I mean hey, better late than never am I righ-

Hello, hello! And, welcome back once again to the Monthly Recommendation Roundup! Coming to you at a bit of a delay due to scheduling mishap, but so long as we’re all here now I see no problem 😉 If you’ve been following the Roundup for some time, then you should already know what you’re here for, BUT if you’re new and you’re actually not that all sure what this is all about, please 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

I’m low key toying with the idea of changing up how (or rather when) I publish the Roundups when they come and having it be on a similar-ish schedule to my other publication in committing it to a set day of the week rather than affixing it to the last day of the month whichever day it falls on. We’ll see what I ultimately decide on in the next Roundup.

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Good Luck, Have Fun
by muque
Seems to be the mantra moving forward

Kicking things off this month; we’ve got none other than muque taking up the headliner spot here. Fresh off the release of their second full album GLHF earlier this month (which, if you’ve been keeping up with the Advance Party, you’ll know was one of the featured releases in April; go check that out if you haven’t yet!), it felt only right to start things here. Now, there’s a bit of context surrounding this track (and really, the album as a whole0 that’s hard to ignore. As mentioned previously, this is muque operating without longtime bassist Lenon following his departure from the band. That absence is immediately noticeable on Good Luck, Have Fun, though maybe not in the way you’d expect. Rather than trying to replicate a traditional bassline, the band leans into something a bit more electronic, with Takachi stepping in to fill that space through a drum and bass-inspired approach. I do find myself wondering what this track would sound like with a proper bassline back in the mix, and yeah, I’m still very much in the camp of hoping they’re able to fill that spot sooner rather than later.

BRING YOU BACK TO LIGHT
by ん・フェニ (“N-FENI”)
Absolute deliverance

Speaking of this month’s publications; this next feature comes to us by way of N-FENI’s debut full-length album tiered skirt, which dropped just last month. If you’ve been keeping up with the J-Music Exchange/Rate, you might’ve already seen Al’s review of it over on the Omunibasu Substack; definitely give that a read if you haven’t yet. At this point; I feel like I’ve talked about N-FENI enough across the Roundups for you to already have a pretty good idea of just how much of a fan I am of hers, and more specifically, the direction she’s taken her music in over the past couple of years. And as I’ve mentioned before; it’s honestly fascinating just how stark that shift has been. There’s a very clear before-and-after with her discography; particularly once she fully embraced that dreamgaze sound. tiered skirt as an album is very much reflective of that; and in a lot of ways; BRING YOU BACK TO LIGHT feels like a perfect encapsulation of that journey. There’s something almost symbolic about it, not just in its title, but in how it presents her sound now compared to where she started. The guitars here are a big part of that. Those riffs carry a certain warm graininess to it, and paired with that hazy atmosphere it creates this nostalgic glow that just lingers throughout the track. On top of that; her airy vocal delivery fits seamlessly into the mix, becoming part of that overall texture. Very excited to see where she takes things next.

芽吹くとき/mebuku toki
by yonige
Eyy, long time no see!

Back in the Roundup for what feels like quite a minute is rock duo yonige; and honestly, seeing their name pop up again here brought a bit of a smile to my face. They’re one of those bands I’d consider an original staple of the series; one of the first few I found myself coming back to regularly back when I was just getting my footing listening to Japanese music. And they’ve picked a pretty big moment to return with. Mebuku toki marks what is arguably their biggest break yet; landing their first anime tie-in with the song serving as the opening theme for Kamiina Botan, Yoeru Sugata wa Yuri no Hana. On top of that, this release also comes with the band signing under Sony Music Labels following their period of independence after parting ways with Warner Music Japan. There’s definitely a lot to unpack there, but before getting into any of that, I think more than anything I’m just really happy to see yonige still doing their thing. And to their credit, it’s not like they’re coasting off that longevity either. They’ve managed to maintain a solid sound throughout their run. That said, there is a noticeable difference with Mebuku toki. Whether it’s the result of being back under a major label or simply the nature of it being an anime tie-in, the track carries a more radio-friendly sound to it than what I’m used to hearing from them. It does make me curious as to whether this is a sign of where they might be heading moving forward. But for now, more than anything else, I’m just glad to see them getting this kind of opportunity.

