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| genre = [[Pop music|Pop]]
| genre = [[Pop music|Pop]]
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| label = [[For Life Music|For Life Records]]
| label = [[For Life Music|For Life Records]]
| producer = [[Ryuichi Sakamoto]]
| producer = [[Ryuichi Sakamoto]]
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{{nihongo|'''''Shokumotsu Rensa'''''|食物連鎖||{{translation|''Food Chain''}}|lead=yes}} is the debut studio album by Japanese singer [[Miki Nakatani]]. It was released on September 4, 1996, by [[For Life Music|For Life Records.]] Following her departure from the girl group [[Sakurakko Club]] in 1993, Nakatani concentrated on her acting career, before returning to music under the tutelage of musician [[Ryuichi Sakamoto]].
{{nihongo|'''''Shokumotsu Rensa'''''|{{ruby-ja|食物連鎖|しょくもつれんさ}}||lit. ''Food Chain''}} is the debut studio album by Japanese singer [[Miki Nakatani]]. It was released on September 4, 1996, by [[For Life Music|For Life Records.]] A former girl group member, Nakatani concentrated on her acting career before returning to music in partnership with musician [[Ryuichi Sakamoto]].


Nakatani was noted for her "cool" vocal performance on ''Shokumotsu Rensa'', and the album features contributions from [[Taeko Onuki]], [[Yasuharu Konishi]] of [[Pizzicato Five]], and [[Arto Lindsay]]. The album was preceded by two singles: "Mind Circus" and "Strange Paradise". ''Shokumotsu Rensa'' peaked at number five on the ''[[Oricon]]'' charts and is her best-selling album.
Nakatani was praised for her "cool" vocal performance on ''Shokumotsu Rensa'', and critics made note of the album's diversity and sense of "mystery". It features contributions from [[Taeko Onuki]], [[Yasuharu Konishi]] of [[Pizzicato Five]], [[Vinicius Cantuária]], and [[Arto Lindsay]]. The album was preceded by two singles: "Mind Circus" and "Strange Paradise". ''Shokumotsu Rensa'' peaked at number five on the ''[[Oricon]]'' charts and is her best-selling album.


== Background and composition ==
== Background ==
Nakatani began her career as a member of the girl group Sakurakko Club in 1991, performing with the group for two years. After her departure, she released the single Anata ga Wakaranai" (あなたがわからない) in 1993, which saw little success. Nakatani began concentrating on her acting career, and gained wide exposure after starring in commercials for [[Eneos|Nippon Oil]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-11-29 |title=渡部篤郎との15年愛乗り越え…中谷美紀が掴んだ“女の幸せ”｜日刊ゲンダイDIGITAL |url=http://www.nikkan-gendai.com/articles/view/geino/242624 |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=日刊ゲンダイDIGITAL}}</ref>
Nakatani began her career as a member of the girl group [[Sakurakko Club]] in 1991, performing with the group for two years. After her departure, she released the single {{nihongo|"Anata ga Wakaranai"|あなたがわからない||}} in 1993, which saw little success.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title= |script-title=ja:中谷美紀(ナカタニミキ)の情報まとめ |trans-title=Miki Nakatani Information Summary |url=https://okmusic.jp/%E4%B8%AD%E8%B0%B7%E7%BE%8E%E7%B4%80 |access-date=January 13, 2024 |website=OKMusic |language=ja}}</ref> Nakatani began focusing efforts on her acting career, and gained wide exposure after starring in commercials for [[Eneos|Nippon Oil]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 29, 2018 |title= |script-title=ja:渡部篤郎との15年愛乗り越え…中谷美紀が掴んだ"女の幸せ" |trans-title=Overcoming 15 years of love with Atsuro Watabe... Miki Nakatani has found her "woman's happiness" |url=https://www.nikkan-gendai.com/articles/view/geino/242624/2 |access-date=January 11, 2024 |website=[[Nikkan Gendai|Nikkan Gendai Digital]]}}</ref>


Nakatani met renowned producer [[Ryuichi Sakamoto]] by chance, and the two hit it off after learning that their interests matched. Nakatani herself had always been a fan of Sakamoto, and frequently attended his concerts.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Clamp of the Week: Miki Nakatani |url=https://www.fujitv.co.jp/TKMC/VOL84/clamp.html#about |access-date=November 27, 2021 |website=www.fujitv.co.jp}}</ref> She appeared on his 1995 album, ''Smoochy'', dueting on the song {{nihongo|"Aishiteru, Aishitenai"|愛してる, 愛してない||{{translation|"Love You, Love You Not"}}|lead=}}.<ref>{{Cite web |last=株式会社ローソンエンタテインメント |title=スムーチー |url=https://www.hmv.co.jp/product/detail/589912 |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=HMV&BOOKS online |language=ja}}</ref> Sakamoto reportedly had a long-term desire to produce a female artist, and others opined that Nakatani saw it as an opportunity to dispel her idol image.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> Rui Takeshima of ''Pop Master'' compared their partnership to that of French musician [[Serge Gainsbourg]] and actress [[Jane Birkin]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2017-09-30|title=【音楽レビュー】食物連鎖／中谷美紀 {{!}} POP MASTER|url=https://popmaster.jp/music/syokumotsurensa/|access-date=2021-11-27|language=ja}}</ref>
Nakatani met renowned producer [[Ryuichi Sakamoto]] by chance, and the two hit it off after learning that their interests matched.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=clamp of the week ：中谷美紀 |url=https://www.fujitv.co.jp/TKMC/VOL84/clamp.html#about |access-date=November 27, 2021 |website=[[Fuji Television]] |ref=clamp}}</ref> Nakatani herself had always been a fan of Sakamoto's music, and frequently attended his concerts, saying, "I thought he was always sensitive to new things and had a lot to offer, so I became a big fan." She was subsequently signed onto Güt, a subsidiary of [[For Life Music|For Life Records]] and Sakamoto's own label, as their first female artist.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Yoshimura |first=Eiichi |date=March 21, 2017 |title= |script-title=ja:予習 『Sweet Revenge』（1994年作品）と『Smoochy』（1995年作品） |trans-title=Preparation: Sweet Revenge (1994) and Smoochy (1995) |url=https://www.skmtcommmons.com/quest/news2/detail.php?id=1001103 |access-date=January 13, 2024 |website=[[Commmons]]}}</ref> Nakatani appeared on his 1995 album ''Smoochy'', dueting on the song {{nihongo|"Aishiteru, Aishitenai"|愛してる, 愛してない||{{translation|"Love You, Love You Not"}}|lead=}}.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=スムーチー |url=https://www.hmv.co.jp/product/detail/589912 |access-date=January 9, 2024 |website=[[List of international HMV operations#Japan|HMV Japan]] |language=ja}}</ref>


