City Pop is an upcoming stream pack by Zaia. It is a genre-specific pack focusing on 1980s Japanese American-influenced pop music, known by the loose genre “city pop”, as well as early 1990s proto-Eurobeat/Eurodisco/Italo disco music.
The expected release date is Q1-Q2 2025 (as at November 2024).
| Pack Director | Zaia |
| Stepartists | Zaia |
| BPM | 240-275 (known) |
| Songcount | 7 |
| Blocks | 22-30 (known) |
| Type | Stream |
| Format | Singles |
| Release Date | Q1-Q2 2025 |
¶ Structure
Each simfile in the pack contains 4 charts, including all mixes. Lowers are produced using the “cut-stream lower” style.
¶ Development
The City Pop project began on June 22, 2019, when Shiawase no Monosashi (VANTAGE- Edit) was stepped. In early 2020 the project broadened in scope to include early 1990s proto-Eurobeat dance music. Development has continued very slowly as other projects took priority, but existing charts were featured in ECS events every year or so. A large portion of work was done in November 2023, as well as in May 2024.
It's my largest project, so it is taking a long time to produce. Please await the delivery with excitement!
¶ Artistic Influences and Chart Design
The charts are written with fairly moderate patterning - most fall within the middle band of the slidey-steppy spectrum, especially given their tempos enable them to be able to support more pattern diversity. There are outliers, but most maintain access to the full range of stream patterns available.
¶ Graphics
The visual theme is based around 1980s Japanese pop art, inspired particularly by artists like Hiroshi Nagai.
¶ Songlist
City Pop will contain 40 songs. Listed are the publicly-known songs
| Song | Artist | BPM | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| City Pop (EN Side) | Various | 256 | Mixed by Zaia Featured in Stamina RPG 8 2024 |
| City Pop (JP Side) | Various | 275 | Mixed by Zaia Featured in Stamina RPG 7 2023 |
| Heaven | Virgin | 274 | Featured in Stamina RPG 6 2022 |
| Lady | Yubin | 240 | Stepped on stream in 2019 |
| Love | Lisa Johnson | 270 | Featured in Stamina RPG 6 2022 |
| Plastic Love (Night Tempo 100% Pure Remastered) | Mariya Takeuchi | 240 | Featured in ECS 10 2021 |
| Shiawase no Monosashi (VANTAGE- Edit) | Mariya Takeuchi | 256 | Featured in ECS 8 2019, Stamina RPG 5 2021 |
| Yume No Tsuzuki (DJ HypeBeat Remaster) | Mariya Takeuchi | 256 | Featured in ECS 9 2020, Stamina RPG 6 2022 |
¶ Reception and Retrospect
Player reception for the charts in this pack have been exceptionally positive and the anticipation for this project is high.
City Pop (EN Side) will receive a pattern nerf for its most difficult chart, based on player feedback.
¶ Trivia
- It will be my largest project in terms of stepcount
- The current largest is the Saitama's Ultimate Weapon project, which has roughly 750000 steps
- The Japanese city pop songs featured in the pack aren't really true “city pop” songs. Most are actually future funk songs that sample the original songs heavily
- True city pop music is not viable to step. It is too slow and the bpms are drifty