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Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra Celebrate 'Remote Era' Internet Culture with Mind-blowing Hakushi Hasegawa Collaboration, Alongside Track Featuring Moral Distraída

TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA released new album ‘SKA=ALMIGHTY’ on March 3, their first studio album since November 2019's ‘Tsugihagi Colorful’.

Download/ streaming:
https://tokyoska.lnk.to/SKA_ALMIGHTY_AL

The album includes 'Ribbon feat. Moral Distraída', a globally minded collaboration with Chilean band Moral Distraída, whom the members of TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA met by chance when they performed at Lollapalooza Chile in 2019. The song is a new version of 'Ribbon feat. Kazutoshi Sakurai', which the Tokyo band had previously released in 2019 to commemorate their 30th anniversary; Moral Distraída reinterpreted an instrumental version of the song and added new lyrics sung in Spanish.

Also on March 3, TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA released a brand new music video for 'miss you。゚(゚´ω'゚)゚。 feat. Hakushi Hasegawa', a collaboration with breakthrough young prodigy artist Hakushi Hasegawa that features on the new album.

TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA 'miss you。゚(゚´ω'゚)゚。 feat. Hakushi Hasegawa' music video:

https://youtu.be/zu8zjZ4xxvk

TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA have worked with many artists over the years, but this is their most diverse collaboration so far –in fact, you could call it an evolution. The band came across Hasegawa about two years ago, when trumpet player NARGO heard the intro to one of the young artist's songs on his car radio and, amazed by what he was hearing, immediately pulled over to check who it was. On hearing the song, NARGO felt as though “a door to a new kind of music has opened!” He quickly messaged the other members of TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA over LINE to tell them to check out this amazing new artist.

The music for ‘miss you。゚(゚´ω'゚)゚。’ was initially written by bassist Tsuyoshi Kawakami, with lyrics cowritten by baritone sax player Atsushi Yanaka, and the track features vocals by Hasegawa and drummer Kin-ichi Motegi. Kawakami's version of the song was deconstructed and rebuilt by Hasegawa, who added lyrics, new melodies and more.

Meanwhile, the video is a fusion of animation and live performance that breaks the conventional conception of TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA. The music video is a collaboration, too: It was directed by Hidenobu Tanabe, who is familiar to TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA fans for the videos to 'ALMIGHTY – The Masked Promise feat. Yoohei Kawakami', 'Good Morning – Blue Daisy feat. aiko' and 'Ribbon feat. Kazutoshi Sakurai', while the animation was created by Shu Yonezawa, a regular illustrator on Hasegawa's work.

The video references the current situation where many of us are forced to connect remotely, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It begins with a laptop being started up; in one desktop window after another, the members of TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA play separately but together, giving dynamic individual performances, while Hasegawa appears in animated form, like an apostle who connects the virtual and the real. It is a must-see video that symbolizes the remote era, while presenting all 10 performers in the same virtual space – a sight that is becoming increasingly common in these unusual times.

Just as NARGO felt when he first heard Hasegawa's music, the sound and visuals of ‘miss you。゚(゚´ω'゚)゚。’ will make you feel as though “a door to a new kind of music has opened”. Check it out and see for yourself!

Comment from Atsushi Yanaka (TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA)

“It was a real pleasure to see Hakushi Hasegawa take the song written by our bassist Tsuyoshi Kawakami and build upon it, add new melodies and arrangements, write lyrics and sing them. For me, while cowriting the lyrics and communicating over email, I became a burning spirit. 。゚(゚´ω'゚)゚。 I'm so happy to have the chance to work together with such a rare talent, and I want as many people as possible to hear it. In the video, the members of TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA were sucked into Hakushi's world – I hope you will take a look!”

Comment from Hakushi Hasegawa

“This song has an unbelievable amount of light and chaos. 'When distance and time converge, even when you feel lost, to be confident we will meet.' Together we were able to find the perfect expressions, and make everything many times greater, which impressed me deeply. ‘A burning spirit’! Wow! Thank you so much! 。゚(゚´ω'゚)゚。”

TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA 'miss you。゚(゚´ω'゚)゚。 feat. Hakushi Hasegawa' music video

https://youtu.be/zu8zjZ4xxvk

TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA 'ALMIGHTY – The Masked Promise feat. Yoohei Kawakami (Special Edit)' music video

https://youtu.be/uk3ihzv9g20

TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA 'Multiple Exposure feat. Yoohei Kawakami' music video

https://youtu.be/KMpOmg_cKCM

Release information

Artist: TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA

Album title: ‘SKA=ALMIGHTY’

Release date: March 3, 2021

Download/ streaming:
https://tokyoska.lnk.to/SKA_ALMIGHTY_AL

Tracklist

01. Salvation Ska

02. 9

03. Great Conjunction 2020

04. ALMIGHTY – The Masked Promise feat. Yoohei Kawakami

05. JUMON feat. Aina The End (BiSH)

06. miss you。゚(゚´ω'゚)゚。 feat. Hakushi Hasegawa

07. Together Again

08. Kamen Rider Saber

09. This Is My Life

10. Multiple Exposure feat. Yoohei Kawakami

11. A Touch Of Spring

12. Standing Dominoes

13. (Everybody is a) SUPERSTAR

14. Ribbon feat. Moral Distraída

TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA official website
https://www.tokyoska.net/

TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA TikTok
https://vt.TikTok.com/ZSsEhUBa/

TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA Twitter
https://twitter.com/tokyoskaj/

TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/tokyoska_official/

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