Composer and arranger Etsuko Yamakawa will release three works, including "The Aesthetics of Arrangement: The Work of Etsuko Yamakawa," a collection of carefully selected works from the more than 1,000 masterpieces she has created since 1980, exclusively at Tower Records from May 29th.

Tower Records will be releasing two albums simultaneously on Wednesday, May 29th, entitled “The Aesthetics of Arranging: The Work of Yamakawa Etsuko.” These albums are carefully selected from the more than 1,000 masterpieces that composer and arranger Yamakawa Etsuko has written for various artists and idols since 1980, transcending the boundaries of eras and record companies. The album was planned by Tower Records and produced in cooperation with Victor Entertainment Co., Ltd. and Pony Canyon Inc.

In addition, “Pingu Rap Produced by Matsuura Masaya / SEEDS of HAPPINESS Produced by Yamakawa Etsuko sung by M-Rie,” which was released in 1993 as the theme song for “Pingu” broadcast on TV Tokyo, will be released on Wednesday, June 19th as a 7″ record, planned by Tower Records and produced in cooperation with Sony Music Labels Inc.

All three works will be sold exclusively at Tower Records, TOWERmini stores, and Tower Records Online.

Tower Records will be reevaluating the creativity and innovation of Etsuko Yamakawa, who pioneered a new era of sound-first thinking in J-POP and idol music, and will be showcasing the appeal of her wonderful works.

Tower Records Online Details Pagehttps://tower.jp/article/feature_item/2024/04/12/0701

Etsuko Yamakawa Collection CD “The Aesthetics of Arrangement: The Work of Etsuko Yamakawa” to be released on Wednesday, May 29th

“The Aesthetics of Arrangement: The Work of Etsuko Yamakawa” Victor Entertainment

“The Aesthetics of Arrangement: The Work of Etsuko Yamakawa” Pony Canyon Edition

7” Record “Pingu Rap/ SEEDS of HAPPINESS -Seeds of Happiness-” to be released on Wednesday, June 19th

“Pingu Rap/Seeds of Happiness”

Etsuko Yamakawa was the first woman to win the Japan Record Award for Best Arranger in 1986 for Kyoko Koizumi’s “100% Male and Female Dating,” and has composed and arranged over 1,000 songs for artists including Onyanko Club and Mari Watanabe. This first collection of her works, a carefully selected collection of hits by various artists from the 1980s to 1990s, transcending the boundaries of time and record companies, is available exclusively at Tower Records! A pioneer of city pop and a leading figure in the genre, this album re-evaluates the creativity and innovation of Etsuko Yamakawa, who pioneered a new era of sound supremacy in J-POP and idol music! It also includes exclusive new songs and rare songs released on CD for the first time, which can only be obtained here!

＜Product details by title＞

“The Aesthetics of Arrangement: The Work of Etsuko Yamakawa” Victor Entertainment

■ Victor Entertainment Co., Ltd.

Artist: Various Artists

Title: The Aesthetics of Music Arrangement: The Work of Etsuko Yamakawa

Release date: Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Sales price: 4,950 yen (tax included)

