WEWANTSOUNDS' MAJOR REISSUE PROGRAM OF CULT JAPANESE ACTRESS AND SINGER MEIKO KAJI CONTINUES WITH HER 1974 ALBUM "OTOKO ONNA KOKORO NO AIKA." REISSUED HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME, WITH ORIGINAL ARTWORK, REMASTERED AUDIO, AND NEW LINER NOTES

Wewantsounds is delighted to continue its extensive reissue program of Meiko Kaji's early discography, originally released by Teichiku Records in Japan between 1972 and 1974. The Quentin Tarantino muse—famous for her starring roles in Lady Snowblood and Stray Cat Rock—was also a gifted singer. Otoko Onna Kokoro No Aika is another collection of superb cinematic songs featuring Kaji's signature mix of Japanese Pop and Groove, backed by lush, atmospheric orchestrations. This includes her rendition of "Tokyo Nagare Mono," the theme song for Seijun Suzuki's cult 1966 film Tokyo Drifter. This reissue features the original artwork, an OBI strip, and a four-page insert with new liner notes by Hashim Kotaro Bharoocha, who interviewed Meiko Kaji for the occasion.
Japanese actress Meiko Kaji has become a worldwide cult icon, partly thanks to Quentin Tarantino, who heavily based his Kill Bill films on the 1973 revenge classic Lady Snowblood. Renowned for her roles in the Stray Cat Rock and Female Prisoner Scorpion series, Kaji was the definitive face of Japanese exploitation cinema while simultaneously developing a revered musical career. Between 1972 and 1974, she recorded five sought-after albums for Teichiku Records—starting with Ginchou Wataridori (1972), followed by Hajiki Uta and Yadokari (both 1973). Wewantsounds is now delighted to continue its reissue program with her 1974 release, Otoko Onna Kokoro No Aika (“Lament of Man, Woman, and Heart”).
While her previous albums often featured a few key theme songs from her films, Otoko Onna Kokoro No Aika is a classy offering of Showa kayōkyoku (pop) and enka, the "Japanese blues." Kaji approached the record with an actress’s sensibility, treating each cover as a dramatic role. "I see enka not just as music, but as drama," Kaji explains to Hashim Kotaro Bharoocha in an interview for this release. "When I sing enka music, I approach it as if I’m acting. It’s the type of music that I can perform using my sensibilities as an actor."
The tracklist is anchored by two highlights: the funk-infused arrangement of “Ginza No Cho” (Ginza Butterfly) and Kaji’s iconic rendition of “Tokyo Nagare Mono” (Tokyo Drifter). While the latter was famously the theme for Seijun Suzuki’s 1966 cult yakuza film of the same name, Kaji’s version brings a modern, 1970s feel to the melody. Throughout the record, traditional themes are infused with contemporary grooves, blending lush orchestrations with funky basslines to create a hypnotic, cinematic atmosphere that is uniquely her own.
Reissued in its full glory for the first time and remastered by Teichiku in Tokyo, Otoko Onna Kokoro No Aika is a welcome new addition to the Wewantsounds Meiko Kaji reissue campaign, which is sure to please all of her fans worldwide.