Kikuchi, Momoko "Ocean Side" [Clear Vinyl]

2025 limited repress. WRWTFWW Records presents the first release from its new City Pop Series with Japanese singer, actress, entertainer, scholar and all-around legend Momoko Kikuchi's sun-drenched classic Ocean Side album, available as a limited-edition transparent vinyl LP in a heavyweight sleeve with obi. A cult classic among Japanese music collectors, Ocean Side was originally released in 1984 by mythical label VAP and features lush compositions and arrangements by J-Pop icon Tetsuji Hayashi (Mariya Takeuchi, Miki Matsubara, Omega Tribe, Junichi Inagaki). Momoko Kikuchi's city pop gem is a flawless mix of heartwarming beachside funk, breezy grooves, and silky-smooth vocals -- the feel-good music we all need in our life right now. The nine-track summer-is-forever adventure notably includes the ultra-funky megahit "Blind Curve," the fan-favorite title song, and the insanely romantic ballad "Futari No Night Drive." A vibrant reflection of summer in 1980s Japan, Ocean Side masterfully balances nostalgia and elegance, and provides part of the origin story for revered modern music genres such as chillwave, and future funk, and vaporwave. The official reissue licensed from VAP, Inc. is sourced from the original masters with an audiophile-cut by Sidney Meyer at Emil Berliner Studios.