Tower Records has decided on its recommended push items for August 2024.
With the motto “Let’s create breakout items starting from the shelves!”, buyers at Tower Records stores across the country rely only on their own ears and intuition to pick out artists before they become popular with the public, regardless of whether they are foreign or Japanese or what genre they are, and then promote them in all stores for the popular project “Tower Recommends.”
This highly-recommended project, which began in 2006, sees buyers make serious presentations and votes each month to select items, which are then rolled out to all stores.
◆ August 2024 Tower Recommendation Lineup※Order of the Japanese syllabary
・COPES「FORTH」
Released on Wednesday, July 31st
・Doona “Humanistic Psychology”
Released Wednesday, August 21st
・NIKO NIKO TAN TAN “New Comedy”
Released Wednesday, August 7
・Riot Club “Riot Club”
Released Wednesday, August 7
Tower Records Online “Tower Recommend” URL
https://tower.jp/site/series/tower-recomen
■ August Tower Recommendation Product Details※Order of the Japanese syllabary
①
Artist: COPES
Title FORTH
Release date: Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Price: 1,980 yen (tax included)
Specifications: 1 CD
Label COPES RECORD
Bonus: Manufacturer’s bonus “Jacket sticker”
Introduction
A male-female twin vocal melodic pop band that started in February 2021. The clear and gentle singing voice of guitarist and vocalist Kamei Nanako and the thick and powerful singing voice of bassist and vocalist Shiina Yuuki overlap, and their live performances create a positive and happy atmosphere with melodies that you won’t forget once you hear them and fast-paced songs. All three demo albums released so far have been smash hits.
This long-awaited first nationwide release is their best work to date, containing 11 songs including their representative songs and live staples.
Tower Recommendation Comments
Recommended by: Shibuya store/Kousuiryu, Ikebukuro store/Kobayashi, Shizuoka store/Terao, Abeno Hoop store/Akama
It’s great to see the two of them singing catchy and fun songs that get the crowd involved! Please listen to COPES’ first release, which is even deeper and more powerful than before!
②
Artist: Doona
Title Humanistic Psychology
Release date: Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Price: 2,200 yen (tax included)
Specifications: 1 CD
Label Doona
Introduction
A five-member band born in 2002, they are gaining attention from early listeners with their blood-boiling live performances. Based on 80s funk and R&B to 2000s neo-soul, they also incorporate elements of rock, punk, and pop to create a timeless, unique, next-generation mixture sound. Their latest work, titled “Humanistic Psychology,” is their first EP, which serves as their calling card, and includes five songs, including “APE,” an alternative rock song that mixes rock and funk with the theme of “a boy in the process of evolution,” and “Green Tips,” a sweet number that combines urban chord work, mellow band sound, and a lustrous singing voice.
Tower Recommendation Comments
Recommended by: Ogino at Shinjuku store, Yasuda at Namba Parks store, Sasaki at Online Business Division
Their sound is based on funk, but also includes elements of R&B and jazz! Their first single “Hot Dog” was a danceable funky tune, but their latest single “Green Tips” is good music with a mellow tempo. The songs they release are always of high quality, surprising you! This five-member band is sure to be at the forefront of the current booming mixed sound scene!
③
Artist: NIKO NIKO TAN TAN
Title: New Comedy
Release date: Wednesday, August 7, 2024
Price: 3,300 yen (tax included)
Specifications: 1 CD
Label: Victor Entertainment
Bonus Tower Records exclusive bonus
“Original Sticker A”
Introduction
A creative mixture unit that creates music x video x art that transcends genres. This major 1st full album contains 14 tracks in total, including the latest song “MOOD”, “Jurassic” used for national TV commercials, popular songs such as the drama opening theme “IAI”, the latest song “No Time To Lose” which is the theme song for the movie, and “Paradise”, a staple song for live performances that is being released for the first time. This is a record that allows you to fully enjoy the extremely catchy and edgy entertainment that NIKO NIKO TAN TAN unfolds.
Tower Recommendation Comments
Recommended by: Shibuya Store/Sakurama, Nagoya Parco Store/Katakura, Shinjuku Store/Ogino, Sapporo Parco Store/Nakanishi, Namba Parks Store/Goya, Online Business Division/Sasaki
An evolving creative group whose members change with each project. Their genre-less, diverse music ranges from floating psychedelic to rock and R&B, and is very enjoyable!
④
Artists Riot Club
Title: Riot Club
Release date: Wednesday, August 7, 2024
Price: 3,300 yen (tax included)
Specifications: 1 CD
Label: BEAT EAST/FORLIFE SONGS
Bonus Tower Records exclusive bonus
“Set of 3 stickers”
Introduction
A rock and roll band with an average age of 20. Their debut 7-inch single “Bōdō Club no Theme” ranked 8th in the Oricon ROCK single weekly ranking, and their second 7-inch single “Cynical Baby” became a long-selling single and charted in the Oricon ROCK single monthly ranking. Their debut album, which attracted a lot of attention at ARABAKIROCK FEST 2024, was released at last. The album was produced by Mr.PAN of THE NEATBEATS, and includes the explosive rock song “Born to Kill” in which the riot club goes wild, as well as a cover of Bo Dittley’s “Roadrunner” in a version by The Pretty Things and a cover of THE ROOSTERS’ “CMC”. An explosive R&R album recorded entirely in mono from the first song to the last.
Tower Recommendation Comments
Recommended by: Nishioka at Kyoto store, Nishioka at Hiroshima store, Hayakawa at Nagoya Kintetsu Passe store, Nakanishi at Sapporo Parco store
Riot Club is a big rookie band with an average age of 20. Their classic and slightly flashy R&R (rock and roll) is sure to resonate with rock and rollers of all generations! Vocalist Gen Kugiya’s husky singing voice is also irresistible!
