Jun Togawa Unit – 極東慰安唱歌

The lone album by Jun Togawa Unit, a side project from the Japanese singer alongside sound producer Yoichiro Yoshikawa and recording engineer Yoshifumi Iio, 極東慰安唱歌 (Far East Comfort Song) features Yen Records style electronic technopop adaptations of Okinawan folk songs, elementary songs, and nursery rhymes. Togawa’s vocal range and love for the unconventional are on full display here with her delivery moving from quiet, youth-like charm A1 “眼球奇譚” to powerhouse theater filling operatic A2 “海ヤカラ” and various shades in between. There’s even a cover of Puccini’s “Un Bel Di” from Madame Butterfly. The eclectic blending of styles doesn’t always work, but we’d still highly recommend this album for fans of that traditional meets electronic sound explored by many Japanese groups in the ’80s including Yellow Magic Orchestra, Imitation, Mariah, Toshifumi Hinata, etc.