You’re good as gone~ August is over~ We’re not the reason~ August is over~

If you recognize that track, then yes… you’re right, it really did drop sixteen years ago. And yes, there’s even a link to the band’s MySpace page in the video description (yeah, talk about a throwback). But that’s not what we’re here for today 😀 What we are here for, of course, is the Monthly Recommendation Roundup! If you’ve been around the block with these posts before, you probably already know the drill, so feel free to skip ahead. But if this happens to be your first time joining us, here’s a quick rundown:

At the end of each month, I put together a post featuring Japanese music that I’ve listened to and want to recommend to you all. Keep in mind, these songs don’t necessarily have to be recent releases. Some might be tracks I’ve just discovered, while others could be longtime favorites that I’m excited to share on a whim.

The songs I feature will all come from YouTube links to their respective PVs, which means there are some limitations on what I can include. However, I find that sticking to one platform ensures the most accessibility for everyone (and there are easy workarounds for region restrictions). This also allows me to create a playlist of all the songs featured in each Roundup, which I update and share at the end of every post

This month was absolutely packed to the brim (honestly, maybe even more than usual given how tough it was trimming the list down to just ten picks). So, no point in dragging it out any further, let’s get right to it!

ーー

Level up
by muque
No other band I’d trust to deliver in under three minutes

muque continue their reign as the undisputed champions of sub-three-minute tracks this month with Level up. As you might guess from the title, the band are once again tapping into their video game-inspired themes, carrying forward the aesthetic they’ve been bringing with them since last year’s aptly named debut full album Dungeon (based, of course, on retro-style RPGs). Now, as much as I’d love to make the easy pun that muque has definitely “leveled up” since we last heard from them, the reality is this track is business as usual for the band. But honestly? That’s a good thing, especially considering their recent jump to a major label, which so often signals a pivot in sound. It’s reassuring to see muque stay the course. If I had to single out something that stood out compared to their earlier tracks though, it’s that vocalist Asakura feels more comfortable in her delivery than ever before, if that angelic little note at 01:47 is anything to go by.

ひまわり/himawari
by Chilli Beans.
Speaking of business as usual

I think it’s safe to say that Chilli Beans. are officially back on track (their reappearance here on the Roundup should be proof enough, JK). The band seem to be steering closer again to their earlier, fan-favored sound after a brief period of exploration that followed the release of their sophomore album Welcome to my Castle in 2023. Don’t get me wrong, that detour wasn’t without its successes, Raise became a breakout hit, and tracks like doll were definite standouts, but for me, it just never quite captured the same magic as their stellar self-titled full album debut. I caught a glimpse of hope in last year’s mini-album blue night, where bits and pieces of that old spark started creeping back in, but not enough for me to call it a full return. Himawari though, for my money, is the clearest step in the “right” direction yet. The guitar focus, the explosive choruses, these are the elements that defined Chilli Beans.’ best moments, and while they’re still holding back just a bit, I can hear the conscious effort to bring that same energy back.

私の王子様/watashi no ouji-sama
by チョーキューメイ (“ChoQMay”)
We’re bringing back all the favorites this month

On the subject of Roundup favorites making their long-awaited return, ChoQMay finally makes their first appearance on the blog this year with their new single Watashi no Ouji-sama. While drafting this feature, I couldn’t help but notice a bit of a parallel between ChoQMay and Chilli Beans., with both bands experimenting with new directions that shift them away from their earlier sounds. For ChoQMay, this pivot was most noticeable on their most recent mini-album Gingham Check, which leaned heavily on piano/keyboard-forward arrangements. The result was a sound that felt poppier, more jovial, and broadly inviting, but at the cost of the darker, haunting edge that made their earlier work so striking. Unlike Chilli Beans., who seem to be circling back toward their roots, ChoQMay appear to be leaning further into this pop-leaning approach with Watashi no Ouji-sama. That said, I think I might actually prefer this particular execution. The acoustic guitar adds a lovely texture, and spotlighting both Urara’s singing and violin-playing is never not a treat.

赤いワインに涙が/akai wine ni namida ga
by ブランデー戦記 (brandy senki)
Way to follow through

With their successful major-label debut now firmly under their belt, you’d think Brandy Senki might take a moment to rest before charging ahead again, but nope. Just a little over two months removed from dropping their self-titled banger of an album, the band is already back with Akai wine ni namida ga, which has since received its own PV. The retro-theming they embraced following their “rebranding” is still very much alive here, evident both in the video’s aesthetic and in the song itself, which carries a nostalgic, old-country sway in its melody. What’s been fascinating is seeing the YouTube comment section filled with people, many of them saying they’re “older listeners”, remarking how much the track reminds them of songs they used to hear on the radio. Maybe a handful are trolling (lol), but I honestly believe a lot of them are sincere. If so, it’s a real testament to Brandy Senki’s ability to tap into that timeless quality with their music. The question now is whether they’ll stick with this old-school sound moving forward. They’ve clearly got a strong handle on it, and if they keep pursuing it, I can’t imagine them not finding even more success.

