Q3 2025 in the books!

Yes indeed, we’re now three-fourths of the way through the year. Despite that though the music still shows no sign of slowing down. If anything, things only seem to be heating up even more; and of course, the Monthly Recommendation Roundup is always here for it. 😎 If you’re a veteran, you already know the drill so I won’t keep you. But if this happens to be your first time here and you’re not exactly sure what this is all about, give the following a quick read:

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

Not for nothing, but I honestly think this month, taken on its own, has been one of the best we’ve had all year for Japanese music. My only hope is that the ten songs I picked out tonight do it justice 😅

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Huge Moon
by 國 (kuni)
How quickly this band has managed to endear me with their music.

When we last talked about Kuni, it was in anticipation of their first full album Kids Return, a release that, I’m happy to report, did not disappoint one bit (seriously, go give it a listen if you haven’t yet). Now, barely a beat later, the band’s back in quick turnaround with Huge Moon, a song longtime fans will recognize as one of their landmark tracks. This time around though, it’s been given a fresh coat of paint with a long-overdue PV treatment, and honestly, it’s a stellar choice to put front and center in promoting the album. Everything I’ve now since come to love about Kuni’s sound is on full display here: emphatic guitar riffs that drive the track forward, Arisa’s ethereal vocals floating just above the haze, and that grainy distortion wrapping it all in an atmosphere that instantly takes me back to late-90s/early-2000s indie alt rock. It’s both nostalgic and refreshing all at once, and for me, it cements Huge Moon as a defining highlight of Kids Return and the band as a whole.

metro
by kurayamisaka
Sounds that shake you right to your very core.

On the subject of new album drops, fan-favorite shoegaze band kurayamisaka also delivered their long-awaited first full-length kurayamisaka ai wo komete this month (if you’re sensing a theme here, you’re onto something). Following the breakout success of their 2022 debut EP kimi wo omotte iru, which spread like wildfire through the shoegaze community, expectations were sky-high. And suffice it to say, the album more than lives up to the hype. Honestly, I’d call it an early contender for album of the year. metro, the second track on the record, gives a perfect glimpse of what the album has to offer. Much like Kuni’s Huge Moon, I think it works brilliantly as a gateway song for anyone curious about the new album (which I highly recommend you go check out). What’s more, reading through the liner notes, the band mentioned this belief that the second track is often the first “real” song of an album; a sentiment that really resonated with me as more often than not it does actually tend to be the case. Whether or not you agree, it says a lot about the kind of care and intention kurayamisaka poured into this release, right down to the sequencing.

Lot
by CRAZY BLUES
Yoshida Saho’s vocals just take me away.

If you guessed that CRAZY BLUES also had a release lined up this month, you’d be totally right (lol). The young Kyoto-based three-piece just dropped their debut EP, with Lot e.p serving as its title track. The last time they popped up here in the Roundup was about a year ago, when they only had three songs to their name, but even then, they were already showing immense promise with a nuanced “dreamgaze” sound. With Lot (and the rest of the EP), it feels like the band is aiming to round out their identity as a more general alt-rock outfit. Given how crowded the shoegaze/dream pop lane is right now with yet another resurgence, this feels like a smart move, both in terms of fleshing out their music and carving a more distinct space for themselves. You can really hear those sensibilities start to come through here. The track has clear shades of Hitsujibungaku in its approach, and with the grainy distortion dialed back, Yoshida Saho’s vocals come into sharper focus, earning comparisons from fans to Aimer, which I thought was VERY spot on.

POLARIS
by omeme tenten
A song to start off the day with.

⚠️ Quick heads up: this video has YouTube’s auto-dub feature enabled. To hear the song in its original form, go into the settings (gear icon) and switch the audio track from English to Japanese (original).

By now you’ve probably noticed a pattern; every band I’ve featured so far in the first half of this Roundup has had a release drop this month. As fate would have it (and as those of you who joined me at this month’s J-Music Advance Party already know), all of them were part of that lineup. It’s not every day that I get the chance to feature literally everyone from the Party in the same month, so I figured, why not make an occasion of it? That brings us to omeme tenten, who also marked the occasion with the release of their first full-length album. Here to commemorate it is one of the new tracks from said album POLARIS. One of the things I’ve always loved about their music is how hard it is not to get swept up in their energy. Whether it’s their inherently optimistic sound or Akari’s uplifting, radiant vocals, POLARIS has it in spades. If this one clicks with you, I can’t recommend enough that you go check out the rest of the new album as there’s plenty more where this came from.

