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Steven Smith

@durianmilkshake.bsky.social

58 followers 26 following 1.7K posts

I write a weekly newsletter on the latest Japanese "City Music" with an accompanying playlist. It is free! 🚫No AI is used!🚫 Newsletter: https://neocitypop.substack.com/ Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1ojdY5RKVdES4RcvGFB6fJ?si=f7cda9e7015b4c

neocitypop.substack.com

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Steven Smith @durianmilkshake.bsky.social · Dec 12

A Starter's Guide to Neo City Pop

The format of this graphic is inspired by (stolen from) @earfeeder.bsky.social. I posted this on Twitter a year ago, but it looked like they weren’t using Twitter by that point so there’s a good chance they didn’t see it.

A disjointed ‘flowchart’ of album covers suspiciously similar to those created by the ear feeder folks. There are small notes explaining some connections between the different albums.

A Beginner’s Guide To NEO CITY POP
Origins:
Dorian - Melodies Memories
Traditional City Pop Course:
Hitomi Toi - Surfbank Social Club
FNCY - FNCY
MIME - YIN YANG
maco marets- Waterslide III
Kan Sano - Ghost Notes
Dance Pop Course:
iri - Groove It
SIRUP - FEEL GOOD
TENDRE - Not In Almighty
Shin Sakiura - Note
Rock and Disco Course:
Suchmos - THE BAY
LUCKY TAPES - THE SHOW
Nulbarich - GUESS WHO?
Vaundy - STROBO
Jazz Course:
Melraw - PILGRIM
SUKISHA + Kiki Vivi Lily - Over The Rainbow
ASOBOiSM - OOTD
TAMTAM - We Are The Sun!
Punipunidenki - Sogyo

Steven Smith @durianmilkshake.bsky.social · 10h

open.spotify.com/track/7BHlIJ...

Spotify – Web Player

open.spotify.com

Steven Smith @durianmilkshake.bsky.social · 10h

For an indie artist with almost no promotion, just hype from local DJs, my girl really got herself a following 🥲
open.spotify.com/track/1XWnVa...

Swim

open.spotify.com

Steven Smith @durianmilkshake.bsky.social · 13h

open.spotify.com/track/40C7HF...

高架橋

open.spotify.com

Steven Smith @durianmilkshake.bsky.social · 15h

Kimono R&B? 😑 keep digging that hole geniuses

Spotify playlist thumbnail says “kimono R&B” and has a Japanese-y motif with cherry trees and someone with a parasol and kimono facing away

Steven Smith @durianmilkshake.bsky.social · 16h

Four suspects:
Arsène Lupin
Arsène Lupin
Arsène Lupin
Arsène Lupin (with mustache)

NBC News @nbcnews.com · 18h

In the space of just seven minutes in the casual daylight of Sunday morning, four suspects stole nine pieces of France’s crown jewels from the Louvre.
nbcnews.to/47xHSXb

Steven Smith @durianmilkshake.bsky.social · 18h

Brown Sugar.

They are all 10/10 so splitting hairs is kind of pointless, but Brown Sugar is one of only 4 albums I have downloaded on my phone. It is with me at all times.

Albumism @albumism.com · 19h

The late great D'Angelo released just three studio albums during his 30+ year recording career, but each one had a profound impact on the musical landscape at the respective time of its release.

Which of his three albums resonates with you the most?

album.ink/dangelo

Steven Smith @durianmilkshake.bsky.social · 20h

Aww man, just saw something about Taylor Swift using AI for her videos! Someone get motherfucko* on the phone!

*Japanese videographer who made SIRUP famous with a music video using rotoscoping

Steven Smith @durianmilkshake.bsky.social · 20h

All pleasantly surprised they picked this one to do a video - it has the highest streaming numbers on Spotify, but it’s pretty clear it was not supposed to be the ”hit”.

A lot of videos are made way before the fact, but I feel like this one got picked because of the response to the song.

Steven Smith @durianmilkshake.bsky.social · 20h

They are releasing Seiko Matsuda classics on four separate vinyls, split up based on PRODUCER. Has anything been done like that before?