HYPER BLEACH
by LAURELS
We got a wild card here

Rounding out the regulars spot for me this month is three-piece alternative rock band LAURELS, back on a quick turnaround following their June 2025 showing. This time with HYPER BLEACH, another cut off their debut mini-album now getting its promotional shine. If you’ve been following the Roundup, you’d know a single year can play host to a surprising number of standout acts (which is really why I had to shift the format in the first place). 2025 has been no exception, with plenty already making waves, but every year a few manage to truly break through. I think LAURELS might be one of those bands. They’ve got an intriguing sound, sure, but also character, something that feels like it’s been overflowing from the new crop of artists lately. Maybe it’s just that retro-theming is in vogue right now and everyone’s running with it to absolute great effect, but LAURELS set themselves apart by blending that sensibility with a heavy, rugged grunge sound you don’t often hear from an all-female band. Whatever the case, it works amazingly well, and it makes them one of the acts I’m most excited to keep watching from here.

I’m waiting for
by 國 (kuni)
So easy to get lost in

It won’t take long for you to get swept up in Kuni’s gorgeous post-rock guitar melodies on I’m waiting for. And once you are, it’s honestly almost impossible not to lose yourself completely in the soundscape they create. So much so, that you probably won’t even notice that the track actually runs over six minutes (lol). What makes it work is how the band makes full use of that length, filling it with thoughtful instrumental breaks that you don’t often hear used this effectively. Now, I’ve talked before about songs that overstay their welcome by dragging an extra thirty seconds or a minute too long. But for me, it all comes down to execution, and in Kuni’s case, the time feels intentional. It’s about letting the music breathe, expand, and eventually build into that massive emotional crescendo that finally, gently, crashes down on you. It’s powerful, it’s purposeful, and it’s the kind of sound that makes Kuni a band you definitely don’t want to sleep on. The band is woefully underrated at the moment, so if you liked what you heard here, definitely keep them on your radar. They’re set to release their very first full album in just a couple of days. I, for one, can’t wait to hear how they expand on the sound they’ve been building toward.

夏の鼓動/natsu no kodou
by あのと (anoto)
Summer’s not over just yet

Maximizing time at the opposite end of the spectrum, Anoto’s Natsu no kodou wastes no moment on build up, going right into its melodies and immediately pulling you in. Having said what I just said about taking your time to let the music breather and come alive, Anoto instead shows us here what can be done when you just dive right to it. The result is a track that doesn’t so much “start” as it does suck you in, almost like you’ve been dropped right into the middle of a daydream. There’s also a very distinct seasonality to the song, its breezy feel and easy flow giving off a summer-y vibe that actually reminded me a lot of Trooper Salute’s Fuan from last month’s Roundup. Both tracks carry that sense of hazy warmth that makes you want to just lose yourself in the moment, though Anoto’s take on it feels a little more immediate and fleeting, like a rush of wind you’re trying to hold onto before it slips away. What really seals it for me are the vocals. They’re weighty in a way that lingers long after the track ends. Deep, resonant, and carrying this kind of emotional heft that contrasts nicely with the song’s otherwise lighter instrumental textures. It’s that interplay between airy and heavy, fleeting and lasting, that gives Natsu no kodou its pull. For such a concise track, it leaves quite the impression.

POOL
by roi bob
I could go for a swim after listening to this

If you’ve been keeping up with me, whether here on the Roundup or over on my Substack, you might recall me pointing out how 2025 has quietly (or maybe not so quietly) turned into a banner year for Japanese shoegaze and dream pop. Every month it feels like some new act emerges with a track that makes me sit back and think, “yep, this scene is thriving.” Sure, maybe I’m getting nudged that way by the algorithm the more I listen, but honestly, I’d argue these songs stand out on their own merit, with roi bob’s POOL here being a prime example. Right from the jump, the track shimmers like the reflection of sunlight off a pool on a sweltering summer day, its dream pop arrangement glistening in soft, rippling waves. The real anchor here though is vocalist nii, whose mesmerizingly airy delivery floats right above the instrumentation with an ease that feels almost otherworldly. It’s one of those songs that doesn’t just play in the background, you end up suspended in it, floating on the water’s surface, wrapped in its haze until the very last note. Another stunner in what’s already been a remarkable streak for the genre this year. Wouldn’t be surprised if roi bob starts making their way onto more people’s radars soon.