Unbound
by chilldspot
Bound by nothing, free to groove however they want.

Rounding off this month’s streak of album drops is none other than longtime Roundup staple chilldspot, fresh off the release of their third full album handmade which, perhaps unsurprisingly, has been an absolute delight to listen through. If you’ve been following me for a while, you already know chilldspot are a proven commodity here: they delivered what I considered the album of the year in 2023 with PORTRAIT, they’ve taken home multiple Roundup Awards, where they’ve managed to make an appearance for three consecutive years running. All of that is to say: this is a band with a tried-and-true sound they’ve executed time and time again. While most of handmade carries that same signature sentiment, Unbound stands out as a fascinating deviation from their usual formula. For starters, it’s fast; not exactly what I’d consider chilldspot’s natural speed (it actually gives me Kroi vibes at points). On top of that, the track features twin vocals in the style of CLAN QUEEN, mixing rap and sung parts, instead of leaning primarily on Hiyune. The contrast ends up doing wonders, making Hiyune’s vocals shine even more than they already do. A refreshing twist from a band that continues to show there’s always more left in the tank.

PULSE
by Gordon
con’s voice just carries so effortlessly.

I’m a little surprised (mainly at myself) that this is the first time Gordon are making it onto the Roundup, considering how promising I’ve always thought they were based on the kind of sound they bring to the table. For context, the band is primarily Vocalist/Guitarist con and Guitarist Anmitsu, with the rest of the lineup filled out by support members, so their “sound” has actually been a bit of a moving target over the years. Every so often though, they come out with tracks in the vein of PULSE (pun notwithstanding); with fast crushing drum work and lively riffs which, in my opinion, are the times their sound is at its best. I personally get reminded of BAND-MAID whenever they come out with something like this, not just in the way the instrumentation hits, but also in how much con’s singing style, and her voice in general, brings to mind the aforementioned BAND-MAID’s Saiki. That said, I’m not suggesting they can’t carve their own path, but I do think some consistency in this lane would serve them well. If PULSE is any indication, it’s a direction that fits them perfectly.

変貌/henbou
by ねぎ塩豚丼 (negishiotondon)
I can totally see them going places.

Maybe this is just the instinct that comes from checking out new acts on a regular basis, but sometimes you can just tell when a band has breakout potential. Part of it’s in the sound, sure, but there are also those intangibles like character and charisma that bleed into the music in ways other up-and-coming bands can’t quite replicate. That’s the feeling I get listening to Henbou. It’s got that spark, the kind that makes you think they’ve got the makings of something bigger. Almost reminiscent of how NEK! came up. Of course, there are also more tangible signs pointing in that direction. The band already has a PV with over half a million views, and frontwoman Oosato Nao doubles as an active talent for Fuji TV, which I’m sure has helped bring plenty of local eyes to her music (something to note in relation to that is I actually first stumbled on the group through guitarist Sae, who was actually the vocalist for Shekarashika, another promising band we featured here back in April). Add all of that together with a girls rock sound that’s already plenty compelling on its own, and you’ve got a recipe for success. Don’t be surprised if “Negiton” start showing up on a lot more radars soon.

Get It On
by QUINCAMPOIX
Guess we’re just dropping F-bombs now, huh? (lol)

I think I can say a lot of the same things about Tokyo-based four-piece newcomers QUINCAMPOIX as I just did with Negioshiotondon. This is another band that, to me, has the sound, the character, and the charisma to really make a name for themselves; and you can hear all of that in Get It On here. There are definite shades of early Chilli Beans. in what they’re going for here, from the garage-rock foundation to the gang vocals punctuating the track, all wrapped up in that same spunky, youthful energy. The difference with Negiton though (and Chilli Beans. in their early years), though, is that QUINCAMPOIX don’t yet have much buzz around them (actually only stumbled onto them by chance when they popped up on my For You feed on X). But the potential is clear, and I honestly think it’s just a matter of time before more people catch on. Especially if they keep leaning into that retro theming that’s becoming so in vogue these days, QUINCAMPOIX have every shot at breaking through. Definitely one to keep tabs on if you aren’t yet already doing so.