Sakamoto reportedly held a long-term desire to produce a female artist, and others opined that Nakatani saw it as an opportunity to dispel her [[Japanese idol|idol]] image.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> Critics have compared their partnership to that of French musician [[Serge Gainsbourg]] and actress [[Jane Birkin]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Takeshima |first=Rui |date=September 30, 2017 |title= |script-title=ja:【音楽レビュー】食物連鎖／中谷美紀 |trans-title=Music Review: Shokumotsu Rensa by Miki Nakatani |url=https://popmaster.jp/music/syokumotsurensa/ |access-date=November 27, 2021 |website=Pop Master |language=ja |ref=popmaster}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Hamaguchi |first=Hideki |date=2024-01-26 |title=ガールポップ’90s名鑑・名盤レビュー｜㉙中谷美紀『食物連鎖』 |trans-title='90s Girl Pop Directory, Masterpiece Review: Shokumotsu Rensa by Miki Nakatani |url=https://otonanoweb.jp/s/magazine/diary/detail/9372?ima=0726&cd=feature |url-access=registration |access-date=2024-04-26 |website=otonano |language=ja}}</ref> Since retiring from music in 2001, Nakatani later commented, "I wasn't a very good singer. I made records because I wanted to work with Ryuichi Sakamoto."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Vigneault |first=Alexandre |date=2011-08-27 |title=Miki Nakatani: une star nippone à l'Usine C |url=https://www.lapresse.ca/arts/spectacles-et-theatre/201108/27/01-4429409-miki-nakatani-une-star-nippone-a-lusine-c.php |access-date=2024-03-28 |work=La Presse |language=fr-CA}}</ref>
''Shokumotsu Rensa'' was produced by Sakamoto, who arranged nearly all of its songs and composed five.<ref name=":2" /> Primarily a [[Pop music|pop]] album, it draws from a number of genres including [[city pop]] on "Mind Circus" and [[electropop]] on the [[Taeko Onuki]]-penned "My Best of Love".<ref>{{Cite web |title=中谷美紀「MIND CIRCUS」収録！これはシティポップじゃなくてシティミュージック？ |url=https://reminder.top/143678866/ |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=reminder.top |language=ja}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2023-04-08 |title=坂本龍一が携わった後世にも伝えたい音楽作品 日本のポップミュージックを豊かにした偉大なる功績 |url=https://realsound.jp/2023/04/post-1299589.html |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=Real Sound｜リアルサウンド |language=ja}}</ref> "Tattoo", featuring the only lyrics written by Nakatani, channels [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]] and "Shikisai no Naka e" ({{nihongo2|色彩の中へ}}, "Into the Colors"), written by Brazilian musician [[Vinicius Cantuária]], is [[bossa nova]]-influenced.<ref name=":4" /> "Strange Paradise" references the 1985 [[Jean-Luc Godard]] film [[Hail Mary (film)|''Hail Mary'']] in its lyrics.<ref name=":1" /> It was remixed for inclusion on the album.<ref name=":2" /> Cantuária and American musician [[Arto Lindsay]] composed the "hypnotic" album closer "Sorriso Escuro", which features Portuguese lyrics.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-09-29 |title=【音楽レビュー】Invoke／Arto Lindsay アート・リンゼイ {{!}} POP MASTER |url=https://popmaster.jp/music/invoke/ |access-date=2024-01-10 |language=ja}}</ref>