エレクトリックおばけ/electric obake
by 海月にさされたら (kurage ni sasaretara)
Oddly nostalgic

Funny how timing works out sometimes. Over in this month’s Exchange/Rate I had the chance to revisit A crow is white, a band I’ve known since my earliest days of getting into Japanese music. Back then, I only had a small handful of their songs on rotation (streaming wasn’t as accessible yet), but they stuck with me in a way few bands did, largely because their sound reminded me so much of Soutaiseiriron, except lighter, poppier, almost pastel in tone. It’s a very particular style that I never really found anyone else nailing down quite the same way. So imagine my surprise when, in the very same month I’m writing about A crow is white again, I stumble onto Kurage ni Sasaretara and their track Electric Obake. It has that same pastel-colored, Soutaiseiriron-adjacent charm, filtered through their own electronic pop rock sound. Vocalist Noya in particular floats across the arrangement with this fleeting lightness in her singing voice. If you’ve ever chased that slightly whimsical, off-kilter kind of pop that lives somewhere between dreaminess and quirk, this one’s a real gem, and a reminder that the lineage of that sound is alive and well.

echoes of fading girl
by 揺れるは幽霊 (yureruwayurei)
The emotions in these riffs are just so palpable

Last month I mentioned this rotating playlist I’ve been curating, one that highlights songs I feel best embody what Kitani Tatsuya has dubbed 和式オルタナ (or “Japanese-style alternative”). By his own definition, it’s music where intricate guitar work sits at the core of the arrangement, but with vocal melodies playing just as crucial a role. It’s a style I’ve found myself drawn to more and more over the years, often highlighted in the unofficial Japanese indie band feature spot for the Roundup. But, what started as an unofficial soft spot will now become an official one, as every month, I’ll be setting aside a slot here specifically for Japanese-style alternative. Kicking things off is yureruwayurei’s echoes of fading girl, which really checks all the boxes for why I love this sound. There’s a shoegazey, almost Midwestern emo-like delivery at play, with emphatic, emotional guitar riffs. Layered on top is vocalist sako, whose echoic, transparent vocals seem to reverberate right inside you, amplifying the track’s emotional pull even further. As far as inaugural picks go, I couldn’t have asked for a better one. If this is your first encounter with Japanese-style alternative, echoes of fading girl is about as perfect an introduction as you’re gonna get.

MUST LISTEN:
“HYPER BLEACH” by LAURELS and “echoes of fading girl” by yureruwayurei
I almost wish LAURELS had led with HYPER BLEACH to promote their debut mini-album (which you should absolutely give a spin), because to me this feels like the strongest cut of the bunch. Where GIANT KILLER, which I featured here last time, was a bit rougher around the edges, HYPER BLEACH sharpens that same grunge rock energy into something more concise and clean. The riffs still bite, the vocals still come in hot, but there’s a sense of control here that really elevates the track. I could honestly spotlight any of the five songs that made up the back half of this month’s Roundup, but none really hit me at the core quite like yureruwayurei’s echoes of fading girl. There’s just something about the way its shoegaze-tinged, emo-colored guitars crash in with all that raw angst, only to be met by sako’s echoic, almost translucent vocals, that makes the whole thing resonate on a deeper level. It’s the kind of song that leaves a mark,

ーー

The YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music playlists have ALL now been updated with this month’s featured tracks. Make sure to follow them on your preferred listening service if you haven’t yet!

I mentioned earlier that this month was packed to the brim with amazing new music from this month, and if you wanted to see just how true that statement is, look no further than the Roundup Extended Playlist (EP) down below!

What’d you all think of this month’s Roundup? Drop your thoughts in the comments. I’d love to hear ’em!

And of course, if you’ve got any favorite tracks of your own from this past month, toss those in too. Always curious to see what you’ve all been spinning!

We had ourselves quite the shindig of album drops this August at the J-Music Advance Party, with Sagiri Sól and YonYon lighting things up with their latest releases. If you happened to miss the pre-release chatter I had about these (or didn’t even know I did that sort of thing in the first place), here’s your reminder to subscribe to my Substack newsletter! Every month, usually right around the first week, I highlight upcoming Japanese albums, EPs, and mini-albums I’m personally excited for. Signing up is totally free, and it also unlocks access to past issues plus automatic notifications for new ones as soon as they’re live. The next Party is set for September 7, 2025. Hope to see you there!

As some of you may have noticed, the Spotify J-Music Playlist Draft didn’t make its return this month after running into a scheduling snag back in July. After giving it some thought, I’ve decided to put the series on hold indefinitely. I know it’s a bit abrupt to pause things mid-season, and my apologies to those of you who’ve been keeping up week to week. That said, I absolutely plan on bringing the Draft back down the line, it’s just a matter of when. Until then, I really want to thank everyone who’s followed along so far 😊

The J-Music Exchange/Rate, on the other hand, is still going strong with another fresh set of album reviews for you this month. The theme, picked out by my good buddy Al, was creativity, or more specifically, albums that come to mind when we think of the word “creative.” For my part, I had Al dive into Guiano’s Kachofugetsu, which I personally consider to be one of the most creative albums I’ve ever listened to. You can check out his thoughts on it over at the Omunibasu Substack! In return, I was tasked with giving A crow is white’s Back to the Future a spin, and you can read my review of it here if you haven’t yet already!

And that’s a wrap! Huge thanks, as always, for stopping by. My hope, same as every month, is that you had just as good a time going through these picks as I did putting them all together. Until next time, friends!

Happy Listening! 🎶