Throwback Thursday: Jun Togawa - Tamahime-sama Review

Welcome to our new Throwback Thursday article! Every week we'll examine an artist of the past that we at A-To-J Connections love! Up first is Jun Togawa!

Jun Togawa is a pop star / anti-idol singer who began her career in the late 1970s. She's known for her eccentric and twisted aesthetic. She's generally seen as the originator of the anti-idol or rebel idol concept. After building her career as an actor and a guest singer for the band Halmens, Togawa became an idol singer in the 80s. She formed a group called Guernica, but her solo music probably remains her most notable work. For this Throwback Thursday, we're gonna look at Togawa's debut solo album, Tamahime-sama.

Tamahime-sama starts off with the perfect introduction; the song "Dotou no Ren-Ai" may not be Togawa's most memorable song, but it begins with a de-tuned synth line, with Togawa's vocals crawling out and drenched in reverb. It sounds like something you'd hear in a cathedral, straight out of a vampire movie. "Teinen Pushiganga" is where Togawa starts to showcase her incredible sense for a catchy chorus and beat. The song sounds almost traditional, with a monotonous drum beat, jangling guitar, and wispy flute throughout. Togawa's voice is powerful, and carries the song perfectly.

"Konchugun" (a Halmens cover) brings us firmly into the 80s, with some synths and thick bass. Togawa manages to jump from idol to opera singer at a moment's notice with one of the best vocal ranges I've ever heard. This becomes a trend throughout her career, bringing bubbly (if a little dark) pop together with opera-style music. The album takes a bit of a darker turn on "Yuumon no Giga", bringing back that super dark cathedral sound. It sounds like something out of a movie for sure. "Tonari no Indojin" is twisted with chirping synths and Togawa's powerful voice, until it explodes with violins and drums about halfway through.

Track six is "Tamahime-sama", the title track. In my opinion, it's one of the best songs of Jun Togawa's career. The way the synths, percussion, and Togawa's amazing voice all mix together is perfect. It sounds pretty upbeat, but de-tuned and sinister. It sounds like something menacing is lurking underneath those bright synths.

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Jun Togawa - Tamahime-sama Live

"Mori no Hitobito" is like a horrifying lullaby, and "Odorenai" brings us back into some kind of pop territory. It may be the strangest pop you ever hear, but it's just so infectous. Finally, we reach the closing track. "Mushi no Onna" is based heavily on Pachelbel's Canon, with Togawa's almost child-like voice and some gorgeous violins. Whenever she performed this song live, she would do an incredible punk rendition, but the studio version is a beautiful lullaby and the perfect end to one of the most unique pop albums of the 1980s.

Jun Togawa is extremely influental and important, if only in a scene which stays far from the mainstream. Her debut album was only a taste of what would come, but it's a definitive statement of her career, and just an amazing album overall.

-Justin