Beat the heat with these fire tracks!

What’s good Internet? Welcome back to another installment of the Monthly Recommendation Roundup! Summer’s been heating up (some places more than others I’m sure), and I can say the same for this month in Japanese music too as these past couple of weeks have been quite the time for it.

Before we proceed though, if you actually opened up this blog post not quite knowing what to expect ー

Basically I put together a post featuring Japanese music that I’ve listened to and subsequently recommend to you guys at the end of every month. Keep in mind that these songs don’t all have to have been released within that time frame, as they might also be just songs that I only just discovered myself, or songs that I just want to feature and recommend on a whim.

The songs that I’ll end up featuring will all come from YouTube links of their respective PVs so there is a fair bit of restriction on what I’ll be able to put on here, but I find that keeping it all to one platform ensures the most universality (with remedies easily available in the case of region restrictions). This also allows me to put together a playlist for every song that gets put on the Roundup that I’ll update and share at the end of each post.

Let’s get right to it!

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自白/jihaku
by CLAN QUEEN
Their energy is just something else

Since we last saw them (around the time they released their debut album, *VeiL*, in April), “creative neo-rock” band CLAN QUEEN has been steadily building a local cult following. This growth follows their successful one-man live debut that same month. Fans who attended the event took to social media to describe the unique CLAN QUEEN concert experience, with some even mentioning bodies “flying all over the place.” While this is likely an exaggeration (though it would be amazing if true), it does capture the high-energy atmosphere the band brings to their performances. We briefly touched on this when we discussed their debut album at the J-Music Advance Party for April (a quick reminder to sign up for the newsletter if you haven’t already). I believe much of their appeal comes from their knack for creating explosive moments—or “sabi,” as it’s called in Japanese music—such as those found in Jihaku here. I particularly love when Yowa cranks up the intensity of her vocals as the chorus kicks in. CLAN QUEEN can go from 0 to 100 in an instant, and their music has a way of getting your adrenaline pumping before you even realize it.

悪夢のような/akumu no youna; “Nightmarish”
by ブランデー戦記 (brandy senki)
Not what anyone expected from them I would think

Though I guess, looking back, I’m not sure if even Brandy Senki knew the musical direction they wanted to take when they first debuted with the single Musica in 2022. I mention their debut specifically because of its incredible impact; the music video quickly broke a million views on YouTube just a month after its release and now boasts 5 million views at the time of writing. While many factors contributed to its success (being plugged on public radio as well as the algorithm doing its thing to name a few), I find it fascinating from a musical standpoint. According to the majority of the comments on the video, much of the fan appeal stemmed from elements other than the music itself, such as the lyrics or the fact that the band produced the video themselves. Their follow-up single, Kids, raised more questions than it answered, and each subsequent release has only made it harder to pin down Brandy Senki’s sound. This holds true for Akumu no You na, where the band now incorporates city pop influences into their style. It might be a case of the band still trying to find their footing, but I have to say, I like what they’re experimenting with here.

蜃気楼/shinkirou
by ゲシュタルト乙女 (gestalt otome; “Gestalt Girl”)
Long time no see

It’s been over two years since we last featured Gestalt Girl here on the Roundup—not due to neglect, but because the Taiwanese alternative rock band had only recently resumed activities themselves not too long ago. This return follows the departure of their longtime guitarist, Kaiaki, who retired in February 2023 for health reasons. In a statement addressing Kaiaki’s departure, vocalist Mikan reassured fans that Gestalt Girl would continue under her leadership and asked for patience as she navigates this transition. By March of this year, the band ended their brief hiatus with the release of Fuudoushin, introducing new guitarist Aasu into the mix. As one might expect with such a lineup change—especially when the departing member played a key role in song composition—Gestalt Girl’s sound has noticeably evolved. Shinkirou here, for example, is a brighter, more upbeat track compared to their earlier work, which I would describe as having had a hazier, more enigmatic quality. The song also leans more toward a straightforward pop style, which I find to be an intriguing new direction. I don’t dislike it, though!

花の名残り/hana no nagori ft. 星界 (SEKAI)
by ピコン (picon)
On the subject of people we haven’t heard from in a while

I can’t even begin to express how relieved I feel every time I see Picon still creating music, even five or six years after I first discovered their work. To be fair, I wouldn’t call them the most prolific Vocaloid producer, even at their most active. Yet, every year, I find myself wondering whether they’ll release another song. That said, it seems Picon has been reinvigorated lately, given the relatively quick pace of their recent releases. This year, they’ve surprised us with a second song, Hana no Nagori, instead of their usual one-song-a-year pattern. It’s worth noting that for these recent releases, Picon has shifted away from using Hatsune Miku, as they had for all their previous works, and have shown a preference for CeVIO AI’s suite of vocal synth products—particularly those from the Musical Isotope Project, which features voice banks of the KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO’s Virtual Witch Phenomenon members. They’ve now created a song for each member, except for KAF, possibly to determine which voice best complements their compositions. For what it’s worth, I think this latest song with SEKAI has been their best yet, capturing the same emotional depth as their earlier pieces.

