Sugar Soul

Sugar Soul
Origin Japan
Years active 1997–2001
Labels Flava Records (1997)
Warner Music Japan (1998—2001)
Associated acts Hirofumi Asamoto, Dragon Ash, Shinichi Osawa, Zeebra
Website www.wmg.jp/artist/sugarsoul
Past members Aiko, DJ Hasebe, Kawabe

Sugar Soul (シュガー・ソウル Shugā So'uru) was a Japanese three member soul and rhythm and blues group who debuted in 1997. The members featured DJ Hasebe (programming), Aiko Machida (vocals) and Kawabe (composer).[1] The band achieved success with the single "Garden" in 1999, which featured Kenji Furuya of Dragon Ash. The band was seen as one of the prominent new R&B-style musicians in Japan in the late 1990s.[2]

In 2001, the band went on a permanent hiatus after the release of the single "Soulmate." Vocalist Aiko went on to become the vocalist of drum and bass band Kam in 2010.[3]

Kumi Koda covered the Sugar Soul song "Ima Sugu Hoshii" in 2006, and in 2009 May J. covered "Garden."

Discography

Original albums

Year Album Information Oricon
Albums
Charts
[4]		 Reported
sales
[5]
1999 On
  • Released: February 24, 1999
  • Label: Warner (WPC6-10006)
  • Formats: CD, rental CD
 10 139,000
2000 Uzu (うず, "Swirl")
  • Released: May 24, 2000
  • Label: Warner (WPC6-10083)
  • Formats: CD, rental CD
 3 340,000

Other albums

Year Album Information Oricon
Albums
Charts
[4]		 Reported
sales
[5]
2001 Sugar Soul Live: Balance
  • Live album
  • Released: January 24, 2001
  • Label: Warner (WPC6-10117/8)
  • Formats: 2CD, rental CD
 12 44,000
2002 Soul Jam
  • Remix album
  • Released: May 22, 2002
  • Label: Warner (WPC6-10117/8)
  • Formats: CD, rental CD
 97 3,000
Soul Mix
  • Remix album
  • Released: October 23, 2002
  • Label: Warner (WPC6-10220)
  • Formats: CD, rental CD
 — —
2003 Sugar Soul
  • Greatest hits album
  • Released: October 29, 2003
  • Label: Warner (WPCL-10016)
  • Formats: CD, CD+DVD, rental CD
 20 24,000

Singles

Release Title Notes Oricon
singles
charts
[4]		 Oricon
sales
[5]		 Album
1997 "Those Days" Re-released in 1999, sales pertain to re-release 34 30,000 —
1998 "Kanashimi no Hana ni" (悲しみの花に, "To a Flower of Sadness") Debut single under Warner 75 11,000 On
"Sauce" Produced by Shinichi Osawa 51 33,000
1999 "Namibia" (ナミビア) Produced by Hirofumi Asamoto 50 13,000
"Garden" feat. Kenji 2 923,000 Uzu
"Siva 1999" feat. Zeebra 10 152,000
2000 "Respectyourself" 15 76,000
"Ii yo" (いいよ, "It's Good") 79 2,600
2001 "Soulmate" Final release as a band 46 7,000 —

References

  1. ↑ "Sugar Soul". 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
  2. ↑ Condry, Ian. Hip Hop Japan: Rap and the Paths of Cultural Globalization. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2006
  3. ↑ "Sugar Soulが10年ぶりに復活". RBB TODAY. 2010-06-22. Retrieved 2011-02-09.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "アーティスト： Sugar Soul". Oricon. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」". Oricon. Retrieved June 6, 2011. (subscription only)

External links