Dancemania EX × Trance Paradise

Don Gino – EP
Artist: Disco Gino
Price: $3.96

The latest track from J-Mi and Midi-D is a sequel to “Disco Gino” which, oddly enough, hasn’t seen a single release outside of the Disko Warp remix. I was afraid that the Disco Gino gimmick would wear thin, but exploiting a different Italian stereotype this time was a good call. The J-Mi & Midi-D remix in particular is highly recommended. That said, the best Pizza-related song still goes to “Kochira Mona Pizza.”

And I know it’s supposed to be a mafioso hat on the cover, but I keep seeing either an elf or an orc. o_O

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Para Para Fantasia!! Vol. 1
Release Date: 5/27/12
Price: 1400 yen

A joint-release DVD by A-One and NJK Record. Features Para Para done to Toho Eurobeat and Toho Euro Flash tracks while the dancers wear Toho-inspired costumes and bags over their heads.

Toho Euromach Remixies+
Release Date: 5/27/12
Price: 800 yen

New release in the DJ Command-produced series. In addition to the rare TEF non-stop mix, the CD also compiles instrumental versions of tracks from TEF 01 plus two new remixes. Visit the official website for more info: http://nijika.net/

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Toho Eurobeat Vol. 5 ~ Imperishable Night
Release Date: 5/27/12
Price: 1400 yen

Doujin release featuring eurobeat covers of popular touhou songs. Odd that they’re releasing it in May, as in the past they’ve waited for the August Comiket to release TEB CDs. You can visit the official website for a crossfade demo.

For fans outside of Japan, White Canvas is willing to ship overseas, and they’ll be carrying TEB 5: http://www.w-canvas.com/products/detail.php?product_id=35451 For more information on their service, go to their info page: http://www.w-canvas.com/user_data/information.php. In addition to the price of the CD and overseas shipping, there’s also a 1,000 yen commission per order, so it might be a good idea to pick up TEB 1-4 and Best 2011 at the same time. Note that I haven’t used White Canvas, but I’ve read online that speak decent English, so it might be your best shot at acquiring these CDs.

CDJapan also have a new shopping service so you might be able to ask them to buy it for you.

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Saifam Speed – May 2012
Artist: Various Artists

Another random set of Speed songs. “Turning Japanese” turned out pretty well, but “Not Afraid” lacks the rapid-fire rapping of CJ Crew’s “Lose Yourself” and ends up sounding a bit slow. “Iron Man” appears to be a slightly reworked version of the SAI1416 track released 4 years ago.

SPE190 – [4:41] Turning Japanese (The Factory Speed mix) / Speedmaster
SPE191 – [5:15] Not Afraid (The Factory Speed mix) / MC Boy
SPE192 – [5:12] Iron Man (The Factory Speedo mix) / Speedogang

And I forgot to mention it last month, but Saifam also did a Zippers cover of the Captain Jack song, “People Like to Party.”

DAN19057 – [4:15] People Like to Party (The Factory Team remix) / Zippers

Moonlight Shadow (Single)
Artist: Hikari.
Release Date: 4/25/12
Price: $9.95

New digital single from FARM Records. Available on iTunes Japan and Beatport. Also includes a cover of the Astroline song, “Close My Eyes.”

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EX:P3 ~EX:Producers 3~
Release Date: 7/4/12
Price: 1905 yen

Third release in the FARM-produced Vocaloid series. Visit the official website for additional details.

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Psychedelic Lover All Stars Best
Release Date: 6/27/12
Price: 1905 yen

Wow, a new Psychedelic Lover CD after almost 2 years! Maybe there’s still a chance for Mega Trance 12! Anyway, there are new tracks from both Western and Japanese artists, including series mainstays like GMS, InterSys, REW and DJ Yagi.

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Utattemita Anison Speed
Release Date: 7/4/12
Price: 1905 yen

Okay, now I’m convinced that Akiba Koubou have to rearrange these tracks. “Tiger & Dragon,” for example, was originally 136 BPM on Geki Atsu! Drama Euro Kizuna Hen, so there’s no way they can just transplant it as is. Pleeaaaasseee don’t disappoint me again, AKBK.

