Primer

Primer is a music podcast about translation and illumination. Host Christian Dueñas is joined by a different co-host each season to explore a genre of music from outside the English-speaking world. In its debut season, music writer Yosuke Kitazawa (PBS SoCal, Light in the Attic) joins Christian and special guests to explore Japanese City Pop. They celebrate the lives of its artists, explore the cultural and historical context of the songs, and reflect on the impact that music had on listeners everywhere - including personally, as fans. Primer invites both newcomers and crate diggers alike to find their next favorite album and learn more about the music they already love.

On November 5th, 1979, Miki Matsubara's debut pop single "Mayonaka no Door/ Stay with Me" was released in her home country of Japan. It was a huge hit and remained her biggest and most beloved work throughout her entire career. Over 40 years after its original release, it soared in popularity once again when a whole new international audience discovered the song through TikTok. Its catchy hook and incredible vocals still resonate with listeners today and has become a staple in the City Pop genre. If you've heard one City Pop song, it's probably Stay with Me.On our inaugural episode of Primer, radio/tv presenter  Linda Marigliano joins us to discuss City Pop icon, Miki Matsubara and her debut record, Pocket Park.  We get into the unexpected renewed interest in Mayonaka no Door, the story behind Miki's sudden departure from the music scene, and Linda's personal connection and discovery of City Pop.Check out our Spotify playlist for this episode! We also have the playlist on YouTube.If you enjoy Primer please support the show and get some cool gifts too! Follow Linda: Instagram | Twitter | Tough Love | Love LanguageFollow Primer: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok 

Singer and actress Yasuko Agawa released the album Gravy in 1987. It was a bit of a departure from her smooth jazz, bossa nova roots, but she created an unforgettable record with the help of arranger Augie Johnson. It may have flown under the radar when it was first released in Japan, but the single "LA Night" has quietly become a soulful funky staple for many DJs all over the world. It's been sampled countless times and is now arguably Yasuko's biggest hit outside of Japan.Singer-songwriter Devendra Banhart joins us this week to talk about how Gravy and "LA Night" in particular sells a beautiful fantasy of Los Angeles, Augie Johnson's work with Yasuko Agawa, and how City Pop affects his own work. Plus, we get on the phone to talk with singer Miki Howard about her work on Gravy and it's recent resurgence in popularity.Check out our Spotify playlist for this episode! We also have the playlist on YouTube.If you like the show, please support and get some cool gifts! Follow Devendra: Instagram | Twitter  | Flying WigFollow Miki Howard: Instagram | MEHAFollow Primer: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

Singer-songwriter Taeko Onuki released the landmark album SUNSHOWER in 1977. Taeko and this album where maybe a little ahead of their time. This jazz fusion pop record sold pretty poorly when it first came out and audiences weren't too keen on this new, strange music. As time has gone on, it received a much more positive reception and has gone on to be reissued a few times and is now seen as a progenitor of the City Pop sound. Music writer Patrick St. Michel joins us to talk about his experience interviewing Taeko Onuki, the incredible personnel on this incredible album, and how ahead of the game SUNSHOWER really was. Check out our Spotify playlist for this episode! We also have the playlist on YouTubeIf you enjoy Primer please support the show and get some cool gifts too!Follow Patrick: Twitter  | SubstackFollow Primer: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

In 1982, Hiroshi Sato released the album Awakening; a synth-heavy, mostly solo record featuring Canadian-born singer Wendy Matthews. He had a few solo records out by then, but they didn't really pay the bills. He was a working studio musician, laying down piano/keyboard tracks for other artists. He got by, but there was something missing. Thanks partly to the introduction of the LinnDrum, the first commercially available drum machine, he found inspiration to cut another record. And what a legendary record it is. Producer and musician Dam-Funk joins us to talk about the magic of the LinnDrum, what he considers his personal "Awakening" album, and Wendy Matthews' contribution to the record.Check out our Spotify playlist for this episode! We also have the playlist on YouTubeIf you enjoy Primer please support the show and get some cool gifts too!Follow Dam: Instagram  | GlydezoneFollow Primer: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

Seiko Matsuda, Japan's "Eternal Idol", started her career way back in 1980 with her debut record  Squall. The albums and accompanying singles saw massive success, selling hundreds of thousands of copies within a week of release and it's easy to see why. Squall perfectly encapsulated the summery, bouncy, fun side of city pop.   Singer-songwriter UMI joins us to talk about Matsuda's prolific career, how city pop influences UMI's work, and the joys of karaoke.  Check out our Spotify playlist for this episode! We also have the playlist on YouTubeIf you enjoy Primer please support the show and get some cool gifts too!Follow UMI: Instagram  | WebsiteFollow Primer: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