Also it’s interesting that she has the traditional “city pop haircut” on 3 of the covers and then then a very 90s cut on the Hosono one lol

Steven Smith @durianmilkshake.bsky.social · 21h

Hoping this EP gets a vinyl release (though wouldn’t mind if they waited until after bozo is taken care of and the tariffs are sorted out).

I also like a good rotoscoped MV. If every video did this it’d be overkill, but it‘s so much nicer than some of the “AI enhanced“ videos
youtu.be/KZ_bRorlE1I

주혜린 - 놀러 와 (909 jam) Official Video

YouTube video by 주혜린 Hyelyn Joo

youtu.be

Steven Smith @durianmilkshake.bsky.social · 1d

I wasn't looking at my phone for a while and then checked it to find a text from my friend: "Quick question, was Utada Hikaru already popular when Kingdom Hearts came out?" Hopefully he wasn't on a gameshow because I responded two hours later lol

Steven Smith @durianmilkshake.bsky.social · 1d

Because finally after a year, these Gen-AI playlists finally have comments like "how is this AI thing getting 200K hits and I can't get any", though they are mostly drowned out by tons of bots replying either "how do you know it's AI?!?" or "chill out bro [generic affirmation]". Is this a problem?

Steven Smith @durianmilkshake.bsky.social · 1d

How does the AI music thing end?

Is there an analysis like "OK so artists who were getting paid 37 cents are now getting 36 cents because of the pro rata payments, so who cares the system is just slightly more broken" or are there waves of artists (besides ambient music) actually not getting paid?

Reposted by Steven Smith

Albumism @albumism.com · 2d

MF DOOM released his debut album ‘Operation: Doomsday’ 26 years ago on October 19, 1999 | Listen to the album + revisit our tribute here: album.ink/MFDOOMopdoom

4 13

Reposted by Steven Smith

Albumism @albumism.com · 1d

Meshell Ndegeocello released her debut album ‘Plantation Lullabies’ 32 years ago on October 19, 1993 | Listen to the album + revisit our tribute here: album.ink/MNdegeocelloPL

8 24

Steven Smith @durianmilkshake.bsky.social · 2d

Nah I don’t mess with TV, but I heard from a very good source - one of only two I trust - that this was a very good album… I will be checking it out…

Albumism @albumism.com · 2d

'Saturday Night Live' welcomes Sabrina Carpenter as the host & musical guest later this evening. Are you planning to watch?

Listen to her new album 'Man's Best Friend' here: album.ink/SCarpenterMBF

Reposted by Steven Smith

Albumism @albumism.com · 2d

O.C. released his debut album ‘Word...Life’ 31 years ago on October 18, 1994

album.ink/OCWordLife

Rediscover O.C.’s Debut Album ‘Word…Life’ (1994) | Tribute

With his debut LP, O.C. emerged as a singular talent and began a career that continues to produce quality work, despite the household name status he deserves continuing to elude him.

album.ink

1 1

Steven Smith @durianmilkshake.bsky.social · 2d

The new Punipunidenki best-of album will be on sale on Bandcamp, both CD and digital! Really hoping for a vinyl but…
open.substack.com/pub/punipuni...

ぷにぷに通信 / Punipunidenki Newsletter #4

open.substack.com

Steven Smith @durianmilkshake.bsky.social · 2d

Check the playlist below, with new songs from blend house, CRCK/LCKS, Unvivid, Quw, E.scene, Show Chick Boy, YAMORI, Kazuki Isogai + GORO KUMAI, CHAPAH, and MALIYA:
open.spotify.com/playlist/1oj...

Spotify – Web Player

open.spotify.com

Steven Smith @durianmilkshake.bsky.social · 2d

It's difficult to celebrate any music this week, but I carried on with the playlist as usual. Read about new Japanese R&B and indie here. I also put in YouTube links to the songs where available so you don't need to go to Spotify to listen:
open.substack.com/pub/neocityp...