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Utattemita Anison Speed
Release Date: 7/4/12
Price: 1905 yen

Early list is out, and so far it’s all songs that have previously been covered by Akiba Koubou. If this ends up the same as J-Mach!! I’ll be extremely disappointed. I’m convinced that they’ll have to actually rearrange these, though, because many of the songs already appeared on the original Utattemita Anison, and there’s no way they’d just reuse the same arrangements again, right? Right?!

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J-Mach!! -Hi-Speed Dance Mix-
Release Date: 5/23/12
Price: 1905 yen

Wow, I can’t believe how disappointing this is. My greatest fear was that Akiba Koubou would go the cheap route and just increase the tempo of the songs and call it a day. However, what they did was somehow much worse: nothing. That’s right, they didn’t bother to rearrange the songs at all, much less change the tempos. Pretty much all of the tracks are at or near their original BPMs, with most of the album ranging from 160-165 BPM. The final 7 tracks range from around 170-190, but those are all at their original BPMs as well. I would have been more forgiving if it had been marketed as a eurobeat album, but it just doesn’t work as a Speed album because it doesn’t feel very fast as a whole. The mixing isn’t particularly memorable, either, with some transitions that are downright jarring. The fact that it’s 100% repeats just makes things that much worse. That said, Team KY’s “Run ‘n’ Gun” is amazing. I wish I had just found a way to buy the single instead of this. :/

In addition to the CD version, J-Mach!! is also available digitally on iTunes Japan. Keep in mind that the digital version is also mixed.

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Spicy Girl -Diva’s Electro Collections-
Release Date: 5/16/12
Price: 900 yen

House and electro songs from FARM compilations. Includes two recent Threemason (aka DJ U*Hey?) tracks, “Mr. Saxobeat” and “Give Me All Your Luving”.

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Electloid feat. Hatsune Miku
Release Date: 6/6/12
Price: 1905 yen

New electro Vocaloid compilation from FARM Records focusing on electro songs. Hmm, there have been quite a few dance-themed Vocaloid songs lately.

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R&B in the House -Best- mixed by DJ Fumi*Yeah
Release Date: 5/23/12
Price: 1900 yen

The 5th release in the “R&B in the House” series, mixed by DJ Fumi*Yeah! as usual. Although mostly repeats as the title would suggest, there are also a handful of new songs. DJ U*Hey? has a cover of “Run the World (Girls)” under his Threemason alias, while Daiki × ZK contribute a new cover of “Barbara Streisand.” Other new tracks include “Let’s Groove” by I.T.T and 5 songs by various Minimum Cox aliases.

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Non Stop Mega Mix Party -Maximum-
Release Date: 4/25/12
Price: 1886 yen

Third release of the FARM series, featuring house, electro, and trance remixes of pop hits. Includes the album debuts of Daiki × ZK’s “Born This Way” and “Party Rock Anthem” covers. Daiki × ZK also get the lead track with a new version of Mr. Saxobeat.

Mega Trance’s DJ U*Hey? is back with quite a few new tracks under his main alias as well as other pseudonyms. As DJ U*Hey? he brings us a cover of Madonna’s “Give Me All Your Luvin'” He uses his Threemason alias for “Hangover,” “Titanium, and “Part of Me.” Keen readers will remember that “Titanium” was already done under his DJ U*Hey? persona a few months ago, so who knows if the Threemason version is actually new.

Soichi Ono, perhaps best known as Minimum Cox, returns with a new remix of “The Edge of Glory” as well as a new cover of “Mr. Know It All” under his main alias. He also uses his “Jewel” alias for a new production of “Good Feeling.”

I.T.T. gets a single new track with “International Love” while i-steal gets a remix of “I Will Always Love You.”

There are also quite a few new artists. Beatek, Ginger Parker, and electrowarden appear to be new to FARM, though it’s unclear if they’re actually new or just more aliases for existing artists. In any case, this release is one to look out for if you’re a fan of R&B House.

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