A lot of what came out this year struck me as mediocre, but one album that shocked me was Fra-Foa's first major album Chuu no Fuchi. It's a dense and difficult album because much of it is built from the same progressions, but like the headlights of a car as it approaches you and passes you by, while you're caught in its beams you're utterly fascinated by it. The mix on the record is also somewhat shocking... in the over produced world of Japanese music Fra Foa brings back the feeling of garage band production. The sound is so raw, the emotions so intense, and the voice of Murakami Chisako is at once both angelic and demonic. There's no salvation on this record but you won't give a shit, you'll be too busy rocking out.

My choice for runner-up was difficult but in the end this record got more plays than any other. My My My What a record. Mai Rabaa as they are affectionately known in Japan are the very antithesis of Fra Foa. The Song writer and lyricist Kobayashi Takeshi is one of the 'it' producers in Japan. He's the producing brains behind hit bands Mr Children and Southern All Stars. His slick producing always adds a distinctive flavor to his works, but until now My Little Lover his pet project with his wife Akko, hasn't been able to repeat the perfect pop balance of their debut Evergeen. Until now. Topics is pop, but with an artistic sensiblity. Underneath the awesome hooks and the flash it slowly but surely seeps into you. The contemporary references and the immediacy of the album also seem to break a taboo in jpop that everything takes place in a fictional manga world only designed to look like our own with none of the details. A vast array of styles and types of songs make up the albums tracks, but everything still maintains the My Lover feel. Their best album to date, and one of the year's best.

In the year that we lost Cocco she gave us one of her most memorable singles, and sadly it got little fanfare outside her circle of fans. Its unique combination of twangy guitars and drum and bass give it a kind of overwhelming power. The lyrics, heartwrenching but ironic, are some of her finest. Cocco will be missed but she gave us an unforgettable single this year.

Maybe it was that silly dance, maybe it was the hook but this song had me from day one. I am choosing it because whenever I was writing songs this summer Gotoh Maki entered my head with her tune and the wash/fade-in portion of this song erased whatever grand ideas I was dreaming of. Because of Tsunku and Gotoh, I lost countless ideas to this incessant pop tune. I love the way it leads into the chorus. Baka yaro-oh *magic twinkling sounds* Best chorus I heard all year.

Hmmm... It's a close one between Cocco leaving the music scene and the album Hyper Groove 1 by Folder 5... which I was foolish enough to purchase new based on the strength of their summer single "Final Fun Boy". Cocco leaving was a huge let down for me... but the sly way she worked the goodbye into her album Sangurose and the single FuukaFuusou made it easier to take. I just felt bad for wasting my money on such crummy Euro-trash shite with Folder 5. I was also incredibly let down by the lack of rock albums, and by overall suckiness of Vlidge and Scoop on Somebody...Japanese R&B's second stage acts. Did I mention how terrible I feel for me having to listen to the Gospellers. Give em props for being around ten years but curse the heavens for letting them hit success this year.

Love Psychedlico came out of nowhere with their debut alum which they called The Greatest Hits depsite it not being a Best album. That earned my respect. I think their being around makes the scene a bit more interesting. Songs like "Last Smile" and "Free World" may not be the smoothest songs around but the weird way the vocalist KUM annunciates her Japanese makes for a welcome change to the soundscape of shopping plazas all over Japan. Hard to believe this came out in January of last year ain't it?

As Aya, well it seems Tsunku is finally going ahead with his plan to make a Matsuda Seiko caliber idol for the new millenium... and you just know he's been planning this since he was in high school. Everything about Aya screams IDOL, her debut songs though cutesy and adolescent have given way to singles that reach a much wider audience. Tsunku won over the Hello Project fans, with the image of Aya merrilly tromping around on stage in ridiculous sneakers to her debut song "Doki Doki Love Mail" and he's scored hits with the core audience of Japanese teens with his latest singles "Love Namida Iro" and "Hyakkai no Kiss". The fact is the idol scene is much more interesting with Aya in it, and I look forward to seeing where she goes from here.