== Composition ==
Lyricist [[Masao Urino]] was recruited by Sakamoto to work on ''Shokumotsu Rensa'', writing the words to five demos, of which four were completed for the album.<ref name=":2">{{cite AV media notes |title=Shokumotsu Rensa |type=liner notes |others=[[Miki Nakatani]] |publisher=For Life Records |year=1996 |id=FLCG-3023 |location=Japan}}</ref> In a 2016 retrospective with ''Oricon'', celebrating 35 years of Urino's work, he recounted that period as one of the longest in his career, as he pressured himself to match the quality of Sakamoto's "imposing" arrangements and spent a month on each song. Urino reflected on their collaboration with fondness as Sakamoto gave him a newfound confidence, teaching Urino to write with "instinct".<ref>{{Cite news|date=July 9, 2016|title=35周年を迎えた作詞家・売野雅勇氏 明菜、チェッカーズらヒット曲誕生秘話語る|work=Oricon News|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/special/49117/}}</ref>
''Shokumotsu Rensa'' was produced by Sakamoto, who arranged nearly all of its songs and composed five.<ref name=":2" /> Primarily a [[Pop music|pop]] album, it draws from a range of genres. The opener "Mind Circus" is a later addition to [[city pop]] with lyrics by [[Masao Urino]], who was an influential figure in the genre.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kanazawa |first=Toshikazu |date=March 22, 2023 |title= |script-title=ja:中谷美紀「MIND CIRCUS」収録！これはシティポップじゃなくてシティミュージック？ |trans-title=Miki Nakatani's "MIND CIRCUS" included! Is this city music, not city pop? |url=https://reminder.top/143678866/ |access-date=January 10, 2024 |website=reminder.top |language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=October 29, 2022 |title=#35 2022/10/29 放送後記 {{!}} GOODYEAR MUSIC AIRSHIP～シティポップ レイディオ～ - TOKYO FM 80.0MHz - |url=https://www.tfm.co.jp/airship/report/9526 |access-date=January 14, 2024 |website=[[Tokyo FM]] |language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kanazawa |first=Toshikazu |title= |script-title=ja:林哲司×売野雅勇×金澤寿和 シティ・ポップの始まりと人気を集めた背景を紐解く |trans-title=Tetsuji Hayashi, Masao Urino, and Toshikazu Kanazawa: Unraveling the Beginnings of City Pop and the Background of its Popularity |url=https://www.billboard-japan.com/special/detail/3270 |access-date=January 14, 2024 |website=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard Japan]] |language=ja}}</ref> It makes use of [[Modulation (music)|modulations]].<ref name=":6" /> [[Yasuharu Konishi]] contributed the [[acid jazz]] {{nihongo|"Aibiki no Mori de"|逢いびきの森で|||lead=}}, while the [[electropop]] "My Best of Love" was penned by [[Taeko Onuki]].<ref name=":6" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=きみになりたい。 |url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%81%8D%E3%81%BF%E3%81%AB%E3%81%AA%E3%82%8A%E3%81%9F%E3%81%84%E3%80%82-%E3%82%AA%E3%83%A0%E3%83%8B%E3%83%90%E3%82%B9/dp/B0001BUDL4 |access-date=January 13, 2024 |website=[[Amazon (company)|Amazon Japan]]}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Mori |first=Tomoyuki |date=April 8, 2023 |title= |script-title=ja:坂本龍一が携わった後世にも伝えたい音楽作品 日本のポップミュージックを豊かにした偉大なる功績 |trans-title=Ryuichi Sakamoto was involved in musical works that will be handed down to future generations — Great Achievements in Enriching Japanese Pop Music |url=https://realsound.jp/2023/04/post-1299589_2.html |access-date=January 10, 2024 |website=Real Sound |language=ja |ref=realsound}}</ref> "Where the River Flows" is [[Music of Japan|Japanese]]-styled, while "Tattoo" channels [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]] and features the only lyrics written by Nakatani.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":4" /> A [[bossa nova]] influence can be heard on {{nihongo|"Shikisai no Naka e"|色彩の中へ|||lead=}} and "Sorriso Escuro"; both credit Brazilian musician [[Vinicius Cantuária]] as a composer, while the latter was written with American musician [[Arto Lindsay]] and contains elements of [[ambient music]].<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Takeshima |first=Rui |date=September 29, 2017 |title=【音楽レビュー】Invoke／Arto Lindsay |url=https://popmaster.jp/music/invoke/ |access-date=January 10, 2024 |website=Pop Master |language=ja}}</ref> Elsewhere, "Strange Paradise" was remixed for inclusion on the album and references the 1985 [[Jean-Luc Godard]] film [[Hail Mary (film)|''Hail Mary'']] in its lyrics.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />


Nakatani commented, "What's so strange about Mr. Sakamoto's sound is that even though it contains a lot of mechanical and synth sounds, it is somehow not cold. On the other hand, when you play with an orchestra, it sounds raw, but it's kind of cold. I like the balance between the new and the old, and the balance between the warm and the cold."<ref name=":0" />
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== Release ==
[[File:Ryuichi Sakamoto side.jpg|thumb|[[Ryuichi Sakamoto]] (pictured in 2013), the album's executive producer.]]
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''Shokumotsu Rensa'' was released on September 4, 1996, through For Life Records and Güt, Sakamoto's own record label. The cover photograph for the album was taken by Kazunali Tajima, who became a frequent collaborator of Nakatani's.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tajima Kazunali - Music |url=https://www.mildinc.com/tajima-kazunali-music |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=Mild Inc. |language=en-US}}</ref> The artwork positions Nakatani against a backdrop of red curtains, gazing into the distance.<ref name=":2" /> Ryutaro Amano of [[Tower Records Japan|Mikiki]] noted the photograph for its "melancholic" quality.<ref>{{Cite web |title=坂本龍一 追悼――YMOから戦メリ、ライブの思い出まで、タワレコスタッフ10名がそれぞれの視点から綴る〈教授と私〉 |url=https://mikiki.tokyo.jp/articles/-/36289 |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=Mikiki |language=ja}}</ref>
Masao Urino wrote the lyrics to five songs on ''Shokumotsu Rensa''.<ref name=":2">{{cite AV media notes |title=Shokumotsu Rensa |type=liner notes |others=[[Miki Nakatani]] |publisher=[[For Life Music|For Life Records]] |year=1996 |id=FLCG-3023 |location=Japan}}</ref> Pressuring himself to match the quality of Sakamoto's "imposing" arrangements, Urino spent a month working on each song. He reflected on their collaboration with fondness as Sakamoto gave him a newfound confidence to write with "instinct". Their partnership began with "Mind Circus", where Sakamoto showed him a picture of British supermodel [[Kate Moss]] and said, "Look at this and write whatever your instinct tells you to write."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fujii |first=Tetsukan |date=July 9, 2016 |title= |script-title=ja:35周年を迎えた作詞家・売野雅勇氏 明菜、チェッカーズらヒット曲誕生秘話語る |trans-title=Lyricist Masao Urino, celebrating his 35th anniversary, talks about the birth of hit songs by Akina, The Checkers, and others |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/special/49117/ |access-date=January 13, 2024 |work=[[Oricon|Oricon News]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Usui |first=Takashi |date=July 1, 2023 |title= |script-title=ja:売野雅勇、作詞家人生40年。中森明菜や菊池桃子、中谷美紀らとの熱い思い出と“生みの苦しみ”を語る |trans-title=Masao Urino, 40 years as a lyricist. He talks about his passionate memories of Akina Nakamori, Momoko Kikuchi, Miki Nakatani, and others, and the "pain of creation". |url=https://fumufumunews.jp/articles/-/24016 |access-date=January 14, 2024 |website=fumufumu news |language=ja}}</ref> The line "boyishness is a wound, but it's your knife" references the [[Charles Baudelaire]] poem "L'Héautontimorouménos" from his collection, ''[[Les Fleurs du mal]]'' (1867).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kagawa |first=Fujiya |date=August 27, 2023 |title=「涙のリクエスト」「少女A」の作詞家「売野雅勇」が明かす"YMO"との秘話 「高橋さん、坂本さんは少年のような人たちでした」（2ページ目） |script-title=ja:「涙のリクエスト」「少女A」の作詞家「売野雅勇」が明かす“YMO”との秘話 「高橋さん、坂本さんは少年のような人たちでした」（2ページ目） |trans-title=Msao Urino, lyricist of "Tear Request" and "Shojo A," reveals his secret story with YMO: "Mr. Takahashi and Mr. Sakamoto were like boys" (Page 2) |url=https://www.dailyshincho.jp/article/2023/08271104/ |access-date=January 14, 2024 |website=[[Shukan Shincho|Daily Shincho]] |language=ja}}</ref> Urino counts his work with Nakatani as among his favorites.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Takashima |first=Mikio |date=May 10, 2017 |title= |script-title=ja:売野雅勇さんインタビュー |trans-title=Interview with Masao Urino |url=https://www.ntvm.co.jp/interview/new001/003.html |access-date=January 12, 2024 |website=[[Nippon TV|Nippon Television Music Corporation]] |language=ja}}</ref>