もういらない/mou iranai
by ブランデー戦記 (brandy senki)
Oh yeah, now we’re just having fun

Back from what was arguably their best year to date is the ever-promising Brandy Senki, returning after about nine months of silence with Mou iranai. And yeah, if you’ve been following along with me over the past year, you’ll know they were very much in the conversation for my favorite album of 2025 with their self-titled debut. Even now I still think that record holds up incredibly well. Their absence from the Roundup since then really just comes down to the fact that they hadn’t released anything new up until this point. And honestly, given the run they were on leading into their major label signing, starting from 2024 and building into a full tour, they more than earned a bit of time to rest. If anything, it sounds like that time away did them a lot of good. Mou iranai feels like a bit of a reset in more ways than one. The most immediate difference is in the sound itself, where the band seems to have stepped away from the retro-leaning aesthetic that defined much of their output last year. In its place is something that feels more contemporary, more in line with where they are now rather than where they were drawing from before. What stands out though isn’t just the shift in style, but the feeling that comes with it. There’s a sense of release embedded in the song, something that comes through in both the instrumentation and the overall tone. It’s hard to say exactly where that comes from, whether it’s the result of that intense stretch they went through or just a change in perspective along the way, but it’s definitely there. And I think that’s what makes this track hit the way it does. For a band that leaned quite heavily into that angsty, 90s rock sensibility before, hearing something that feels a bit more uplifting, a bit more positive, is a really nice change of pace.

STUDY
by LAURELS
No questioning the potential of this band

Talking now about bands who feel a bit overdue for a break of their own, we’ve got three-piece alternative rock outfit LAURELS making their return here. We saw them a couple of times on the Roundup last year, right around when they were starting to build some momentum off back-to-back releases like GIANT KILLER and HYPER BLEACH, both of which I remember finding at the very least intriguing. GIANT KILLER in particular did manage to pick up some traction, largely thanks to the YouTube algorithm doing its thing, but as is often the case, that kind of window can be fleeting. The band weren’t quite able to capitalize on that moment quickly enough to keep that momentum rolling, and so things settled back down not long after. That said, STUDY is another reminder that there’s definitely something here worth talking about. If I had to point to what sets them apart, it’s those grunge-leaning tendencies in their sound. It’s not something you hear all that often from all-female three-piece bands in the current landscape, which already gives them a bit of an identity to work with. At the same time, they’re not just leaning entirely into that aesthetic. There’s a touch of modernity woven into the track as well, most notably in that breakdown around the 1:27 mark, which caught me off guard in a good way. It adds a bit of contrast to the song and keeps things from feeling too one-note. One thing to note here though, and this adds an extra layer of context to the track, is that vocalist and guitarist Amy will have departed from the band by the time this goes live. The remaining members have stated they’ll continue on and look for someone to fill that spot, so it does leave you wondering what LAURELS will look and sound like the next time we see them.

月光/gekkou
by Blurred City Lights
Just let the sound wash over you

Kicking off the back half of this month’s Roundup is, in a lot of ways, a long overdue feature of Nagoya-based dreamgaze three-piece Blurred City Lights. I say that because the band already headlined an installment of the J-Music Advance Party last year during the release of their split album Utopia/Dystopia. In the lead-up to that release, I found myself getting more and more pulled into their soundscapes, all of which revolve around their mantra that “the blurred city lights will surely shine on you.”. Gekkou builds on that identity, though interestingly, it also feels a bit more raw and unabashed compared to what we’ve come to expect from them. There’s a slight edge to it, a bit more presence in the instrumentation that gives the track a different kind of weight. And as it turns out, there’s a reason for that. For this song, bassist/vocalist Kamiya and guitarist Megumi actually swapped instruments. While both are clearly more than capable of handling each other’s roles, it does feel like their instincts as players carried over regardless of what they were holding. The guitar feels more pronounced, more assertive, while the bass takes on a more restrained role in the mix. That shift ends up opening up space for drummer Ohashi to step in and fill things out with more intricate drum work than we’re typically used to hearing from him; which adds another layer to the overall arrangement. What you end up with is a track that still feels unmistakably like Blurred City Lights, but with just enough of a twist to make things interesting. It comes across like a fun experiment for the band, one that ultimately results in a really striking arrangement.