Product number: NCS-10293～5

Specifications: 3 CDs

Commentary: Etsuko Yamakawa, Motohiro Makaino

Manufactured and sold by: Victor Entertainment

Planning and sales: Tower Records

Her songs include Kyoko Suga’s “Shortcuts Wanted,” which was the theme song for the TV Tokyo anime “Bonobono,” “UP AND DOWN” from the album of her duo Tohoku Shinkansen, with Narumi Hiroshi (g,vo), and the Fuji TV drama “Dakishimetai!” “ENCORE” by Seiko Haneda, used as an insert song in the TV drama “Pingu” by M-Rie, “SEEDS of HAPPINESS – Seeds of Happiness -” the theme song for TV Tokyo’s “Pingu”, “Distance no Manatsu” by Mami Koyama, who is also famous as the voice actress of Norimaki Arale in the anime “Dr. Slump Arale-chan”, and the Night Tempo remix “Distance no Manatsu Night Tempo Remix” which can only be obtained here, “Fascination” by Maiko Okamoto, which has been re-evaluated as a city pop classic, “Freesia no Shounen” by Mariko Shiga, who was also used as the ending theme for the Nippon Television anime “Magical Idol Pastel Yumi” and also voiced the main character, “Minna Mayoko” by solo idol Yufu Terashima, who was formerly with BIS, “Kimi wa Dontokurai” by Risa Tachibana, who won the Japan Record Award for Best New Artist, “Ribbon no Nai Present” by Qlair, who debuted from the idol training course “Otome Juku” sponsored and operated by Fuji TV, and “Ribbon no Nai Present” by Ito It also includes exclusive songs that can only be found here, such as a new recording of “Namida wa Aphrodisiac,” a self-cover of a song she wrote for Ran under the name of Yamakawa Etsuko, as well as rare recordings that have never been released on CD before!

“The Aesthetics of Arrangement: The Work of Etsuko Yamakawa” Pony Canyon Edition

■Pony Canyon edition

Artist: Various Artists

Title: The Aesthetics of Music Arrangement: The Work of Etsuko Yamakawa

Release date: Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Sales price: 3,740 yen (tax included)

Product number: BRCA-00143

Specifications: 2 CDs

Commentary: Etsuko Yamakawa

Manufactured and sold by: Pony Canyon

Planning and sales: Tower Records

Onyanko Club’s “Umbrella Angel” and “Angels of the Summer Resort Forest,” Watanabe Marina’s “Message from White Rabbit” and “100 Years of GLORY,” Nitta Eri with Onyanko Club’s “Romance is a Chance,” Nitta Eri’s “The Two of Moebius,” and other masterpieces by Onyanko Club and its artists, CoCo’s “Sigh of Bubbles” from “Otomejuku,” Miura Rieko’s “Promised Ponytail” and “The Beach Where Angels Live” and other masterpieces by CoCo and her members’ solo artists, Matsumoto Noriko’s “Kiss ga Todoke nai” with beautiful strings that highlight Yamakawa Etsuko’s magic, Matsumoto Takashi and Tsutsumi Kyohei’s “Koi, Mitsutaketa (album version)” by Mariko, and Mori no Isomatsu’s “Happy Birthday,” a music unit consisting of performers from Fuji TV’s variety show “Osoku Okita Asa wa…,” Morio Yumi, Isono Kiriko, Matsui Naomi, and others. Line”, Ayaka Tainaka’s Akio -Autumn Moods-, which was used as the theme song for the smartphone game app “Arknights”, Agnes Chan’s Hitotsu Dake, composed by Akiko Yano, Taniyama Hiroko’s Tempura☆Sunrise (single version), which she participated in with Narumi Hiroshi, new recordings (self-covers) of Yamakawa Etsuko’s Do Yah! and UTOPIA, and other exclusive songs that can only be obtained here and rare songs that have never been released on CD before are also included.

“SEEDS of HAPPINESS – Seeds of Happiness -“, the ending theme for TV Tokyo’s “Pingu” by Etsuko Yamakawa, is now available on 7″ record!

“Pingu Rap/Seeds of Happiness”

＜Product details by title＞

Artists: Masaya Matsuura, Etsuko Yamakawa, M-Rie

Title: Pingu Rap/ SEEDS of HAPPINESS

Side-A: Masaya Matsuura/Pingu Rap

Side-B: Etsuko Yamakawa/SEEDS of HAPPINESS (sung by M-Rie)

Release date: Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Sales price: 2,420 yen (tax included)

Product number: MHK7-8

Specifications: 7” record/45rpm/STEREO/cut in 2023

Manufactured and distributed by: Sony Music Labels

Planning and sales: Tower Records

“SEEDS of HAPPINESS -Seeds of Happiness-“, written by composer and arranger Etsuko Yamakawa, is now available on 7” record!