The album title was chosen at Sakamoto's suggestion. In an interview with [[Tomomi Kahara|Tomomi Kahala]], Nakatani conveyed that Sakamoto saw her at the top of a [[food chain]]: "I thought, am I some kind of food chain pyramid? I was under the impression that I would be at the bottom of the pyramid with all these great artists, including Mr. Sakamoto, providing me with their songs. [...] But, according to Mr. Sakamoto, 'Miki Nakatani eats and eats and eats men and women.'"<ref>{{Cite interview |last=Nakatani |first=Miki |interviewer=[[Tomomi Kahala]] |title=CLAMP TALK VOL.84 |url=https://www.fujitv.co.jp/TKMC/VOL84/clamptalk.html}}</ref> Takeshima noted that Sakamoto brought out a [[unisex]] appeal to Nakatani.<ref name=":1" />
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"Mind Circus" was the first single issued from ''Shokumotsu Rensa'' on May 17, 1996.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=中谷美紀のシングル売上TOP8作品 |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/236042/rank/single/ |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=ORICON NEWS}}</ref> It peaked at number twenty on the ''Oricon'' and charted for a total of eleven weeks. It played on the [[Nippon TV]] drama ''Oretachi ni Ki wo Tsukero'' with Nakatani in a lead role. "Strange Paradise" was released as the second single on July 19, 1996, peaking at number thirty and charting for nine weeks.<ref name=":3" /> It was used in Nakatani's commercials for [[Ito En]]'s Oi Ocha green tea beverage.


⚫
== Release and promotion ==
The album peaked at number five on the ''Oricon'', charting for a total of seven weeks.<ref>{{Cite web |title=中谷美紀のアルバム売上TOP5作品 |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/236042/rank/album/ |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=ORICON NEWS}}</ref> It charted at number eight on ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''<nowiki/>'s [[Hits of the World]]: Japan for the week of September 16, 1996.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=September 12, 1996 |title=Hits of the World |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wwkEAAAAMBAJ |access-date=10 January 2024 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |page=48 |volume=108 |issue=38 |issn=0006-2510}}</ref>
⚫
''Shokumotsu Rensa'' was released on September 4, 1996, through For Life Records and Güt. The cover photograph for the album was taken by Kazunali Tajima, who became a frequent collaborator of Nakatani's.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tajima Kazunali - Music |url=https://www.mildinc.com/tajima-kazunali-music |access-date=January 9, 2024 |website=Mild Inc. |language=ja}}</ref> The artwork positions the singer against a backdrop of red curtains, with Nakatani gazing into the distance.<ref name=":2" /> Ryutaro Amano of [[Tower Records Japan|Mikiki]] noted the cover for its "melancholic" quality.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Amano |first=Ryutaro |date=December 31, 2023 |title= |script-title=ja:坂本龍一 追悼――YMOから戦メリ、ライブの思い出まで、タワレコスタッフ10名がそれぞれの視点から綴る〈教授と私〉 |trans-title=In Memory of Ryuichi Sakamoto: From YMO to Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence and Memories of Live Concerts, 10 Tower Record Staff Members Write about "The Professor and Me" from Their Own Perspectives |url=https://mikiki.tokyo.jp/articles/-/36289?page=4 |access-date=January 9, 2024 |website=[[Tower Records|Mikiki]] |language=ja}}</ref>

⚫
"Mind Circus" was the first single issued from ''Shokumotsu Rensa'' on May 17, 1996.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title= |script-title=ja:中谷美紀のシングル売上TOP8作品 |trans-title=Miki Nakatani's top 8 single sales |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/236042/rank/single/ |access-date=January 10, 2024 |website=[[Oricon|Oricon News]] |language=ja}}</ref> It peaked at number twenty on the ''Oricon'' and charted for a total of eleven weeks. It played on the [[Nippon TV]] drama ''Oretachi ni Ki wo Tsukero'' with Nakatani in a lead role. "Strange Paradise" was released as the second single on July 19, 1996, peaking at number thirty and charting for nine weeks.<ref name=":3" /> It was used in Nakatani's commercials for a green tea beverage by [[Ito En]].

