If you’re surprised to learn that Japanese musicians can play funk, that may say more about one’s own biases than about the music itself. After all, Japan developed its own genre in the 1970s – City Pop – in which funk played a central role. Limited international distribution at the time likely explains why many of these Japanese recordings are only now reaching wider audiences. One such case is the music of Hitomi »Penny« Tohyama, now available outside Japan for the first time on the compilation Tokyo Funk Diva 1981–88.
The very first track takes the listener hostage with a resolute boogie beat and a vocoder intro – and doesn’t let go again for the duration of the ten songs that follow. Whether it’s the thickly creaking bassline of »Brand New Day«, the finely polished horn section of »SFO, Oakland«, or the elegantly funky, syncopated chorus of »Sexy Robot«, the momentum never drops. The lyrics switch fluidly between Japanese and English, while the sounds occasionally mirror well-known American templates. The bassline of »Wanna Kiss«, for instance, makes little effort to conceal its debt to Chic’s »Good Times«. Which hardly matters: the groove is right, and Tohyama’s clear, confident vocals fit the taut arrangements perfectly – especially when she sings in Japanese.
