Album lore

Naoya Matsuoka’s ハートカクテル VOL.1, originally issued in 1986 on WM Japan, stands as a refined specimen of mid-80s jazz fusion and city pop. The 2017 remaster foregrounds Matsuoka’s deft guitar work and the album’s polished arrangements, which weave through thirteen tracks of jazz funk-inflected grooves and urbane melodies. Recorded during a period when Tokyo’s music scene was fertile ground for genre-blending, this record reflects the era’s slick production values and sophisticated compositional style.Tracks like 彼女の名前 exemplify Matsuoka’s command over both subtle nuance and rhythmic vitality, inviting repeated listening without resorting to ostentation. The album’s enduring appeal is evidenced by a steady audience, with over 17,000 listeners and 77,000 scrobbles on Last.fm, marking it as a quietly influential artifact within the broader lineage of Japanese jazz fusion and city pop.

Album lore

Naoya Matsuoka’s ハートカクテル VOL.1, originally issued in 1986 on WM Japan, stands as a refined specimen of mid-80s jazz fusion and city pop. The 2017 remaster foregrounds Matsuoka’s deft guitar work and the album’s polished arrangements, which weave through thirteen tracks of jazz funk-inflected grooves and urbane melodies. Recorded during a period when Tokyo’s music scene was fertile ground for genre-blending, this record reflects the era’s slick production values and sophisticated compositional style.Tracks like 彼女の名前 exemplify Matsuoka’s command over both subtle nuance and rhythmic vitality, inviting repeated listening without resorting to ostentation. The album’s enduring appeal is evidenced by a steady audience, with over 17,000 listeners and 77,000 scrobbles on Last.fm, marking it as a quietly influential artifact within the broader lineage of Japanese jazz fusion and city pop.