Riding on the momentum from their latest album "Showa 90," Japanese trauma-techno-pop band URBANGARDE has announced a series of new projects for 2016.
URBANGARDE’s vocalist Yoko Hamasaki will release a solo album "Blue Forest" on June 15, which will be her second since the "Film Noir" EP released 6 years ago.
Hamasaki herself will produce the project, without lyrics from URBANGARDE leader Tennma Matsunaga, to create a completely different musical world.
"Film Noir," which quickly sold out of its original limited run of 1000 copies, has been re-released on iTunes.
To celebrate the release of her second album, Hamasaki will begin a tour of Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka titled “Into the Forest – Dark Blue Door.”
"Film Noir" on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/album/filmnoir-ep/id366608521
URBANGARDE will also release a limited-edition, live show-only CD titled "Showa 91," available in 2 versions: “Monkey Version” and “Regular Version”.
Vocalist Temma Matsunaga will release his second later this year, titled "Shoujo ka, shousetsu ka" (“Girl, or novel?”).
Matsunaga published his first book of short stories and essays "Jisatsushatachi" (“Selfie People”) last October.
Jun Itarihoba said, “A good novel = a book that the writer needs to write or he’ll die. A bad novel = something written by the author in hopes of becoming popular. Everyone, this is a definitely a good novel.”
“Monthly URBANGARDExTRMN” the band’s latest 80-page photo book, will be released in April, furthering the band’s artistic mission of combining musical and visual artistic expression.
VIDEO "Kuchibiru Democracy" youtu.be/k9xlflY-PH8
URBANGARDE Official Facebook: facebook.com/urbangarde
URBANGARDE Official Homepage: urbangarde.net
URBANGARDE – Showa 90 on iTunes: smarturl.it/Showa90_iTunes
URBANGARDE – Showa 90 on Spotify: smarturl.it/Showa90_Spotify
URBANGARDE – Showa 90 on Google Play: smarturl.it/Showa90_GooglePlay
URBANGARDE – Showa 90 on Amazon Mp3: smarturl.it/Showa90_AmazonMP3
URBANGARDE PROFILE
Vocals: Yoko Hamasaki
Vocals: Temma Matsunaga
Guitar: Shin Zeze
Keyboard: Ohkubo Kei
URBANGARDE is a self-described “Trauma Techno Pop” band, mixing male and female vocals, outrageous performance-art visuals, and daring social commentary. After completing three independent albums, they released their major debut singles “Skirt Kakumei” and “Tokimeki ni Shisu” from Universal Music Japan in 2011, followed by their first major-label album release Mental Hells. URBANGARDE’s 2012 album Geiger Counter Culture achieved the number 10 position on the daily Oricon chart in Japan and made the top 25 on its weekly chart.
In 2012, URBANGARDE ranked in the top 5 J-Pop artists on the French TV program “Japan in Motion” (NOLIFE TV) and made their French live performance debut at Toulouse Game Show (TGS). URBANGARDE returned to France in 2013 for Japan Expo and released their greatest hits compilation Koi to Kakumei to URBANGARDE, featuring the song “Tokai no Alice.”
URBANGARDE’s Utsukushii Kuni was released in June 2014 by Tokuma Japan Communications, featuring artwork by renowned Japanese painter Aida Makoto. The same year URBANGARDE released music videos for “Sakura Memento” and “One-Piece Shinjuu”. In 2015, URBANGARDE released the single “Coin Locker babies” and made their USA debut at A-Kon in Dallas, TX.
URBANGARDE’s latest album, Showa 90, was released on December 9, 2015, featuring the anti-war song “Kuchibiru Democracy.”
