Fun 9

Fun 9 is the fourth studio album by Japanese musician Takako Minekawa. It was released on July 7, 1999 by Polystar.[4] The album was released on November 16, 1999 in the United States by Emperor Norton Records.[5]

Fun 9
Studio album by
Takako Minekawa
ReleasedJuly 7, 1999 (1999-07-07)
StudioBurning Trailer
Genre
Length36:17
LabelPolystar
Producer
Takako Minekawa chronology
Ximer... C.C.C. Remix
(1998)		 Fun 9
(1999)		 Maxi On
(2000)
Alternative cover
Emperor Norton issue

The album's title is pronounced "fun-kyū", the latter half of the title referring to the Japanese equivalent of the numeral 9, and is intended to sound similar to the word "funk".[6][7]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Alternative Press4/5[8]
The Baltimore Sun[9]
Pitchfork8.3/10[10]

Heather Phares of AllMusic wrote that Minekawa had produced a "more eclectic and polished" record while retaining her "playful musical vision", "[fashioning] a wide array of lush, lighthearted songs into an album that is as self-assured as it is fun".[3]

Drowned in Sound writer Samuel Rosean cited Fun 9 as a key Shibuya-kei release in a 2018 retrospective article.[1] Tokyo Weekender's Ed Cunningham recommended Fun 9 to fans of Cornelius' album Fantasma (1997).[2]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Gently Waves"Takako Minekawa1:50
2."Plash"
4:11
3."Flow in a Tide" (フィーチャリング)
  • Minekawa
  • Michiko Endo
3:42
4."Fantastic Voyage"
  • Minekawa
  • DJ Me DJ You
4:56
5."Tiger"
  • Minekawa
  • DJ Me DJ You
4:46
6."Shh Song"Minekawa1:52
7."Spin Spider Spin"
  • Minekawa
  • Oyamada
2:56
8."Flash"
  • Minekawa
  • Oyamada
1:21
9."Fun 9 (French)"Minekawa0:09
10."Soft Graffiti"
  • Minekawa
  • Endo
4:58
11."Fancy Work Funk"
  • Minekawa
  • DJ Me DJ You
5:36
Total length:36:17
US edition bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Etoufée"
  • Minekawa
  • Oyamada
2:53
Total length:39:10

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[11]

Musicians

  • Takako Minekawa – vocals, acoustic guitar, guitar, turntables, arrangement
  • Craig Borrell – analog synthesizer, MTI Auto-Orchestra synthesizer, trumpet, turntables, vocals, backing vocals
  • Michiko Endo – additional vocals on "Flow in a Tide", acoustic guitar on "Soft Graffiti"
  • Ross Harris – analog synthesizer, bass, Boss SP-303 sampler, drum machine, guitar, turntables
  • Toyoaki Misha – sound manipulation
  • Keigo Oyamada – acoustic guitar, bass, drums, guitar, Stylophone keyboard, turntables
  • Takahiro Unno – French horn on "Spin Spider Spin"

Production

  • Takako Minekawa – production
  • DJ Me DJ You – production
  • Tadashi Matsuda – mixing, recording
  • Michifumi Onodera – mixing
  • Keigo Oyamada – production
  • Tohru Takayama – mixing

References
  1. Rosean, Samuel (December 29, 2018). "A Beginner's Guide: Shibuya Kei". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on June 18, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  2. Cunningham, Ed (March 31, 2020). "A Complete Guide to Shibuya-kei: Tokyo's '90s Music Revival". Tokyo Weekender. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  3. Phares, Heather. "Fun 9 – Takako Minekawa". AllMusic. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  4. "fun9 | 嶺川貴子" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  5. "Upcoming Releases". CMJ New Music Report. Vol. 60, no. 9. November 15, 1999. pp. 34–35. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  6. Basford, Lee. "Milk Rock" (PDF). Level. pp. 24–25. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  7. Tartan, Suzannah (October 15, 1999). "Tell JB to get a new bag -- this girl's got her own funk". The Japan Times. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  8. "Takako Minekawa: Fun 9". Alternative Press. No. 141. April 2000. p. 92.
  9. Considine, J. D. (January 13, 2000). "Takako Minekawa: Fun9 (Emperor Norton 7022)". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  10. Richardson, Mark (July 6, 1999). "Takako Minekawa: Fun9". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  11. Fun 9 (liner notes). Takako Minekawa. Emperor Norton Records. 1999. EMN 7022.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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