Popular nine-member band TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA released new album SKA=ALMIGHTY on March 3, their first studio album since November 2019’s Tsugihagi Colorful.

The album includes “Ribbon feat. Moral Distraída”, a globally minded collaboration with Chilean band Moral Distraída, whom the members of TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA met by chance when they performed at Lollapalooza Chile in 2019. The song is a new version of “Ribbon feat. Kazutoshi Sakurai”, which the Tokyo band had previously released in 2019 to commemorate their 30th anniversary; Moral Distraída reinterpreted an instrumental version of the song and added new lyrics sung in Spanish.

Also on March 3, TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA released a brand new music video for “会いたいね (Aitaine)｡ﾟ(ﾟ´ω`ﾟ)ﾟ｡” feat. Hakushi Hasegawa”, a collaboration with breakthrough young prodigy artist Hakushi Hasegawa that features on the new album.

TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA have worked with many artists over the years, but this is their most diverse collaboration so far –in fact, you could call it an evolution. The band came across Hasegawa about two years ago, when trumpet player NARGO heard the intro to one of the young artist’s songs on his car radio and, amazed by what he was hearing, immediately pulled over to check who it was. On hearing the song, NARGO felt as though “a door to a new kind of music has opened!” He quickly messaged the other members of TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA over LINE to tell them to check out this amazing new artist.

The music for “Aitaine｡ﾟ(ﾟ´ω`ﾟ)ﾟ｡”was initially written by bassist Tsuyoshi Kawakami, with lyrics cowritten by baritone sax player Atsushi Yanaka, and the track features vocals by Hasegawa and drummer Kin-ichi Motegi. Kawakami’s version of the song was deconstructed and rebuilt by Hasegawa, who added lyrics, new melodies and more. 

Meanwhile, the video is a fusion of animation and live performance that breaks the conventional conception of TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA. The music video is a collaboration, too: It was directed by Hidenobu Tanabe, who is familiar to TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA fans for the videos to “ALMIGHTY – The Masked Promise feat. Yoohei Kawakami”, “Good Morning – Blue Daisy feat. aiko” and “Ribbon feat. Kazutoshi Sakurai”, while the animation was created by Shu Yonezawa, a regular illustrator on Hasegawa’s work.

The video references the current situation where many of us are forced to connect remotely, due to the ongoing pandemic. It begins with a laptop being started up; in one desktop window after another, the members of TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA play separately but together, giving dynamic individual performances, while Hasegawa appears in animated form, like an apostle who connects the virtual and the real. It is a must-see video that symbolizes the remote era, while presenting all 10 performers in the same virtual space – a sight that is becoming increasingly common in these unusual times.

Just as NARGO felt when he first heard Hasegawa’s music, the sound and visuals of “Aitai｡ﾟ(ﾟ´ω`ﾟ)ﾟ｡’”will make you feel as though “a door to a new kind of music has opened”. Check it out and see for yourself below, along with the streaming link for SKA=ALMIGHTY here!

TOKYO SKA PARADISE「SKA=ALMIGHTY」

01. Salvation Ska

02. 9　

03. Great Conjunction 2020　

04. ALMIGHTY – The Masked Promise feat. Yoohei Kawakami

05. JUMON feat. AiNA THE END (BiSH)

06. miss you｡ﾟ(ﾟ´ω`ﾟ)ﾟ｡ feat. Hakushi Hasegawa

07. Together Again

08. Kamen Rider Saber

09. This Is My Life

10. Multiple Exposure feat. Yoohei Kawakami

11. A Touch Of Spring

12. Standing Dominoes　

13. (Everybody is a) SUPERSTAR

14. Ribbon feat. Moral Distraída