''Shokumotsu Rensa'' peaked at number five on the ''Oricon'', charting for a total of seven weeks.<ref>{{Cite web |title= |script-title=ja:中谷美紀のアルバム売上TOP5作品 |trans-title=Miki Nakatani's top 5 album sales |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/236042/rank/album/ |access-date=January 11, 2024 |website=[[Oricon|Oricon News]] |language=ja}}</ref> It ranked at number eight on the [[Hits of the World]] Japanese albums chart published by ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' for the week of September 16, 1996.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=September 12, 1996 |title=Hits of the World |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wwkEAAAAMBAJ |access-date=January 10, 2024 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |page=48 |volume=108 |issue=38 |issn=0006-2510}}</ref> The album was promoted through a live concert at Club Quattro in [[Shibuya]] on February 26 and 27, 1997. Nakatani performed seven songs from the album, including "Aishiteru, Aishitenai" and the then-unreleased {{nihongo|"Suna no Kajitsu"|砂の果実|||lead=}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=butterfish {{!}} 中谷美紀 |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/236042/products/342028/1/ |access-date=January 12, 2024 |website=[[Oricon|Oricon News]]}}</ref> It was filmed and published under the title ''Butterfish'' on March 21, 1997, her first and only live release to date.<ref>{{Cite web |title=駿河屋 -<中古>中谷美紀/butterfish（音楽） |url=https://www.suruga-ya.jp/product/detail/938001709 |access-date=January 12, 2024 |website=Suruga-ya |language=ja}}</ref>


== Critical reception ==
== Critical reception ==
''Shokumotsu Rensa'' was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. [[Tower Records]] commended the "mysterious atmosphere" that Nakatani brings to the album, naming it a masterpiece.<ref>{{Cite web |title=中谷美紀/食物連鎖 |url=https://tower.jp/item/2193069?recommend=300 |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=tower.jp}}</ref> Tomoyuki Mori of Real Sound called it a "chic pop album where restraint and sophistication coexist", while ''CD Journal'' highlighted the "gorgeous" contributions by Onuki and Konishi, comparing her to singer [[Tomomi Kahara|Tomomi Kahala]].<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=中谷美紀 / 食物連鎖 - CDJournal |url=https://artist.cdjournal.com/d/-/1196090729 |access-date=2021-11-29 |website=artist.cdjournal.com |language=ja}}</ref>
''Shokumotsu Rensa'' was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. [[Tower Records]] commended the mysterious atmosphere that Nakatani brings to the album, naming it a transcendent masterpiece.<ref>{{Cite web |title=中谷美紀/食物連鎖 |url=https://tower.jp/item/2193069?recommend=300 |access-date=January 10, 2024 |website=[[Tower Records]]}}</ref> Tomoyuki Mori of Real Sound called it a "chic pop album where restraint and sophistication coexist", while ''CD Journal'' highlighted the "gorgeous" contributions by Onuki and Konishi. They opined that Naktani sang in an "ultra-cool style", and furthered compared her to singer [[Tomomi Kahara|Tomomi Kahala]].<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=中谷美紀 / 食物連鎖 |url=https://artist.cdjournal.com/d/-/1196090729 |access-date=November 29, 2021 |website=CD Journal |language=ja}}</ref>

⚫
Writing for ''Pop Master'', Rui Takeshima noted the album's lyrical complexities and felt that Nakatani's vocals had a clear quality to it, "as if she had just stepped out of a sterile room, without pretense".<ref name=":1" /> After Sakamoto's passing in 2023, a retrospective piece in ''[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue Japan]]'' by editor Toru Mitani echoed this sentiment, where Nakatani's debut "exuded a sense of transparency and divinity". They likened her to a mysterious "vessel" in accepting beautiful melodies, and contrasted Nakatani with her contemporary, the [[Tetsuya Komuro]]-produced [[Namie Amuro]]. Mitani ended their column with an overview of Nakatani's work with Sakamoto, calling them monuments of "music by actors".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mitani |first=Toru |date=April 3, 2023 |title= |script-title=ja:坂本龍一と中谷美紀が奏でた音楽。“知性あるアンドロイド”、その普遍性を探る |trans-title=Music by Ryuichi Sakamoto and Miki Nakatani. Exploring the universality of "intelligent androids" |url=https://www.vogue.co.jp/article/toru-mitani-ryuichi-sakamoto-miki-nakatani |access-date=January 10, 2024 |website=[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue Japan]] |language=ja-JP}}</ref>


Hideki Hamaguchi of ''Otonano'' felt that the Sakamoto–Nakatani partnership established a unique world in ''Shokumotsu Rensa'', crediting Sakamoto for its mysterious and artistic sensibility, and Nakatani for her "inorganic" vocals that matched the "innocent worldview" pervading the album. They praised ''Shokumotsu Rensa'' for its experimentation and diversity in music styles.<ref name=":6" />
⚫
Writing for ''Pop Master'', Rui Takeshima noted the album's lyrical complexities and felt that Nakatani's vocals had a clear quality to it, "as if she had just stepped out of a sterile room, without pretense".<ref name=":1" /> After Sakamoto's passing in 2023, a retrospective piece was published in ''Vogue Japan'' by Toru Mitani, echoed this sentiment where Nakatani's debut "exuded a sense of transparency and divinity" and likened her to a mysterious "vessel" in accepting beautiful melodies. They contrasted Nakatani with her contemporary, the [[Tetsuya Komuro]]-produced [[Namie Amuro]], and called the album a masterpiece.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nast |first=Condé |date=2023-04-03 |title=坂本龍一と中谷美紀が奏でた音楽。“知性あるアンドロイド”、その普遍性を探る（Toru Mitani） |url=https://www.vogue.co.jp/article/toru-mitani-ryuichi-sakamoto-miki-nakatani |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=Vogue Japan |language=ja-JP}}</ref>


As part of a feature evaluating Japanese actresses' forgotten music careers in ''Cyzo'' magazine, "Mind Circus" was well regarded and one of the few not to be given a negative "dark past" or ''kurorekishi'' ({{linktext|黒歴史}}) rating. Nakatani's relaxed vocals were praised and "Mind Circus" was commended as it worked because it was neither a song that relied purely on atmospherics, nor was it a diva-style that shouted.<ref>{{Cite web|title=鈴木蘭々の隠れた才能、黒木メイサはいきなり迷走？ 意外なアノ女優たちのCDデビュー歴を暴く！|url=https://www.premiumcyzo.com/modules/member/2015/07/post_6050/|access-date=2021-11-29|website=サイゾーpremium}}</ref>
As part of a feature evaluating Japanese actresses' forgotten music careers in ''Cyzo'' magazine, "Mind Circus" was well regarded and one of the few not to be given a negative "dark past" or ''kurorekishi'' ({{linktext|黒歴史}}) rating. Nakatani's relaxed vocals were praised and "Mind Circus" was commended because it was neither a song that relied purely on atmospherics, nor a song that required [[diva]] stylings.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 15, 2015 |title= |script-title=ja:鈴木蘭々の隠れた才能、黒木メイサはいきなり迷走？ 意外なアノ女優たちのCDデビュー歴を暴く！ |trans-title=Ranmei Suzuki's Hidden Talent, Meisa Kuroki is Suddenly Lost? We uncover the CD debut histories of some unexpected actresses! |url=https://www.premiumcyzo.com/modules/member/2015/07/post_6050/ |access-date=November 29, 2021 |website=Cyzo Premium |language=ja}}</ref>


