Written by Stephen Ong
If you’re walking down the streets of Richmond, Virginia and hear the beat of a city pop track, chances are, the guy blasting it is none other than Freddy J. Also known as Banji Kaicho, Freddy has turned Richmond into a hub for Japanese city pop and broader Asian sound culture. Every Monday at 1 PM on WRIR 97.3 FM, his Banji Kaicho show spins smooth synth-funk, breezy grooves, and rare city pop gems, especially through his popular Tokyo Melody series, which dives deep into ’80s classics.
I first discovered Fredy last year during my daily walk to Plan 9 Vinyl Shop. In front of the shop stood this guy spinning tracks from Japanese artists that’ll blow your mind. It was refreshing to hear and discover sounds you can’t find anywhere on Spotify. After the hype from his set, the shop even started importing more vinyl from Japan.
So what is city pop? It’s a genre of Japanese music that came out of the late '70s and really hit its stride in the '80s. Think warm synths, jazzy chords, funky basslines all wrapped up in that happy, feel good energy of city life. It pulls from a lot of Western sounds like soft rock, R&B, and disco but blends them with polished Japanese production that just feels so good. You can’t help but feel nostalgic.
It was basically the sound of riding around a booming, high-tech Japan at night with neon lights flashing, ocean breeze in the air. Artists like Tatsuro Yamashita, Mariya Takeuchi, Anri, and Toshiki Kadomatsu were some of the big names who laid the foundation for the genre.
Even though it faded after the '90s, city pop made a comeback in 2017 after a track of Mariya Takeuchi’s Plastic Love was uploaded to YouTube. Suddenly, a whole new generation found it and now it’s everywhere again. Record labels like Cromulent Records and Van Paugam have led the way in repressing and remastering classic vinyl albums like Tatsuro Yamashita’s For You and Anri’s Timely!!.
Fredy J doesn’t just spin tracks on the radio, he also hosts DJ events in the city called The Tokyo Melody Series. Held around Richmond every other month, he and other local DJs, like Les the DJ, come together to share the music they love and spread good vibes. Walking through the door, hearing the music, and seeing everyone hanging out on the dance floor, you can’t help but feel transported back to the ’80s for one night.
City pop continues to inspire artists today. The Weeknd’s hit song Out of Time samples Tomoko Aran’s 1983 track Midnight Pretenders, and Jenevieve’s Baby Powder samples Anri’s 1982 track Last Summer Whisper.
I don’t get to see Fredy J as often these days since he’s been traveling, but if you catch him somewhere on the East Coast or even in Japan stop and say what’s up. And if you haven’t already, take the time to listen to this amazing genre. It’s nostalgic, funky, and timeless. Whether you're chilling at home or cruising at golden hour, it just hits.