“Pingu Rap / SEEDS of HAPPINESS” was released as an 8cm CD single on July 1, 1993 as the theme song for the TV Tokyo series “Pingu”. It will be re-released for the first time on a 7-inch record in 2023. (45rpm/stereo/limited edition)

Side-A: “Pingu Rap” is a funny electro beat produced by former PSY・S music producer and game creator, Masaya Matsuura!

Side-B: “SEEDS of HAPPINESS” is arranged and produced by composer and arranger Etsuko Yamakawa, and features top-class skilled musicians such as Masaki Matsubara (g) and Hiroki Ito (b). The innocent vocals of former MILK member M-Rie (Rie Miyajima) also have a tremendous healing effect. This is a miraculous masterpiece in which the magic of Etsuko Yamakawa envelops the world.

“Pingu Rap” Arranged & Produced by Masaya Matsuura, PINGU & Friends, Melodie Sexton (cho), Wornell Jones (cho)

“SEEDS of HAPPINESS” Arranged & Produced by Etsuko Yamakawa

Etsuko Yamakawa (key), Masaki Matsubara (g), Hiroki Ito (b), M-Rie (Rie Miyajima) (vo), Nobuhiko Nakayama (Manipulate)

Etsuko Yamakawa

Since graduating from university, musician Etsuko Yamakawa has worked behind the scenes composing and arranging music for a variety of people, making a living from it.

With the resurgence of the city pop boom, “Tohoku Shinkansen” is no longer a dream, but for me, the unit was created to gain an opportunity to work professionally as an arranger. There are other people in the world who have written far more songs than me, so why me now?!

I have no involvement in the selection of songs for the best album, leaving it up to the staff. In addition, the 2024 recording will include Night Beat Remix, chosen by Night Tempo, who is a friend of mine, and three self-cover songs, which will be the first songs to be released under the name of Etsuko Yamakawa. This is not just a best album. It is an interesting collection of works with an impact, pushed by the passion of the staff, so I hope many people will listen to it.

Etsuko Yamakawa March 2024

I love Ecchan’s arr.. The way he puts together chord progressions and stacks chords is similar to mine, so it’s very easy for me to work with him. I’m very happy that Ecchan’s arr. is getting attention in this way.

Tsuyoshi Kon(guitarist)

I remember that I started working with Etsuko Yamakawa on studio sessions around 1983. While the arranger world was still dominated by men, Yamakawa’s innovative compositions and arrangements, especially for female artists, shone brightly like a comet. It was just when the world was entering the digital age of synthesizers and PCs (the release of CDs and the introduction of MIDI), and Japanese music production was entering the era of programming.

When recording with Yamakawa, the arranged score was sent to me 3-4 days in advance, and the preparations were perfect, which helped reduce studio work time. Therefore… the project name with Yamakawa and Matsutake was called “Dandries”!

Hideki Matsutake(Synthesizer programmer / Executive Director of the Japan Council of Performing Arts Organizations / Vice President of the General Incorporated Association MPN_Joint Organization for Musician’s Rights Management)

I’m so excited to see what a great CD has been created! The image of Mari Watanabe’s early songs was exactly like Etsuko Yamakawa’s world, a world that I loved for its chic and refined style. After all this time, when I listen to Yamakawa’s work again, I still feel the same excitement. There’s no doubt that this CD will become a treasured memory!

Marina Watanabe

Etchan’s arrangements are calm, yet gorgeous and comfortable, just like her personality.

The arrangements respect the wishes of the players, and I always leave satisfied with the results.

I was surprised to find out that there are so many works that I have fond memories of with Etchan, and I am very happy that so many of the works that created the era and that everyone has experienced will be released. Congratulations, Etchan.

Hideo Yamaki (drummer)

In the 1980s, when music production bases were limited to certain locations in Tokyo, I was involved in many productions with “Etchan.” At a time when Western music was the supreme order, I believe that Etchan’s compositions, which absorbed a variety of elements, were sublimated into his own unique Japanese pop music. His skill in making female singers shine is a true Yamakawa brand.

