Weekly: In Japan ...

It's been a while since I've posted a Weekly, so here goes a new one! Here are a few things that I am listening to in Japan. That is, these groups have recently released something in Japan or are being pushed in Japan or are themselves Japanese.
Au Revoir Simone is a girl pop trio from NYC, actually, but they just released a pretty cutesy EP through the Rallye Label in Tokyo. The neat thing about this EP is that it features a remix of "Hurricanes" by Masashi Naka ... some guy from Escalator Records (my favorite! Woo!) ... anyway, listen to the remix (which I think is better than the original) right here
Majessic Dreams is a sweet, mopey dream pop band from Sweden. I like them for several reasons. (1) Their self-titled album is gorgeously packaged, yet [seemingly] cheaply produced ... opening it is like unfolding an origami swan or something. And the art is simple, yet bold, and works well with the music. (2) The music is very much to my liking because most of the group's song are short, yet not abrupt by any means. The group takes its sound from many sources, but maintains an intimate, bedroom-pop consistency throughout. Never too ambitious, and never too shy, Majessic Dreams is one of my current favorites. Listen to Out There, a song that leaves me wanting oh so much more.
My last mention for now is Handsomeboy Technique, the Japanese equivalent of the Go! Team. More dance-y, yes, but with a similar goal of pumping you up with 80s-nostalgia warm melodies, sing/shout vocals, hand claps, and heroic synth lines. I'm sorry you guys ... uploading that Au Revoir Simone file tired my computer out, so I will skip uploading something by Handsomeboy Technique ... check them out at their record label homepage ... Second Royal ...