Yukari Fresh
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| Yukari Fresh | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Tokyo, Japan |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Genres | Shibuya-kei, Pop, J-Pop |
| Labels | Escalator Records |
| Members | Yukari Fresh (Yukari Takasaki, ゆかり 高崎) |
| Website(s) | Official Escalator Records Website |
Yukari Fresh (real name Yukari Takasaki (高崎ゆかり Takasaki Yukari?)), is a Shibuya-kei artist.
Contents |
[edit] Beginnings
Yukari Takasaki was a member of one of Tokyo's Escalator Records' first bands, Snapshot. The duo (Takasaki and her current husband, Yugo Katayama) released several singles and EPs, but turned to solo and other collaborative work in the later mid-90s.
[edit] Solo debut
Yukari debuted with the cheekily titled Yukari's Perfect! in 1997 on Escalator Records. The record featured such guests as Hideki Kaji and the Genbeat. The poppy, whimsical record gained the attention of Shibuya-kei artists (Cornelius, Kahimi Karie, and other early Shibuya-kei artists) and Germany's Bungalow Records (the label which pressed a split single with Stereo Total later in 1997), even though Yukari was still a newcomer to the solo music scene. Yukari was asked to contribute to the 1998 Sushi 4004 compilation, a compilation which featured other Shibuya-kei artists of repute such as Kahimi Karie, Takako Minekawa, Fantastic Plastic Machine, and Yoshinori Sunahara. The compilation introduced Western listeners to the world of Japanese pop, and specifically the Shibuya-kei scene.
[edit] Middle period
Yukari's debut was followed shortly by a mini-album called Cook Some Dishes. The album is actually a mix of shortened versions of many of the artist's songs. In January 2000, Yukari released Cityrama, which again featured an appearance from Kaji Hideki, along with Mike Alway, Pop Tarts, and several others. Before releasing another full album, Yukari did another mini-album, Erik. It was said that Erik was a more mature record, one which featured an artist who had found her place. Reviewers also commented on the glossy, more focused production qualities. February 2003 marked the release of Yukari's third full-length album, Trefoils Hat. The album has been seen as Yukari's most accomplished work to date in that it is her most focused piece. Yukari's songwriterly, poppy side took precedence on this album, leaving some of the more dance-oriented disco tracks out. In 2004, maintaining her consistently cutesy appeal, Yukari informed the world she had changed her name to Yukari Rotten, and that punky electropop was now her sound. Not Dead, the name of the Yukari Rotten debut album, did have more punch and electroclash aesthetic about it than any of her previous works. It featured the curiously titled single "C.L.I.J.S.T.E.R.S.", as well as many other bizarrely named pieces like "Going To Heaven To See The Househunters & Fat Truckers If It Rains", "Dub Rotten Fan Club", and "Bankrupt Black Book".
[edit] Current situation
In February 2005 (by this time, Yukari had gone back to being Fresh), the remix album Me was released. It featured songs from all of her albums, remixed by an international crowd of admired artists.
Yukari has kept busy over the years, recording with other artists (i.e. Fantastic Plastic Machine and Mansfield), DJing various parties, and hosting her own radio show, Radio Active Man.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Singles
- 07/99 "Lost & Found"
- ??/03 "Horsey Marie"
[edit] Albums
- 10/97 Yukari's Perfect!
- ??/98 Cook Some Dishes
- 02/99 New Year's Fresh
- 01/00 Cityrama
- 11/01 Erik
- 02/03 Trefoils Hat
- 05/04 Not Dead (Yukari Rotten)
- 02/05 ME