New Romantic: A subculture movement that originated in the UK in the 1970s and early 80s that focused on a  more androgynous and glamorous style. Artists and bands like Boy George and Roxy Music popularized the look and feel of the New Romantic style.Neuromantic: Yukihiro Takahashi's 1981 solo album. A pun on New Romantic and a reference to Takahashi's own neurosis. Neuromantic may have all three members of Yellow Magic Orchestra, but this was Takahashi's chance to showcase his incredible musicianship. He collaborated with Andy McKay and Phil Manzera of the aforementioned Roxy Music to create a masterpiece that wasn't afraid to challenge the listener with its futuristic cyberpunk-esque sound.DJ/Curator/Producer Mark "Frosty" McNeill joins us to talk about the European influence in Neuromantic, the process of creating the Pacific Breeze compilations, and how the boom of city pop has affected record labels and artists today.Check out our Spotify playlist for this episode! We also have the playlist on YouTubeIf you enjoy Primer please support the show and get some cool gifts too!Follow Frosty: Instagram  | DublabFollow Primer: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

We're doing a feed swap today! We would like to introduce you to Lost Notes from KCRW. A music documentary podcast that we feel is in conversation with Primer. This episode focuses on Fela Kuti's time in LA and the creation of his legendary Afrobeat sound. If you like the show, subscribe and tell em Primer sent you!  Find more info on KCRW

We're covering a banger of an album today, folks. Timely!! is the sixth studio album from singer Anri and has a couple of her signature songs, Cat's Eye and I Can't Stop the Loneliness. Cat's Eye was the opening for the 1983 anime of the same name and would go on to become one of the highest selling singles of the year. The album soared up the albums charts and was reissued in 2008. This version had remastered versions of every track, but also included Remember Summer Days, which at that point had only been available as a B-side to the single I Can't Stop the Loneliness. The remaster is the version most widely available now and Remember Summer Days has gone on to become a city pop classic. Oscar Montoya, actor and host of the MaxFun podcast Eurovangelists, joins us to talk about the anime-to-city-pop pipeline, Anri's chances in Eurovision, and that iconic artwork for Timely!! Check out our Spotify playlist for this episode! We also have the playlist on YouTubeIf you enjoy Primer please support the show and get some cool gifts too!Follow Oscar: Instagram  | EurovangelistsFollow Primer: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

In the late 1970s a young Tatsuro Yamashita was making a name for himself as a prolific session musician and songwriter. He launched his solo career, but didn't see big commercial success at first. Yamashita took a trip down to the US and learned some tips from Western producers and began building up his solo work back when he returned to Japan. This would include some of his most iconic songs, like Ride on Time and Loveland Island, both of which are included in this Greatest Hits comp we're talking about today.Dr. Jayson Chun, Japanese and Korean pop culture professor, sits down with us to talk about why city pop resonates with Western listeners, CM songs, and Tatsuro's work with Charles Calello.Check out our Spotify playlist of as many songs as we can find on there! We also have the playlist on YouTubeIf you enjoy Primer please support the show and get some cool gifts too!Follow Jayson: Pop PacificFollow Primer: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

Tome Kitagawa, accomplished percussionist and session musician, created an alter ego for only one album, Yuwaku. Alter ego Tome Asagami was sensual, poppy, and loved hot sake. Although Yuwaku never really garnered much critical or commercial success, the single Hot Sake made it into DJ crates all around the world. But there is so much more to Yuwaku than just the single.Writer and comedian Wyatt Cenac sits down with us to talk about the art of sampling, music transporting us to different places, and the variety of influences on this record.Check out our Spotify playlist of as many songs as we can find on there! We also have the playlist on YouTubeIf you enjoy Primer please support the show and help us reach our goal of creating a season 2!Follow Wyatt: Website | InstagramFollow Primer: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

A few songs from Pacific, the album we're discussing today, have made it onto city pop playlists and algorithms on all types of streaming services. It might sound a little loungier, a little  jazzier than what you might expect from a city pop album, but the names in the credits should be familiar to any city pop fan. Haruomi Hosono, Shigeru Suzuki, and Tatsuro Yamashita are responsible for this record and it would go on to influence the sound of city pop and genre beyond for years to come.We sit down with indie-pop duo Pearl & the Oysters to talk about the plentiful homages and quotes on this album, the influence of this record on their sound, and the incredible musicianship on display.Check out our Spotify playlist of as many songs as we can find on there! We also have the playlist on YouTubeIf you enjoy Primer please support the show and help us reach our goal so we can produce a second season! Follow Pearl & The Oysters:  Instagram | BandcampFollow Primer: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

A special announcement from Christian Dueñas!  If you enjoy Primer please support the show and help us reach our goal so we can produce a second season!Follow Primer: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok