Various Artists - Midnight In Tokyo Vol. 4

Fakta Tsunaki Kadowaki curates Midnight in Tokyo 4, exploring an obscure form, "Ambient Kayo", which shortens the Japanese pop phenomenon Kayokyoku or "Showa-era pop" and dissolves it in a blushing, titrated wash of ambience, taking cues from the "Showa-era" pop period that lasted roughly from 1977-1999. The compilation presents a diverse breadboard, with such charcuterie items as Yosui Inoue's 'Umi e Kinasai', an ambient pop gem and Balearic bisque, and Keiko Nosaka & George Murasaki's 'Oritatamu Umi', blending Okinawan and progressive rock. The collection also has hidden treasures like S.R. Kinoshita's 'Mangrove', a mystical New Age piece, and 'Yume Furin' by E.S. Island, capturing island life's higher vibrations. With contributions from iconic figures like Haruomi Hosono, this album is an evocative, genre-defying celebration of Japanese ambient pop that resonates with contemporary sensibilities.