During my youth, I was captivated by a music style known as Neo-Acoustic, which emerged in the 1980s in Britain as a fruit of post-punk to new wave, influenced by jazz, soul, bossa nova, and Latin, characterized by delicate acoustic pop. It’s been my impression that many record jackets in this style feature motifs of bicycles. Surprisingly, Brazilian music seems to have numerous tracks revolving around bicycles. This month, among them, I’d like to introduce Alulu Paranhos’ ‘Bicicletinha,’ a tune that might appeal to Neo-Acoustic enthusiasts.

On April 27th, the editorial and artwork production team of this column, along with their friends, as well as the staff of “Global Ride,” including designers and translators, gathered at my cafe, Cafe Apres-midi, in Shibuya for a DJ party. It was a great turnout and we had a really enjoyable time. I was looking forward to what to play that day and had selected several records since morning. However, by chance, I watched the music video for NewJeans’ new song “Bubble Gum,” which was released at midnight on April 27th, based on a friend’s recommendation. There was a scene of riding a bicycle, combined with the goodness of the song, and I was thrilled all day […]

It’s been a year since the passing of Burt Bacharach, the iconic composer of the 20th century. His art of songwriting, characterized by sophisticated yet beautiful melodies and vibrant, stylish arrangements that make full use of “Bacharach Magic” chord progressions and rhythm changes, along with bold and elegant structures, continues to captivate people’s hearts worldwide. His witty and imaginative compositions, combined with urban and deeply resonant lyrics (especially those of Hal David), create a timeless marriage that still resonates with people around the world, transcending generations.