TAKANAKA, MASAYOSHI

To mark the 50th anniversary of Agnes Lum’s visit to Japan, Masayoshi Takanaka’s unforgettable debut single “Sweet Agnes,” released in 1976, is being reissued as a 12-inch single on colored vinyl at 45 rpm. Featuring a reproduction of the 7-inch edition’s cover—which shows a cute close-up of Agnes—the title track—recast as the theme song for the short film “Taiyo no Koibito Agnes Lum,” which was released in the summer of that same year—is a fusion track that’s perfect for summer. The B-side, “Tokyo Reggae,” is an insert song from the same film with lyrics by Yukihiro Takahashi. A city-pop hit on which Takanaka himself takes the lead vocals; the song is from his first album “Seychelles,” whose popularity abroad has grown significantly in recent years.

Remastering & Cutting: Alex Wharton (ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS, LONDON)