Ginger Root - SHINBANGUMI [Colored]

Cameron Lew turns his love of vintage Japanese television and pop into a full broadcast schedule on SHINBANGUMI, the third Ginger Root album, pressed here on coloured vinyl.

The Southern California multi-instrumentalist, producer and visual artist has spent years refining what he cheekily calls aggressive elevator soul, and this 2024 album, his first for Ghostly International, is his sharpest take yet. The title roughly translates to a new season of a show, and Lew splits the difference between City Pop gloss and Western pop, from Philly soul to French pop to the homespun charm of early solo McCartney. Sessions were split between Japan and Orange County, with friends and bandmates weighing in on the arrangements.

"No Problems" bounces along with irresistible, sunny momentum, and "Better Than Monday" turns the work-week blues into something you can dance to. "There Was A Time" brings a wistful, slow-dance glow, while "Only You" shows off his knack for a sweet, sticky chorus.

Every detail feels considered, from the drum sounds to the short, playful interludes that tie the record together like idents between programmes on late-night television.

Retro without ever feeling like a museum piece, it's an album that makes nostalgia sound brand new, and a sheer pleasure to flip from side to side.