J-Poptimists to the Rescue

[skyecaptain.livejournal.com]

This song crashes in at the end of Syndromes and a Century by Apichatpong Weerasethakul (copy and pasted for accuracy) and has wiggled its way into my brain for at least the next couple days. What is it? (Note: actual song is "Fez (Men Working)," not "(Men Walking)" as listed.)

Comments

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

Are you asking who the artist is? If so, it's Neil & Iraiza. I have the album (http://home.wanadoo.nl/cmgs/Shibuya/cdpaginas/ninewschool.html) this comes from - it's good! (shibuya-kei rather than J-Pop tho)

[skyecaptain.livejournal.com]

It was a more general question -- whether it was popular (I guess it's from around '02?) and with whom...was it an international sorta crossover or just big in Japan or wha? Specifically, would it have any particular significance in a Thai film (sort of) about the effects of modernization, or is it the equivalent of...I dunno, a Wes Anderson "if it sounds good on yr ipod do it" move? (I'll avoid the question of the difference between shibuya-kei vs. J-pop for now, I guess...I've heard both terms.) I think I might check out the album!