Stratocaster Morning
by Spinning Plums
So sparkly…

Earlier I mentioned how 2025 has already been shaping up to be a massive year for Japanese shoegaze and dream pop, with established acts and fresh names alike dropping stunners left and right. The flip side of that ubiquity, though, is that adjacent styles can sometimes get swept up under the same umbrella, even when they’re actually doing something a little different. Case in point: Stratocaster Morning by Spinning Plums. On first listen, you might be tempted to file it away as dream pop, as it certainly checks a lot of the same boxes. But zoom in past the haze and you’ll notice the shine and shimmer in the guitars pointing to something else entirely: a neat little showcase of jangle pop in Japanese music. It’s a great reminder that while genre tags are ultimately just splitting hairs, looking at a track through the right lens can highlight the nuances that make it stand out even more. Stratocaster Morning is one of those songs; easy to get lost in, but even more rewarding once you start picking apart its layers. Looking forward to hearing more from them.

BALLOON DOG
by MoritaSaki in the pool
…don’t mind the actual balloon dog.

I actually have a bit of a funny story about how I first found out about MoritaSaki in the pool (sick band name, btw). During one of the live house shows I went to on my last trip to Japan, they played this song during the intermission that I immediately latched onto. I tried looking it up on the spot, but no dice, and even after I got back home, I still couldn’t track it down. The only clue I had was this line I thought I heard clearly: “Love is over~ oshiete~”. Turns out, I was way off (lol). What I’d actually heard was Gestalt Girl’s Kamisama. But it wasn’t totally a fruitless endeavor, as that wild goose chase did lead me to MoritaSaki in the pool’s album Love is Over! which, funnily enough, doesn’t feature the words “love is over” in any of the songs. What it does have, though, is some seriously good music. The band’s twin-vocal setup gives their self-styled “poolcore” music which very much belongs under that “dreamgaze” umbrella that I just described earlier. I’ve been a fan ever since and had been waiting for the chance to bring them onto the Roundup, so I’m glad I finally get to do it with BALLOON DOG. Don’t let the visuals fool you; this is a lovely track that showcases exactly why MoritaSaki in the pool deserve more ears on them.

MUST LISTEN:
“Huge Moon” by Kuni and “metro” by kurayamisaka
Traditionally, this slot goes to one track from the first half of the Roundup, usually from a familiar face, and another from the back half, where I spotlight a new band or artist making their series debut. This month though, I’m breaking form a little, because I just couldn’t choose between two heavy-hitters from the front end. So for this rare exception, I’m putting up both Huge Moon by Kuni and metro by kurayamisaka. 2025 has already been a phenomenal year for shoegaze and alternative rock in general, but these two stand apart even in that crowded field. Maybe it’s recency bias talking, but I honestly think we’ll look back a couple of years from now and find ourselves debating between Kuni’s Kids Return and kurayamisaka’s kurayamisaka ai wo komete the same way you might debate which Pokémon version you wanted to play growing up. Both are landmark debuts, and both deserve every bit of the spotlight.

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The YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music playlists have all been updated with this month’s featured tracks. If you haven’t yet, make sure to follow along on your platform of choice so you don’t miss a beat!

If you’re still craving even more Japanese music, don’t forget to check out the Roundup Extended Playlist down below to see what else I’ve been spinning this month!

What did 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, I’m always curious to see what you’ve all been jamming to!

On the subject of playlists, something I’ve been bringing up in recent Roundups is my growing fascination with “Japanese-style alternative” and the curated playlist I’ve been building around it. If you’re curious what that actually sounds like, go ahead and give it a spin! I update it every Friday, so chances are you’ll catch something new each week. And don’t worry, if you happen to miss saving a song, I also keep a complete archive playlist featuring everything that’s been added so far. 😉

和式オルタナ and Japanese-style Alternative are also available on Apple Music 😌

Like I mentioned earlier, the first half of this month’s Roundup are all bands who got featured on this month’s J-Music Advance Party, where I talked about all of their releases that came out this September, and as I’ve alluded to, they’ve all been absolute stunners. If you happened to miss me talking about these albums ahead of their release (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 October 5, 2025. Hope to see you there!

The J-Music Exchange/Rate is also back this month with a fresh pair of album reviews for you to dive into! I was in charge of picking the theme this time around, and for September Al and I decided to indulge in some guilty pleasures by talking about albums that we like but find hard to recommend. For his part, I had Al check out 2&’s compilation album 2 (you can read his thoughts over on the Omunibasu Substack!). Meanwhile, I got the pleasure of listening to singer-songwriter azusa’s self-titled debut azusa. You can catch my review of it right here!

And that’s a wrap! Thanks so much for dropping by! As always, I hope you enjoyed this month’s picks just as much (if not more) than I enjoyed sharing them with you. Wishing you all a wonderful rest of your day, and until next time—

Happy Listening!