Description
国内外から再評価熱が高まっている1980年代の日本を代表するファンク・シンガー、当山ひとみの名曲が厳選された初の海外ベスト盤。
1980年代の日本ファンクシーンを彩ったシンガー、当山ひとみの楽曲を初めて海外向けにまとめられたコンピレーションアルバム。英国国営放送BBCラジオのDJやプロデューサーとして活動するNick
Luscombeによる監修のもと、"Sexy
Robot"などの代表曲から隠れた名曲までを収録。全曲リマスター音源＋ライナーノーツ付きで、当時の東京の夜を音で感じられる一枚になっています。日本のディスコ/ブギー再評価の流れにおいて、見逃すことのできない決定盤!
■収録曲目:
SIDE A
1. Love is The Competition
2. Brand-New Day
3. SFO-Oakland
4. Wanna Kiss
5. Instant Polaroid
SIDE B
1. Sexy Robot
2. Call Me
3. Teardrops Romance
4. Exotic Yokogao
5. I Love You Shika Omoitsukanai
A VIBRANT SELECTION OF 80'S FUNK AND BOOGIE FROM THE ORIGINAL JAPANESE FUNK DIVA HITOMI 'PENNY' TOHYAMA HANDPICKED BY NICK LUSCOMBE
Wewantsounds is delighted to announce the release of Tokyo Funk Diva, a compilation highlighting the work of Hitomi “Penny” Tohyama, one of Japan’s leading funk voices of the 1980s. Blending funk, boogie and soulful grooves, Penny brought a distinctive energy to Japan’s music scene during the decade. Compiled by Nick Luscombe—who previously curated Tokyo Dreaming for the label—the set marks the first time Hitomi’s music has been compiled outside of Japan. Featuring newly remastered tracks and liner notes by Luscombe, the release offers fresh context to Penny’s work and its role in the evolution of Japanese funk and groove culture.
Hitomi “Penny” Tohyama was one of the few female singers to fully embrace Japan’s burgeoning funk and boogie movement of the 1980s. Born in Okinawa in 1957 and raised partly in California, she developed a cosmopolitan outlook that would shape her music. At a time when the country’s pop scene was shifting toward slick, funk-oriented productions, Penny crafted a distinctive style that fused boogie, disco, and funk with her confident, soulful delivery. Her albums for Nippon Columbia recorded in the 80s capture this vibrant moment, combining sophisticated studio craft with the pulse of Tokyo’s nightlife.
The selection includes cult classics such as “Sexy Robot,” “Love is the Competition,” and “Instant Polaroid,” with lesser-known gems such as “Exotic Yokogao” and “I Love You Shika Omoitsukanai”. Together they showcase the singer's versatility, moving effortlessly between syncopated upbeat floorfillers and chilled mid-tempo grooves. While her music earned recognition at home, these releases were never widely available outside Japan and slowly became prized finds among DJs and collectors.
Tokyo Funk Diva presents highlights from this catalogue for the first time in an international release. Compiled by broadcaster and tastemaker Nick Luscombe, the selection has been newly remastered and comes with Luscombe’s liner notes, retracing Penny’s career and her role in the evolution of Japanese boogie and disco. As he writes in the liner notes, “It’s this deep musical craftsmanship—both in the songwriting and performances—that gives Penny Tohyama’s work its lasting power. Her music feels as fresh and relevant today as it did when it was first released.”
With its mix of sharp production, irresistible rhythms, and Penny’s unmistakable presence, Tokyo Funk Diva serves both as a long overdue introduction to one of Japan’s original funk queens.
