From Japan

''Girl-pop'' often dominates the Japanese charts, whether as dance music (Ayumi Hamasaki), J-R&B (Hikaru Utada), or cuteness for its own sake (Morning Mu-sume). Aiko is none of the above. With her fourth CD, Aki Sobani Iruyo (''Autumn Is Here!''), the 27-year-old singer-songwriter broadens her lean, rock-based sound with strings, Beatlesque horns, and, on ''Kurozetto'' (''Closet''), even a touch of circus music. Aiko's emphasis on lyrics may leave non-Japanese speakers feeling like they're missing something (they are), and her pitch sometimes seems unsure to Western ears. But her vividly emotional performances enchant nonetheless.