LOVELY DOLL "Calendar Girl"
Yamaguchi Kassei Gakuen "PARADOX"
Niji no Conquistador "The Uchoten Summer!!"
By: Koji Dejima
This may cause a stir in the Japanese idol scene where a variety of projects and events are promoted while realignment or coalition of groups becomes increasingly frequent. ASOBISYSTEM, an agency where artists such as Kyary Pamyu Pamyu belong to, and Idol Yokocho, a well-established agency that runs idol goods shops as well as organizes idol events, have jointly set up a new label FUJIYAMA PROJECT JAPAN. The inclusion of the symbol of Japan in its name presumably indicates their intention to expand Japanese idol culture to Japanese pop culture fans overseas as well. What is surprising is its roster of artists including LOVELY DOLL that is already well-known in the major scene, Yamaguchi Kassei Gakuen, or Yamakatsu, whose last album is still fresh in our minds, and the up-and-coming Niji no Conquistador, each of which already has an established position. Moreover, the 3 groups will release a new single from the new label following one another this summer. What a shrewd strategy!
The first release from the label is "Calender Girl" from LOVELY DOLL. Having turned over a new leaf with a major member change, they persist in their own style of bringing lusty popness to the fore! The inclusion of a remix track by RAM RIDER (Japanese music producer, musician, remixer and DJ) is arguably attributed to ASOBISYSTEM's sharp sense of direction.
That is followed by Yamaguchi Kassei Gakuen's new single "PARADOX", a melancholic and powerful sprinting tune that holds distinctive Yamakatsu-ness. The inclusion of the English version of "Choshu SEVEN" comes with a surprise, though.
And, though the album cover image is not yet available, Niji no Conquistador is going to release "The Uchouten Summer!!" in August. Including newcomer-to-the-event Yamakatsu, the 3 groups will perform at the Tokyo Idol Festival (TIF). Check out all of them this summer!