流星群のあと/ryuuseigun no ato
by musbime
I heard you like guitars

On the subject of long overdue entries here on the Roundup, we’ve got Tokyo-based five-piece musbime finally making their debut on the blog. And I do mean long overdue, because while this might be their first proper feature here, the band has actually been popping up fairly often on my 和式オルタナ playlist over the past few months. The band describe their sound as drawing from 90s Midwest emo and 2010s Japanese alternative rock, all brought together through twin female vocals and a triple-guitar setup. Everything you’d hope to hear from that description is on full display in Ryuuseigun no ato here. The melodies are beautiful, there’s a strong sense of emotion carried through the vocals, and the guitars are layered in a way that gives the track both depth and movement. With three guitars in the mix, it would be easy for things to feel overcrowded but instead, each part feels purposeful, contributing to a larger, cohesive sound. The twin vocal approach also adds a lot to the song’s identity. There’s a nice interplay between the two voices, sometimes blending together, other times separating just enough to give certain lines a bit more emphasis. It complements the instrumentation well, especially when everything comes together during the bigger moments of the track. All of this arrives alongside the release of their debut EP Brave the blinding which just dropped this week. If Ryuuseigun no ato is anything to go by, it’s definitely a release worth checking out, and one that I’d highly recommend you give a listen.

晩夏/banka
by くらげ計画 (kuragekeikaku)
That’s a beautiful sway this song has going on

A lot of the same can be said for Tokyo-based four-piece Kuragekeikaku, another band that feels right at home in this stretch of the Roundup. While they haven’t appeared quite as frequently on the 和式オルタナ playlist as some of the others here, they’ve more than made a case for themselves this month with the release of their second full-length album Neither Fish nor Fowl. What makes that release stand out even more is the context surrounding it. This marks their first full album in eight years, with their debut dating all the way back to 2018. That kind of gap can go a lot of different ways for a band but here, it feels like they’ve returned with a very clear sense of identity. The band describe their sound as “Waltz-Alternative”, which is an interesting way of framing it, but one that starts to make more sense the moment you hear Banka. Their music draws from dream pop and shoegaze influences, but rather than just layering textures, they place a lot of emphasis on movement, specifically through shifts in tempo that play between slower and faster passages. You can hear that in practice throughout the track. There’s a gentle sway to the melody that really does feel waltz-like, almost as if the song is guiding you through a series of turns with those rhythmic stops and gos adding a sense of motion to the whole thing. It gives the track a kind of push-and-pull dynamic, one that mirrors that contrast between light and darkness they mention in their description. It’s a beautiful listen; and one that really highlights what makes Kuragekeikaku stand out within this space.

だって眩しくて/datte mabushikute
by Sundae May Club
Much deserved

On the subject of long-awaited big breaks, we’ve got another band hitting a major milestone this month in Sundae May Club. The group has officially made their major debut under Bandai Namco Music Live’s subsidiary label MoooD Records, which is a really exciting development for them. Now, I’ll admit, my attachment to the band has always been a little bit roundabout. I first came across frontwoman and singer-songwriter Ura Koyuki through her solo work before realizing she was also part of a band. But even with that shared voice at the center, the two projects feel distinct enough that I’ve come to appreciate them separately. Where her solo material leans more into that busking background, often centered around acoustic guitar and a more stripped-down presentation, Sundae May Club gives her a different space to operate in. Here, she’s backed by a full band, and that shift opens up a lot more room for the music to take on a brighter, more energetic form. The band themselves describe their sound as “ultra super pop” and honestly, Datte mabushikute does a great job of living up to that label. It’s a go-getter kind of track right from the start, driven in large part by Ura’s infectiously uplifting vocals. I also really liked how the guitars come in early and make their presence known with some nice riffs; adding just enough bite to balance out the otherwise bright and colorful tone of the track. I can very easily see them landing tie-ins down the line, whether that’s for a slice-of-life anime or a lighthearted drama. And now that they’re under a label that can help facilitate those opportunities, it really does feel like things are lining up nicely for them.

