was asked to contribute to the 1998 Sushi 4004 compilation, a compilation which featured other Shibuya-kei artists of repute such as Kahimi Karie, Takako Minekawa, Fantastic Plastic Machine, and Yoshinori Sunahara. The compilation introduced listeners to the world of J pop, and the Shibuya-kei scene.

Cornelius (musician) Japanese musician

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".

Kahimi Karie is a Japanese Shibuya-kei musician.

Stereo Total band

Stereo Total is a Berlin-based multilingual, French-German duo comprising Françoise Cactus and Brezel ('pretzel') Göring. Both Cactus and Göring sing and play multiple instruments. When they appear on stage as a duo, Cactus frequently plays drums while Göring plays guitar and synth; at other times the touring band has included additional musicians such as Angie Reed.

Middle period

Yukari's debut was followed shortly by a mini-album called Cook Some Dishes. The album is actually a mix of shortened versions of many of the artist's songs. In January 2000, Yukari released Cityrama, which again featured an appearance from Hideki Kaji, along with Mike Alway, Pop Tarts, and several others. Before releasing another full album, Yukari did another mini-album, Erik, named after cyclist Erik Zabel. It was said that Erik was a more mature record, one which featured an artist who had found her place. Reviewers also commented on the glossy, more focused production qualities. February 2003 marked the release of Yukari's third full-length album, Trefoils Hat. The album has been seen as Yukari's most accomplished work to date in that it is her most focused piece. Yukari's songwriterly, poppy side took precedence on this album, leaving some of the more dance-oriented disco tracks out. In 2004, maintaining her consistently cutesy appeal, Yukari informed the world she had changed her name to Yukari Rotten, and that punky electropop was now her sound. Not Dead, the name of the Yukari Rotten debut album, did have more punch and electroclash aesthetic about it than any of her previous works. It featured the single "C.L.I.J.S.T.E.R.S.", referencing Belgian footballer Leo Clijsters. Many of Yukari's songs are about sports heroes, notably Michael Owen and Paul Scholes. Another track "Going To Heaven To See The Househunters & Fat Truckers If It Rains", references "Going To Heaven To See If It Rains" by the Close Lobsters. In February 2005 (by this time, Yukari had gone back to being Fresh), the remix album Me was released. It featured songs from all of her albums, remixed by an international crowd of admired artists. August 2008 saw the surprise release of a mini-album Grrrl, Summer Cape Kid, etc. The unusual feature of this album is that each song was recorded in one shot, unedited. Yukari can be heard playing the drums, singing and whistling throughout. Just one month later, she followed this with two "greatest hits" albums. The first, "Flammable Tapes", contains 22 tracks previously released between 1997 and 2008. The companion album, "Instrumentally Flammable", consists of previously unreleased demos, rare edits, instrumentals and a cappella tracks.

Erik Zabel German racing cyclist

Erik Zabel is a German former professional road bicycle racer who last raced with Milram. With 152 professional wins and 211 wins in his career, he is considered by some to be one of the greatest German cyclists and cycling sprinters of all-time. Zabel won a record nine points classifications in grands tours including the points classification in the Tour de France a record six consecutive years between 1996 and 2001 and the points classification in the Vuelta a España in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Zabel won the Milan–San Remo four times and numerous six-day track events. He was one of the few road cyclists of recent times who raced all year, including track cycling in winter. For season 2012 he joined Team Katusha as sprint coach. He previously held that same position with the HTC–Highroad team until their dissolution.

Michael Owen English footballer

Michael James Owen is an English former footballer who played as a striker for Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City, as well as for the England national team. Since retiring from football, he has become a racehorse breeder and owner.

Paul Scholes English association football player

Paul Scholes is an English football coach and former player who is the manager of Oldham Athletic and co-owner of Salford City. He spent his entire professional playing career with Manchester United, for whom he scored over 150 goals in more than 700 appearances between 1993 and 2013.

Current situation

Yukari has kept busy over the years, recording with other artists (i.e. Fantastic Plastic Machine and Mansfield), DJing various parties, and hosting her own radio show, Radio Active Man.

Fantastic Plastic Machine is the stage name of Tomoyuki Tanaka, a Japanese musician and DJ born in Kyoto, Japan. Tanaka was considered to be part of the Shibuya-kei movement.

Discography

Singles

Albums

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References

  1. 1 2 Ian Martin (Sep 5, 2008). "CD REVIEW: Yukari Fresh — "grrrl, summer cape kid, etc." (Escalator); ..." Japan Times. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
  2. ↑ Ian Martin. "Yukari Fresh Biography & Awards". Billboard. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
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