2026.1.29

Naive, sophisticated, and romantic reggae from the UK. The appeal of "lovers rock."

Lovers rock, which emerged in the UK in the mid-1970s as a subgenre of reggae, is characterized by romantic lyrics that focus on love. We spoke to Takujiro Iwade, frontman of the lovers rock band Love Wonderland, who is fascinated by this genre, about its appeal.

photo: Naoto Date / text: Nozomi Hasegawa

"For me, lovers rock is something that lets me indulge completely. When you dream or reminisce, you sometimes romanticize the things you see and remember from the past. It's like lovers rock envelops you in that kind of nostalgia."

He continues by saying that what makes his music different from so-called tough "reggae" is that it depicts the complex nuances of the human heart.

"By covering soul music and incorporating British culture, their sound is psychologically naive and sophisticated, close to pop. I don't think all of their songs are love songs, but they're the kind of songs you'd want to listen to on the riverbank when you've had your heart broken."

A cover of Aretha Franklin's classic from the prestigious UK label Ariwa. "The song is great, and I love the slow rhythm. It makes you feel like you're in the city at night."

"It's a remix of a dub tune. It ignores the rhythm of the song a little and adds a distorted delay in the second half, which creates a nice sense of incongruity. The coldness of the digital sound is very pleasant."

Included on the famous album by the leader of Ariwa and a leading figure in the lovers' music scene. "I like the original, but the dub mix has a psychedelic, fast-paced feel to it. This unusual riddim is also great."

A love song from UK Lovers that asks why a man loves a woman. "Sometimes albums with unappealing covers are full of great songs. This compilation is a perfect example of that."

Released by Wackie's in New York. "In America, where reggae wasn't popular, Wackie's produced a series of reggae tracks with a unique lo-fi feel. This is one of them."

A Jamaican songstress active since the 70s. "I came across her by chance a few years ago on the rental CD shelf at K2 Records in Osaka. She has a lot of electronic sounds and a frivolous feel, but she's also mellow and romantic."

“Kiss (Dennis Bovell Lovers Mix)” Mika Nakashima — A track from a Japanese compilation album. "The dub mix was done by a British person, so the Japanese is mangled and it's amazing. It also makes you appreciate the beauty of Mika Nakashima's voice."

A 10-member band based in Bangkok. "This song is by the hottest, hardcore group in Thailand right now. I love the enka-like singing style of the female vocalist. I also like the vaporwave-style music video."

Musician Takujuro Iwade — Shopping at Shinjuku's Reggae Shop Nat, I bought "ASWAD" by UK reggae band Aswad, saying, "Their early music was hardcore and cool."

**Reggae Shop Nut**
Address: 7-9-5 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo | map
TEL: 03-5337-7558
Opening hours: 13:00 - 22:00
Closed: No holidays

Published in No.1041

No.1041

Feature Love Songs

Released October 15th, 890 yen

Published in No.1041

What is your favorite love song? What is one important phrase? Who do you think of when you hum that song? Every page of this special feature is filled with phrases depicting love from love songs of various eras and genres. When you come across a song you love, ruminate on it and rediscover its charm in a new light. If you come across a song you don't know, be sure to stop and listen to it for a moment. Having more love songs to love means having more emotional resources in your heart. This special feature is sure to bring you just that.

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No.1049

TOY LIFE

3月2日発売 890円

Naive, sophisticated, and romantic reggae from the UK. The appeal of "lovers rock."

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