Bleep

Petrolz, formed in 2005 by Ryosuke Nagaoka, Jungo 'Jumbo' Miura, and Toshihide 'Bob' Kawamura, are one of the most respected bands in the current Japanese indie scene. They are set to release their new six track album, “Ranhansha” on December 8th via TOKA, which will be their first ever release on vinyl outside of Japan. Additionally, this album will be available digitally worldwide, marking a significant moment in their 18-year musical career. Stream the new single ‘Eisha’ or purchase a limited vinyl of “Ranhansha” below. The band has also released the animated visualiser for the latest single, directed by a London based Japanese motion designer Hiromu Oka.

Over the past 18 years, they have steadily built a cult following purely through word of mouth among core music fans in Japan, captivating audiences with their outstanding musicianship and unique grooves. Their soul and funk influenced sounds has been referred to as a form of "Post City Pop". “City Pop” as a microgenre emerged in Tokyo during the 80s, and Petrolz’s music establishes connections with “City Pop”pioneers such as Tatsuro Yamashita and Taeko Onuki, but their music resonates with listeners in multiple ways. Amidst these familiar references, the band's pure guitar sound stands out, further enhancing their brand, a hallmark of another microgenre known as "Shiomokita-kei (Shimokitazawa-Style)".

Shimokitazawa is a cultural hub in Tokyo where Petrolz initially began actively playing. During the 2000s, Shimokitazawa witnessed the emergence of numerous Japanese indie bands, all defined by their distinct blend of pure guitar-driven rock and robust melodic compositions. Notable examples include Asian Kung Fu-Generation, Fuji Fabric, and Acidman, among others. These bands, collectively known as "Shimokita-kei," carved out a new niche within the music scene.

Shimokitazawa exuded a strong sense of community during this era. Venue owners often came together, creating a sense of togetherness among both musicians and fans. Some of these bands achieved notable commercial success, sparking dreams within many young people in Japan. Despite the economic challenges Japan faced in the late ‘90s, young musicians harboured dreams of achieving stardom within the realm of indie bands. It was within this movement that Petrolz made their mark.

Their current manager, who was the former owner of Shimokitazawa's venue 'Garage' and the only person to reach out after hearing their demo tape, encouraged them to start recording properly. In 2007, the band released 150 limited CDs of their debut mini-album "Karimen (Provisional Licence)". This album, "Ranhansha" is their first release outside of Japan and they began this journey by digging out the original masters from abandoned computers in a variety of warehouses, as some of the recording studios they had used had closed down. The band also re-recorded one of their most popular songs 'Tunnel' exclusively for this album, which makes the record even more precious, presenting a mixture of old and new Petrolz songs. As well as the physical vinyl release, the record will be available to stream which will come as a pleasant surprise to fans as this will be the first time in the band's long career that they have had any kind of digital release.

The band have yet to reveal much about themselves, preferring to keep their media and social media appearances minimal. On top of this mysterious element, their music has never been available in any physical or digital formats, except for a few CDs that they sold exclusively at shows and which have long gone out of print. However, as Ryosuke, the frontman of Petrolz describes, they feel like they are "more accepted (by people) than before", their shows at several thousand capacity venues sell out without any promotion whenever they go on domestic live tours. Petrolz’ music has acquired a value that won’t fade away as time goes by, similar to old friendships that are nurtured over time.

What makes this project even more unique is that the band welcomed Grammy Award winning engineer, Russell Elevado to mix the record. Elevado’s hands-on, creative approach to mixing has been the backbone of critically acclaimed masterpieces such as D'Angelo's "Voodoo" (2000) and Roy Hargrove's "Hard Groove" (2003).

"Ranhansha" is a Japanese word for "dispersion of lights". The record images a vintage car cruising at night through Tokyo, surrounded by lights from the city’s skyscrapers mimicking a galaxy in space. The intention being that the album, woven by these leading musicians of our time and the world's greatest engineer, brightens up lives in the same way that the lights of a mirror ball reflect onto a dancefloor.

All songs written by Ryosuke Nagaoka
Mixed by Russell Elevado at Analogypsy Studios
Mastered by Alex DeTurk at Bunker Studio Brooklyn

Artwork: yuko m.
Product Manager: Maiko Okabe
Director: Yasuhiro Deguchi (ENNDISC / WKK)
Executive Producer: Nariaki Obukuro