FREAK
by ELAIZA
If you hear it

While I appreciate when a band or artist has a distinct sound, I’m also open to guest composers bringing their musical style to others—especially when the result is unmistakably their own, as seen with Japanese-Filipino model-turned-singer ELAIZA’s FREAK. If you’ve been listening to Japanese music (or at least the ones regularly featured here on the Roundup) for a good amount of years now, it shouldn’t take you too long to realize that this track was written and composed by SHIZUKU and the rest of Polkadot Stingray. It’s not the first time the band has composed for a Japanese pop artist; they did a similar project a few years ago for voice actress Hanazawa Kana with the song SHINOBI NAI. In both cases, I believe Polkadot Stingray has approached these guest compositions the right way—by creating a Polkadot Stingray song for someone else to perform. The point is to draw on their artistry, and it would be a missed opportunity if guest composers strayed from the sound they’re known for. At the same time, it shows great versatility to interpret someone else’s vision and execute it authentically. Kudos to ELAIZA, too, whose talents have slowly but surely proven to be deeper than we initially thought.

ナツイロスコップ/natsuiroscoop
by メリクレット (melikret)
I’ve been wanting to talk about this band for a while now

I discovered Melikret this past year through a few of their songs recommended to me on Spotify, and they quickly caught my attention. The Sapporo-based mixed-gender four-piece is part of a newer wave of emotive alt-rock bands that have emerged, following the mainstream success of “yakousei” acts in recent years. Specifically, I find that Melikret, along with other indie bands of a similar style, seems heavily influenced by yakousei pioneer Yorushika in terms of song structure and overall composition. For example, there are moments in Natsuiroscoop here that feel reminiscent of Yorushika’s Miyakoochi, particularly with the acoustic guitar picking. It’s worth noting that even n-buna, the creative force behind Yorushika, acknowledges on Yorushika’s Tousaku album that his own musical direction is shaped by artists who came before him, so there’s nothing wrong with bands drawing inspiration from the music they love. I’ve always had a soft spot for bands that attempt a “yakousei”-like sound, as I’m a fan of that style myself. That’s why I’ve been keeping an eye on Melikret, and so far, they’ve been running with it impressively.

アノクシア/anoxia
by スクールガールズエンド (school girls end)
This one, on the other hand, is a bit overdue on my part

I’ve had a few chances to feature School Girls End on the Roundup in the past, but I neglected to do so until now. However, looking at it from another perspective, now seems like the perfect time to introduce this all-girl, three-piece rock band from Osaka. The genre is currently experiencing a surge in popularity, thanks to shows like Bocchi The Rock! from last year and this year’s GIRLS BAND CRY, both of which have reignited interest in the indie rock scene inside and outside of Japan. What’s interesting about this recent “band boom,” compared to previous ones, is that it represents the first true depiction of “utsu rock” or “depression/downer rock” in popular media—a style that now makes up a significant portion of today’s Japanese indie rock scene. School Girls End is firmly a part of this scene, and their song Anoxia is a great example of the genre, with its somber lyrics, punchy and aggressive playstyle, and the emotive, heartfelt singing of vocalist Asayake Yuuna.

言い訳/iiwake
by speel plaats
Sure to wake you up

Some of you may remember that for the 2023 Roundup Awards, our runner-up for Favorite Blind Pickup of 2023 was the album Orbital by Atomic Skipper. At the time, I knew little, if anything, about the band, but after listening to the album for the first time, I quickly became a fan. Since discovering Atomic Skipper, I’ve noticed that more and more bands with that bold, “in your face” energy have started finding their way to me. Akuruyo no Hitsuji, AFTER SQUALL, UNFAIR RULE—the list keeps growing. Now, speel plaats has joined that list as well, and true to their motto, “Rather than cuddle, I’m taking your hand and bringing you out now,” they, like the others, have a sound that gets you up on your feet. This is largely thanks to vocalist Ayane’s powerful and commanding singing style, combined with the band’s energetic and uplifting instrumentation, as you’ll hear in Iiwake here.