翡翠/hisui feat. 宮本由来 (miyamoto yuki; “yuki”)
by hanare
Talk about a surprise out of nowhere

Last but certainly not the least on this month’s special feature slot is hanare, the newly debuted project of producer Tanoue Mamoru, also known as “momo.” Some of you might recognize the name from his work across various anime and game titles like Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage! and Assault Lily, and now he’s bringing that experience into a project of his own. With the tagline “To you, standing all alone in this world.”, hanare sets out to explore themes of solitude and longing, pairing those ideas with a rotating lineup of guest vocalists over a sound rooted in shoegaze and dream pop. We got our first proper look into that world through the quietly released mini EP Trip to Theater earlier this month which, for the most part, delivers exactly what you’d expect given that description. Leading things off is Hisui, featuring vocalist Miyamoto Yuki (or “yuki”), who actually ended up being the reason this project came onto my radar in the first place. I follow her on Spotify, saw her name pop up on a new release, and the rest kind of followed from there. And I’m really glad it did, because this track left a strong impression right away. Tanoue’s grasp of that dreamgaze aesthetic is evident throughout; the way the guitars and textures are layered, the atmosphere he’s able to build; it all comes together in a way that feels very cohesive. At the same time, his ear for vocalists is just as noteworthy, bringing in someone like yuki whose voice fits perfectly within that soundscape. Not for nothing, but I’m very excited to see where hanare goes from here. If this is the starting point, it’s hard not to feel like there’s a lot to look forward to. For me personally, this easily stands as one of my favorite discoveries this month.

MUST LISTEN
“Mou iranai” by Brandy Senki and “Hisui” by hanare
We are so back, and so are Brandy Senki. As much as I genuinely enjoyed their self-titled debut album, there was always this lingering feeling that by the time it dropped, the band had already shown a lot of what they were working with. Not in a bad way necessarily, more so that their image and the themes they were leaning into felt like they were building toward something that had already begun to resolve itself. Which is why Mou iranai feels so refreshing. There’s a sense here that they’ve turned the page, stepping away from that previous framing into something that feels more natural, more reflective of where they are now rather than what they were building up toward before. It almost comes across like a clean slate for the band, and with that comes a lot of curiosity on my end as to where they choose to go from here. On the other side of things, there was no way I wasn’t giving this spot to hanare after the way I wrapped up their feature earlier. The project really does remind me of what Fullkawa Honpo was doing back in the day; that idea of bringing in different vocalists to explore a central artistic vision, but here framed through a Japanese alternative rock and dreamgaze lens. It’s a concept that already feels rich with possibility; and Hisui is a great introduction to that. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend checking out Trip to Theater after this.

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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!

Make sure to save them on your preferred listening service if you haven’t yet already, so you always have access to the Roundup 😉

If you’re still clamoring for more, the Roundup Extended Playlist for April 2025 is now up! For those new to the series, these Extended Playlists (or EPs) highlight additional tracks I enjoyed this month but didn’t get a chance to feature here.

What did you guys think of this month’s Roundup? Let me know in the comments! Likewise, if you’ve got your own recommendations from the past month, feel free to drop them down below as well! I’d love to hear what you’ve been listening to too!

The J-Music Advance Party took place at our usual spot this month over at my Substack newsletter, where we got to showcase some absolutely amazing releases. My personal favorite among then has got to be Empty old City’s Strings in Owl, which just blew me away with its arrangements.  For those who might be unaware, the Advance Party is a separate publication where I spotlight upcoming Japanese album releases I’m personally most excited about each month. Think of it as the pre-game show to the Roundup, a place where we talk about what’s on the horizon before it officially drops. If that sounds like your kind of thing, consider subscribing! It’s completely free, and you’ll get notified every time a new issue goes live. You’ll also unlock access to all past issues, which makes for some fun backtracking of albums that might’ve slipped past your radar. The next Advance Party is scheduled for May 10, 2026. Hope to see you there!

Spring is in full bloom and so is this month’s set of J-Music Exchange/Rate album reviews! For those who might be newer around here, the Exchange/Rate is my monthly tandem album review series with my good friend and fellow Japanese music enthusiast Al from Omunibasu. Each month, we decide on a theme and assign each other albums to review within that framework. It was my turn to pick out a theme for the month so I figured, since we’re now well within “the season of new beginnings” as they call it, it’d be nice if we could go over albums that come to mind when we think of the word “rebirth” or “renewal”. For this, I went and gave Al N-FENI’s tiered skirt for him to listen to. Check out his review over at the Omunibasu Substack! Al, in turn, had me go over Yuki Moeko’s Innocent Moon. You can catch my review of it here!

And that’s about it! Thank you all so so much for dropping by whenever you do, it genuinely means a lot to me. As always, I hope the Roundup (and everything else we do here on the blog) is just as fun for you to read as it is for me to write and put together 😌

Happy Listening!