== Track listing ==
== Track listing ==
All songs composed and arranged by Ryuichi Sakamoto except where noted.<ref name=":2" />{{Tracklist
All songs composed and arranged by Ryuichi Sakamoto except where noted.<ref name=":2" />{{Track listing
| total_length =
| total_length =
| music9 = Toshiko Mori
| music9 = Toshiko Mori
Line 71: Line 80:
| title10 = Sorriso Escuro
| title10 = Sorriso Escuro
| note10 =
| note10 =
| lyrics10 = [[Arto Lindsay]], Cantuária, Urino
| lyrics10 = Urino, [[Arto Lindsay]], Cantuária
| music10 = Lindsay, Cantuária
| music10 = Lindsay, Cantuária
| length10 = 4:24
| length10 = 4:24
Line 89: Line 98:
| title2 = Strange Paradise (Paradise Mix)
| title2 = Strange Paradise (Paradise Mix)
| note2 =
| note2 =
| lyrics2 = Ryuichi Sakamoto
| lyrics2 = Urino
| music2 =
| music2 =
| length2 = 6:13
| length2 = 6:13

Latest revision as of 17:30, 18 June 2024

Shokumotsu Rensa
The cover image features Miki Nakatani in a patterned tank top against a red, curtained backdrop. Cover image is textless.
Studio album by
Miki Nakatani
ReleasedSeptember 4, 1996
Recorded1996
GenrePop
Length55:42
LabelFor Life Records
ProducerRyuichi Sakamoto
Miki Nakatani chronology
Shokumotsu Rensa
(1996) 		Cure
(1997)
Singles from Shokumotsu Rensa
  1. "Mind Circus"
    Released: May 17, 1996
  2. "Strange Paradise"
    Released: July 19, 1996

Shokumotsu Rensa (食物連鎖（しょくもつれんさ）, lit. Food Chain) is the debut studio album by Japanese singer Miki Nakatani. It was released on September 4, 1996, by For Life Records. A former girl group member, Nakatani concentrated on her acting career before returning to music in partnership with musician Ryuichi Sakamoto.

Nakatani was praised for her "cool" vocal performance on Shokumotsu Rensa, and critics made note of the album's diversity and sense of "mystery". It features contributions from Taeko Onuki, Yasuharu Konishi of Pizzicato Five, Vinicius Cantuária, and Arto Lindsay. The album was preceded by two singles: "Mind Circus" and "Strange Paradise". Shokumotsu Rensa peaked at number five on the Oricon charts and is her best-selling album.

Background

[edit]

Nakatani began her career as a member of the girl group Sakurakko Club in 1991, performing with the group for two years. After her departure, she released the single "Anata ga Wakaranai" (あなたがわからない) in 1993, which saw little success.[1] Nakatani began focusing efforts on her acting career, and gained wide exposure after starring in commercials for Nippon Oil.[2]

Nakatani met renowned producer Ryuichi Sakamoto by chance, and the two hit it off after learning that their interests matched.[3] Nakatani herself had always been a fan of Sakamoto's music, and frequently attended his concerts, saying, "I thought he was always sensitive to new things and had a lot to offer, so I became a big fan." She was subsequently signed onto Güt, a subsidiary of For Life Records and Sakamoto's own label, as their first female artist.[3][4] Nakatani appeared on his 1995 album Smoochy, dueting on the song "Aishiteru, Aishitenai" (愛してる, 愛してない, transl. "Love You, Love You Not").[5]

Sakamoto reportedly held a long-term desire to produce a female artist, and others opined that Nakatani saw it as an opportunity to dispel her idol image.[3][6] Critics have compared their partnership to that of French musician Serge Gainsbourg and actress Jane Birkin.[6][7] Since retiring from music in 2001, Nakatani later commented, "I wasn't a very good singer. I made records because I wanted to work with Ryuichi Sakamoto."[8]

Composition

[edit]

Shokumotsu Rensa was produced by Sakamoto, who arranged nearly all of its songs and composed five.[9] Primarily a pop album, it draws from a range of genres. The opener "Mind Circus" is a later addition to city pop with lyrics by Masao Urino, who was an influential figure in the genre.[10][11][12] It makes use of modulations.[7] Yasuharu Konishi contributed the acid jazz "Aibiki no Mori de" (逢いびきの森で), while the electropop "My Best of Love" was penned by Taeko Onuki.[7][13][14] "Where the River Flows" is Japanese-styled, while "Tattoo" channels R&B and features the only lyrics written by Nakatani.[7][14] A bossa nova influence can be heard on "Shikisai no Naka e" (色彩の中へ) and "Sorriso Escuro"; both credit Brazilian musician Vinicius Cantuária as a composer, while the latter was written with American musician Arto Lindsay and contains elements of ambient music.[15] Elsewhere, "Strange Paradise" was remixed for inclusion on the album and references the 1985 Jean-Luc Godard film Hail Mary in its lyrics.[6][9]

Nakatani commented, "What's so strange about Mr. Sakamoto's sound is that even though it contains a lot of mechanical and synth sounds, it is somehow not cold. On the other hand, when you play with an orchestra, it sounds raw, but it's kind of cold. I like the balance between the new and the old, and the balance between the warm and the cold."[3]

Ryuichi Sakamoto (pictured in 2013), the album's executive producer.