Yuji Toriyama (Guitarist/Music Producer)

Since the 1980s, I have had the opportunity to perform many pieces composed and arranged by Etsuko Yamakawa.

It was fun, exciting, and exciting to play the many songs with Etchan’s innovative arrangements. I’m happy to be able to listen to Etchan’s worldview of “aesthetics of arrangement” at this time, when he was at the height of what we now call “Jpop”.

Hiroki Ito (bassist)

Congratulations to Etsuko Yamakawa on the release of her commemorative CD. I haven’t seen her recently, but I have had the opportunity to play many of the songs she has arranged. I also love her as both a composer and a pianist. The melodies of the intros and interludes in the songs she arranges are beautiful and memorable. As a pianist, she has a beautiful touch and tone, and her sound is wonderful. I think she is one of the chosen musicians. I hope she continues to be successful.

Kenji Takamizu(bassist)

Looking at her gorgeous and unique works, I feel lucky to have met the creator Etsuko Yamakawa and to have lived in the same era. She worked hard while battling various changes from analog to digital. Her footprints are a one-of-a-kind brilliance.

Goro Matsui

The number of works you can create in your lifetime is limited, so you can go at a slow pace or quit halfway through…

Strangely enough, the people who produce such a huge number of works that they can be compiled into compilations are

It’s really very little. Furthermore, it’s rare for most of the contents to have the same concentration, heat, density, color, and characteristics.

However, if people ask me in the future if there are any such CDs, I will recommend this compilation.

As a fellow senior musician, I have the utmost respect for Etsuko-sensei’s work and her own passion.

It was the first time I’d met someone with such passion for sound, rhythm, and harmony.

And everyone, Etsuko intends to continue creating in the future.

They are still searching for new sounds and expressions, continuing their exploration, and there doesn’t seem to be any sign of them stopping.

Her never-ending creative output is frightening. I look forward to her future works and the release of “The Work of Etsuko Yamakawa II.”

Sasuke Haraguchi(musician)

Graduated from Ferris University, Faculty of Music, Vocal Music Department. In 1980, he officially debuted as a composer with “Be My Best Friend,” a song he wrote for Junko Yagami. He has also participated in tours and recordings for Hiroko Taniyama, Junko Yagami, Tatsuro Yamashita, Mariya Takeuchi, and others. He participated in Eiichi Ohtaki’s “NIAGARA TRAIANGLE Vol. 2.” In 1982, he released the album “THRU TRAFFIC” as Tohoku Shinkansen, which he formed with Hiroshi Narumi. As a studio musician, he also provided guide vocals for Seiko Matsuda and others. He has composed and arranged many hit songs for various artists and idols, including Kyoko Koizumi and Onyanko Club. He has composed and arranged for the works of various artists to date, with a total of over 1,000 songs, including arranging all the songs on Mari Watanabe’s album “EVERGREEN.” He has contributed to the maturation and sophistication of J-POP and idol pop. Currently, he is not only composing, arranging and producing for other artists, but is also expanding his scope of work to include TV dramas and stage music.

: Kyoko Koizumi’s “100% Men and Women Relations” (arrangement) (1986 Japan Record Award Arrangement Award winner), Risa Tachibana’s “Kimi wa Dontokurai” (composition and arrangement), Marina Watanabe’s “White Rabbit Kara no Message” (composition and arrangement), Hiroko Taniyama’s “Country Girl” (arrangement), Maiko Okamoto’s “Aitte Ringo Desuka” (composition and arrangement), Agnes Chan, Hiromi Iwasaki, Yoshimi Iwasaki, Eri Nitta, Junko Yagami, Iyo Matsumoto, Yu Hayami, Akemi Ishii, Kohmi Hirose, Noriko Ogawa, Mariko Shiga, Ran Ito, CoCo, Qlair, Yu Fu Terashima, and many more.

Official website:http://www.etsu-style.tv/

Book: “The Aesthetics of Arrangement: Arranger Etsuko Yamakawa and the Era of Idol Songs”