東京/tokyo
by 朝4時 (asa yoji)
So soothing

To pull back the curtain a little—I’m actually on vacation as I write this, and by the time this post goes live, I’ll likely be embarking on the main highlight of my trip: visiting Japan! While planning my itinerary, I kept thinking, “What better place to enjoy Japanese music than in Japan itself?” So, I looked for various live shows to attend while I’m there. I mention this now because one of the shows I’ll be attending is Asa Yoji’s first one-man live event. I wasn’t familiar with Asa Yoji or their work before deciding to buy a ticket, but the show fit perfectly with my schedule, and the venue was one I’d been wanting to visit, so I thought, why not? I can’t count the number of times I’ve discovered new music from a band or artist I didn’t know just through doing the Roundup, and this felt no different. In fact, it gave me the perfect excuse to dive into Asa Yoji’s music and prepare myself for the live show. That’s when I realized I’d already made one of the best decisions of my trip. Tokyo gives you a good sense of her vibe, but her voice—it’s something else entirely…

アパートの一室で/apaato no isshitsu de
by シベリアンハスキー (siberian husky)
Can I just say, I adore this band name?

After discovering Asa Yoji, I went down a bit of a rabbit hole searching for live shows and deciding which bands and artists to see and where. One band that caught my attention, mostly because of their name, was Siberian Husky (lol). At first, I wasn’t sure what to expect from a band named after a dog breed, but like with Asa Yoji, I was pleasantly surprised by their sound. Their style leans more toward pop rock, but with a hint of that indie edge, as you can hear in Apaato no Isshitsu de here I also found vocalist Murata Mizuki’s voice to be reminiscent of chilldspot’s Hiyune at times (at keast for me personally), which I thought was pretty cool. I mean, how often do I get to make that comparison? Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend their upcoming live show, but I’m grateful to have discovered the band and will definitely be keeping an eye on them moving forward.

MUST LISTEN:
“Jihaku” by CLAN QUEEN and “Tokyo” by Asa Yoji
One of the things I truly appreciate about CLAN QUEEN—besides their knack for consistently putting out bangers—is their commitment to their signature style. They stay true to what brought them success: focusing on those big moments in their songs that they orchestrate so masterfully, as they showcase to full effect in Jihaku. I also want to give a quick shoutout to Asa Yoji, whose singing has captivated me from the very first time I heard one of her songs. She continues to be such an endearing artist to follow, and I’m excited to see where her music journey takes her. If Tokyo is any indication, she might just be on her way to becoming a household name in the big city sooner rather than later.

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The YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music playlists have now been updated with this month’s featured tracks. Make sure to follow the Roundup on any or all your preferred listening service if you haven’t yet, so you never miss a beat!

The Roundup EP for August 2024 just dropped now as well! If you think I missed out on highlighting a particular song this month, there’s a good chance you’ll find it here.

What are your thoughts on this month’s Roundup? Lemme know down in the comments which of the songs I featured you ended up liking the most! While you’re at it, let me know too of some of your own recommendations as well!

We held the J-Music Advance Party once again over at my Substack newsletter. As a reminder, the Advance Party is where I go over some of the upcoming Japanese music releases that I’m personally looking forward to each month. If you weren’t able to attend this month’s Party at launch, you can always check them out after the fact, along with the previous ones as well if you missed out on them too. Don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter to get monthly invites for future Parties so you never have to backtrack! We won’t be having the usual party for September. HOWEVER, a special issue of the Advance Party will instead be taking its place. Stay tuned.

We had Week 16 and Week 17 of Spotify J-Music Playlist Draft Season 2 this month as well. Be sure to keep yourself updated on the most recent Draft weeks if you’re not already caught up (and shoutout to the Draft regulars out there who’re always tuning in week-to-week!).

A new set of Japanese music album reviews was in store for you guys as well, courtesy of the J-Music Exchange/Rate! It was Al’s turn to decide on the theme for the month’s albums, and so we got to talking about albums that feature multiple memorable music videos! I took this opportunity to have Al take a quick stroll through KAMITSUBAKI CITY as I had him listen to V.W.P’s Unmei (catch his review of it here!). I in turn wrote a review for the album Suki nara Towanai by a band that I share a but of history with here on the blog in Gesu no Kiwami Otome. You can check out my review here if you haven’t yet done so as well.

And that’s gonna do it for this month’s Roundup! Apologies if there’s anything wonky with how this one came out. As I mentioned, I’ll be in the middle of a trip by the time this post gets published, where I’ll mostly be doing my final edits with an iPad (lol). Hopefully it came out okay. 😊

Happy Listening!