Masao Urino wrote the lyrics to five songs on Shokumotsu Rensa.[9] Pressuring himself to match the quality of Sakamoto's "imposing" arrangements, Urino spent a month working on each song. He reflected on their collaboration with fondness as Sakamoto gave him a newfound confidence to write with "instinct". Their partnership began with "Mind Circus", where Sakamoto showed him a picture of British supermodel Kate Moss and said, "Look at this and write whatever your instinct tells you to write."[16][17] The line "boyishness is a wound, but it's your knife" references the Charles Baudelaire poem "L'Héautontimorouménos" from his collection, Les Fleurs du mal (1867).[18] Urino counts his work with Nakatani as among his favorites.[19]

The album title was chosen at Sakamoto's suggestion. In an interview with Tomomi Kahala, Nakatani conveyed that Sakamoto saw her at the top of a food chain: "I thought, am I some kind of food chain pyramid? I was under the impression that I would be at the bottom of the pyramid with all these great artists, including Mr. Sakamoto, providing me with their songs. [...] But, according to Mr. Sakamoto, 'Miki Nakatani eats and eats and eats men and women.'"[20] Takeshima noted that Sakamoto brought out a unisex appeal to Nakatani.[6]

Release and promotion

[edit]

Shokumotsu Rensa was released on September 4, 1996, through For Life Records and Güt. The cover photograph for the album was taken by Kazunali Tajima, who became a frequent collaborator of Nakatani's.[21] The artwork positions the singer against a backdrop of red curtains, with Nakatani gazing into the distance.[9] Ryutaro Amano of Mikiki noted the cover for its "melancholic" quality.[22]

"Mind Circus" was the first single issued from Shokumotsu Rensa on May 17, 1996.[23] It peaked at number twenty on the Oricon and charted for a total of eleven weeks. It played on the Nippon TV drama Oretachi ni Ki wo Tsukero with Nakatani in a lead role. "Strange Paradise" was released as the second single on July 19, 1996, peaking at number thirty and charting for nine weeks.[23] It was used in Nakatani's commercials for a green tea beverage by Ito En.

Shokumotsu Rensa peaked at number five on the Oricon, charting for a total of seven weeks.[24] It ranked at number eight on the Hits of the World Japanese albums chart published by Billboard for the week of September 16, 1996.[25] The album was promoted through a live concert at Club Quattro in Shibuya on February 26 and 27, 1997. Nakatani performed seven songs from the album, including "Aishiteru, Aishitenai" and the then-unreleased "Suna no Kajitsu" (砂の果実).[26] It was filmed and published under the title Butterfish on March 21, 1997, her first and only live release to date.[27]

Critical reception

[edit]

Shokumotsu Rensa was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. Tower Records commended the mysterious atmosphere that Nakatani brings to the album, naming it a transcendent masterpiece.[28] Tomoyuki Mori of Real Sound called it a "chic pop album where restraint and sophistication coexist", while CD Journal highlighted the "gorgeous" contributions by Onuki and Konishi. They opined that Naktani sang in an "ultra-cool style", and furthered compared her to singer Tomomi Kahala.[14][29]

Writing for Pop Master, Rui Takeshima noted the album's lyrical complexities and felt that Nakatani's vocals had a clear quality to it, "as if she had just stepped out of a sterile room, without pretense".[6] After Sakamoto's passing in 2023, a retrospective piece in Vogue Japan by editor Toru Mitani echoed this sentiment, where Nakatani's debut "exuded a sense of transparency and divinity". They likened her to a mysterious "vessel" in accepting beautiful melodies, and contrasted Nakatani with her contemporary, the Tetsuya Komuro-produced Namie Amuro. Mitani ended their column with an overview of Nakatani's work with Sakamoto, calling them monuments of "music by actors".[30]

Hideki Hamaguchi of Otonano felt that the Sakamoto–Nakatani partnership established a unique world in Shokumotsu Rensa, crediting Sakamoto for its mysterious and artistic sensibility, and Nakatani for her "inorganic" vocals that matched the "innocent worldview" pervading the album. They praised Shokumotsu Rensa for its experimentation and diversity in music styles.[7]

As part of a feature evaluating Japanese actresses' forgotten music careers in Cyzo magazine, "Mind Circus" was well regarded and one of the few not to be given a negative "dark past" or kurorekishi (黒歴史) rating. Nakatani's relaxed vocals were praised and "Mind Circus" was commended because it was neither a song that relied purely on atmospherics, nor a song that required diva stylings.[31]

Track listing

[edit]

All songs composed and arranged by Ryuichi Sakamoto except where noted.[9]

No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."Mind Circus"Masao Urino  5:16
2."Strange Paradise (Paradise Mix)"Urino  6:13
3."Aibiki no Mori de" (逢いびきの森で "In the Forest of Encounters")Yasuharu KonishiKonishiKonishi5:26
4."Yogoreta Ashi The Silence of Innocence" (汚れた脚 "Dirty Legs")Urino  6:01
5."My Best of Love"Taeko OnukiOnuki 5:03
6."Where the River Flows"Urino  6:44
7."Tattoo"Miki Nakatani  6:02
8."Shikisai no Naka e" (色彩の中へ "Into the Colors")Hiroshi TakanoVinicius Cantuária 5:58
9."Lunar Fever"TakanoToshiko MoriMori4:30
10."Sorriso Escuro"Urino, Arto Lindsay, CantuáriaLindsay, Cantuária 4:24
  • Tracks 1, 2, 6, 7, and 9 are stylized in all uppercase.
  • Tracks 5 and 10 are stylized in all lowercase.

