About

Tokyo-based Kingo Hamada occupies a very specific hour here: city lights thinning, streets half-empty, emotion held just below the surface. Cut during his Alpha Moon period, the music moves with this late-night composure, built from muted rhythm guitar, soft-focus synths and melodies that drift forward on confidence alone. Longtime collaborator Makoto Matsushita also helps anchor the sound, his playing sleek and unforced, guiding the songs through neon-lit restraint. Tracks like 'Dakare ni Kita Onna' and 'Yokogao no Taxi Driver' settle into motion immediately, while 'Machi no Dolphin' and the title cut stretch the mood into something suspended and inward. The bonus 'Midnight Cruisin' (2002 version)' and 'Dear Song' arrive as reflective codas, extending the same nocturnal language without breaking its spell. This is Japanese AOR at full maturity - unhurried and quietly resolute. — (via Juno)

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Released in 1982, Hamada’s Midnight Cruisin’ is a mix of City Pop, Funk, Jazz-Funk, Album-Oriented Rock, and Soul. I was curious to hear the album in its entirety and I wasn’t disappointed. Midnight Cruisin’ is a head-bumping groove that will work any time of the day though preferably at night.

Midnight Cruisin’ is as fresh today as it was back in 1982 and can serve as an inspiration to other artists. Give it a go when you cruise in your own downtown at night. — (via CCandTNR)

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— 2LP, 45RPM on black vinyl
— Limited edition reissue

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Label: Warner Music Japan
Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, 45 RPM, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Stereo
Reissued: 2026 / Originally Released: 1982
Genre: Jazz, Rock, Funk / Soul, Pop
Style: Kayōkyoku, Jazz-Funk, AOR, Soul, Ballad, City Pop, Vocal

File under: Japanese Pop
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