After the 2012 domestic release of How to Live with a Phantom, former Yura Yura Teikoku frontman Shintaro Sakamoto is following up his stellar solo debut with some soundtrack work. Over in his native Japan, Sakamoto recently released his musical contributions to the new Japanese TV comedy Mahoro Ekimae Bagaichi as a mini-release called Don't Know What's Normal.
The record's title track serves as the closing theme to Mahoro Ekimae Bagaichi, which Sakamoto also scores, and the EP includes two extra tracks: "From the Dead" and "World Without Sadness." The record sticks close to Phantom's tropically inclined soft-focus-rock feel — something that's a good thing — and you can get a taste via a skeleton-equipped video for "From the Dead" below.
Out now via Zelone Records, Don't Know What's Normal comes in three different versions. In Japan, you can get the aforementioned three tracks on a single-CD release, but if you're wise, you'll hunt down the limited-edition version, which comes with Sakamoto's entire full-length score for Mahoro Ekimae Bagaichi on a second bonus disc.
Unfortunately, those are import-only at this point. The only version available here in North America is the 7-inch, which you can pick up at Other Music Recording Co., and it only includes "Don't Know What's Normal" and "From the Dead."
You can see the artwork, done by Sakamoto himself, for the double-CD version above, and check out that video below.
The record's title track serves as the closing theme to Mahoro Ekimae Bagaichi, which Sakamoto also scores, and the EP includes two extra tracks: "From the Dead" and "World Without Sadness." The record sticks close to Phantom's tropically inclined soft-focus-rock feel — something that's a good thing — and you can get a taste via a skeleton-equipped video for "From the Dead" below.
Out now via Zelone Records, Don't Know What's Normal comes in three different versions. In Japan, you can get the aforementioned three tracks on a single-CD release, but if you're wise, you'll hunt down the limited-edition version, which comes with Sakamoto's entire full-length score for Mahoro Ekimae Bagaichi on a second bonus disc.
Unfortunately, those are import-only at this point. The only version available here in North America is the 7-inch, which you can pick up at Other Music Recording Co., and it only includes "Don't Know What's Normal" and "From the Dead."
You can see the artwork, done by Sakamoto himself, for the double-CD version above, and check out that video below.
