{"product_id":"any-joy-sweet-nothings","title":"ANY JOY? - Sweet Nothings","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSinger-songwriter Ikko Shibayama, who made his debut in 2001 with production by Hirobumi Suzuki of Moonriders and has released six solo albums\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eto date, has formed a new unit, Any Joy?, with Liverpool-based singer-songwriter Ali Horn. Their debut album \"Sweet Nothings\" will be released on\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003evinyl on July 22.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAny Joy? began when Shibayama traveled to the UK in the summer of 2024 and met Ali Horn at an event at Liverpool’s Jacaranda Club, famous as\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ea venue once run by the Beatles’ first manager, Allan Williams.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAli Horn is an accomplished musician who has built his career around Liverpool in the UK and has even served as an opening act for concerts by\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBruce Springsteen and Bryan Adams.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe two immediately hit it off and created this album together with musicians connected to both of them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe sound uniquely sublimates Japanese pop, Western psychedelic music, folk, and traditional British rock sounds.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTheir 1st single \"What Could I Do?,\" released digitally last November, received strong praise in Liverpool, was aired on \"BBC Merseyside,\" and led to\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003etwo sold-out headline shows at the Jacaranda Club. They also appeared at \"Hyper Japan,\" one of the UK’s largest events dedicated to Japanese culture,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eand have begun expanding their activities, mainly around Liverpool in the UK. In Japan, \"What Could I Do?\" was also selected for Toru Hashimoto\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e(SUBURBIA)’s Spotify playlist \"2025 Best Tracks 111\/777 Free Soul,\" familiar from the Free Soul and Cafe Apres-midi series.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNow, they are finally set to begin full-scale activities in Japan. In line with the July release of their debut album \"Sweet Nothings,\" the members will come\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eto Japan for \"Any Joy? JAPAN TOUR 2026,\" a seven-show tour across five cities: Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, and Nagano, starting with the Tokyo\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eshow on July 18.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThey are also scheduled to tour the UK in August. Recommendation comments from musicians connected to the members have also arrived, so be sure\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eto check them out.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Record Plant","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":54506075226435,"sku":"RPT-24126","price":50.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0821\/1601\/8499\/files\/CS1157259-01A-BIG.png?v=1779795026","url":"https:\/\/www.recordplant.co.uk\/products\/any-joy-sweet-nothings","provider":"Record Plant","version":"1.0","type":"link"}