Soyo Oka and Chiaki Horan join host Raina Douris

Soyo Oka wrote the music for Super Mario Kart, part of Nintendo’s enduring Super Mario world of video games. On the World Cafe, she talks about reluctantly going from her university’s composition school to writing video game music and how the impact of her music around the world came as a surprise to her. Plus, Chiaki Horan, presenter of Songs of Tokyo on Japanese public broadcaster NHK, gives an overview of vastness of current J-pop.

Listen to the session here.

Today’s Playlist
Lana Del Rey “Video Games” WC Recording
The OneUps “Choco Island Music” Super Mario Kart
Chopin “Nocturne Op 9 No 1” Chopin: Nocturne
Yellow Magic Orchestra “Computer Game” Yellow Magic Orchestra
Soyo Oka & Koji Kondo “Fight Club beginnings of lesson music” Pilotwings
Soyo Oka “Vs Excitebike themes” Vs Excitebike
Koji Kondo “Super Mario Theme Song” Super Mario Brothers
Soyo Oka “Opening Theme” Super Mario Kart
Soyo Oka “Start of Race Theme” Super Mario Kart
Chick Corea “El Bozo (Pt 1)” My Spanish Heart
Soyo Oka “Luigi ranks Music” Super Mario Kart
Soyo Oka “Bowser ranks music” Super Mario Kart
Soyo Oka “Town Theme” Sim City
Soyo Oka “Loop8A” Loop816
Japandroids “Evil Sway” Celebration Rock
YOASOBI “アイドル” アイドル
OFFICIAL HIGE DANDISM “Chessboard” Rejoice
imase “NIGHT DANCER” POP CUBE
The Japanese House “:)” Single
石川さゆり “天城越え (Amagi-goe)” 名唱コレクション 石川さゆり 時代の粋を唄う
Hikaru Utada “Automatic (2024 Mix)” Automatic (2024 Mix)
The Buggles “Video Killed The Radio Star” The Age Of Plastic

Hour Two
Daniel Donato “Hi-Country” Reflector
Orla Gartland “Little Chaos” Everybody Needs A hero
The Cure “The Love Cats” Japanese Whispers
Psychedelic Furs “Pretty In Pink” Talk Talk Talk
Clairo “Sexy to Someone” Charm
Beabadoobee “Love Song” Beatopia
Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoff “Cinnamon Girl” WC Recording
The National “Bloodbuzz Ohio” WC Recording
Leon Bridges “Peaceful Place” Leon
Raphael Saadiq “100 Yard Dash” The Way I See It
Khruangbin “Time (You and I)” Mordechai
Khruangbin & Leon Bridges “C-Side” Texas Sun
Jack White “That’s How I’m Feeling” No Name
Joe Cocker “Feelin’ Alright” With A Little Help From My Friends
The Last Dinner Party “Sinner” Prelude to Ecstasy
The Specials “A Message To You Rudy” The Specials
St. Vincent “Los Ageless” MASSEDUCTION