Charts and sales

[edit]
Chart (1996) Peak

position

Sales
Oricon Weekly Albums[32] 5 131,000[32]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ 中谷美紀(ナカタニミキ)の情報まとめ [Miki Nakatani Information Summary]. OKMusic (in Japanese). Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  2. ^ 渡部篤郎との15年愛乗り越え…中谷美紀が掴んだ"女の幸せ" [Overcoming 15 years of love with Atsuro Watabe... Miki Nakatani has found her "woman's happiness"]. Nikkan Gendai Digital. November 29, 2018. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "clamp of the week ：中谷美紀". Fuji Television. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  4. ^ Yoshimura, Eiichi (March 21, 2017). 予習 『Sweet Revenge』（1994年作品）と『Smoochy』（1995年作品） [Preparation: Sweet Revenge (1994) and Smoochy (1995)]. Commmons. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  5. ^ "スムーチー". HMV Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e Takeshima, Rui (September 30, 2017). 【音楽レビュー】食物連鎖／中谷美紀 [Music Review: Shokumotsu Rensa by Miki Nakatani]. Pop Master (in Japanese). Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  7. ^ a b c d e Hamaguchi, Hideki (2024-01-26). "ガールポップ'90s名鑑・名盤レビュー｜㉙中谷美紀『食物連鎖』" ['90s Girl Pop Directory, Masterpiece Review: Shokumotsu Rensa by Miki Nakatani]. otonano (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  8. ^ Vigneault, Alexandre (2011-08-27). "Miki Nakatani: une star nippone à l'Usine C". La Presse (in Canadian French). Retrieved 2024-03-28.
  9. ^ a b c d e Shokumotsu Rensa (liner notes). Miki Nakatani. Japan: For Life Records. 1996. FLCG-3023.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ Kanazawa, Toshikazu (March 22, 2023). 中谷美紀「MIND CIRCUS」収録！これはシティポップじゃなくてシティミュージック？ [Miki Nakatani's "MIND CIRCUS" included! Is this city music, not city pop?]. reminder.top (in Japanese). Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  11. ^ "#35 2022/10/29 放送後記 | GOODYEAR MUSIC AIRSHIP～シティポップ レイディオ～ - TOKYO FM 80.0MHz -". Tokyo FM (in Japanese). October 29, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  12. ^ Kanazawa, Toshikazu. 林哲司×売野雅勇×金澤寿和 シティ・ポップの始まりと人気を集めた背景を紐解く [Tetsuji Hayashi, Masao Urino, and Toshikazu Kanazawa: Unraveling the Beginnings of City Pop and the Background of its Popularity]. Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  13. ^ "きみになりたい。". Amazon Japan. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  14. ^ a b c Mori, Tomoyuki (April 8, 2023). 坂本龍一が携わった後世にも伝えたい音楽作品 日本のポップミュージックを豊かにした偉大なる功績 [Ryuichi Sakamoto was involved in musical works that will be handed down to future generations — Great Achievements in Enriching Japanese Pop Music]. Real Sound (in Japanese). Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  15. ^ Takeshima, Rui (September 29, 2017). "【音楽レビュー】Invoke／Arto Lindsay". Pop Master (in Japanese). Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  16. ^ Fujii, Tetsukan (July 9, 2016). 35周年を迎えた作詞家・売野雅勇氏 明菜、チェッカーズらヒット曲誕生秘話語る [Lyricist Masao Urino, celebrating his 35th anniversary, talks about the birth of hit songs by Akina, The Checkers, and others]. Oricon News. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  17. ^ Usui, Takashi (July 1, 2023). 売野雅勇、作詞家人生40年。中森明菜や菊池桃子、中谷美紀らとの熱い思い出と“生みの苦しみ”を語る [Masao Urino, 40 years as a lyricist. He talks about his passionate memories of Akina Nakamori, Momoko Kikuchi, Miki Nakatani, and others, and the "pain of creation".]. fumufumu news (in Japanese). Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  18. ^ Kagawa, Fujiya (August 27, 2023). "「涙のリクエスト」「少女A」の作詞家「売野雅勇」が明かす"YMO"との秘話 「高橋さん、坂本さんは少年のような人たちでした」（2ページ目）" 「涙のリクエスト」「少女A」の作詞家「売野雅勇」が明かす“YMO”との秘話 「高橋さん、坂本さんは少年のような人たちでした」（2ページ目） [Msao Urino, lyricist of "Tear Request" and "Shojo A," reveals his secret story with YMO: "Mr. Takahashi and Mr. Sakamoto were like boys" (Page 2)]. Daily Shincho (in Japanese). Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  19. ^ Takashima, Mikio (May 10, 2017). 売野雅勇さんインタビュー [Interview with Masao Urino]. Nippon Television Music Corporation (in Japanese). Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  20. ^ Nakatani, Miki. "CLAMP TALK VOL.84" (Interview). Interviewed by Tomomi Kahala.
  21. ^ "Tajima Kazunali - Music". Mild Inc. (in Japanese). Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  22. ^ Amano, Ryutaro (December 31, 2023). 坂本龍一 追悼――YMOから戦メリ、ライブの思い出まで、タワレコスタッフ10名がそれぞれの視点から綴る〈教授と私〉 [In Memory of Ryuichi Sakamoto: From YMO to Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence and Memories of Live Concerts, 10 Tower Record Staff Members Write about "The Professor and Me" from Their Own Perspectives]. Mikiki (in Japanese). Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  23. ^ a b 中谷美紀のシングル売上TOP8作品 [Miki Nakatani's top 8 single sales]. Oricon News (in Japanese). Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  24. ^ 中谷美紀のアルバム売上TOP5作品 [Miki Nakatani's top 5 album sales]. Oricon News (in Japanese). Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  25. ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 38. September 12, 1996. p. 48. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  26. ^ "butterfish | 中谷美紀". Oricon News. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  27. ^ "駿河屋 -<中古>中谷美紀/butterfish（音楽）". Suruga-ya (in Japanese). Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  28. ^ "中谷美紀/食物連鎖". Tower Records. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  29. ^ "中谷美紀 / 食物連鎖". CD Journal (in Japanese). Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  30. ^ Mitani, Toru (April 3, 2023). 坂本龍一と中谷美紀が奏でた音楽。“知性あるアンドロイド”、その普遍性を探る [Music by Ryuichi Sakamoto and Miki Nakatani. Exploring the universality of "intelligent androids"]. Vogue Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  31. ^ 鈴木蘭々の隠れた才能、黒木メイサはいきなり迷走？ 意外なアノ女優たちのCDデビュー歴を暴く！ [Ranmei Suzuki's Hidden Talent, Meisa Kuroki is Suddenly Lost? We uncover the CD debut histories of some unexpected actresses!]. Cyzo Premium (in Japanese). July 15, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  32. ^ a b "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" [Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree']. Oricon (in Japanese).
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