Don’t worry, I still got you 😉

Yes, I know. We’re well into October at this point, but I think I’ve finally come to terms with the fact that these Roundups are just going to come out whenever they come out. And you know what? I’m perfectly okay with that. As much as I’d love to keep everything running on a nice, predictable schedule, sometimes life has other plans. And rather than worrying too much about getting these out before the calendar flips over, I’d much rather take the time to put together something I’m happy sharing with you guys. Besides, the music isn’t going anywhere!

For those of you joining us for the first time, welcome! The Monthly Recommendation Roundup is where I gather ten of my favorite Japanese music releases and discoveries from throughout the month, with the hope of introducing you to something you might not have come across otherwise. Specificallyー

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

And for all you regulars, welcome back! We’ve got a particularly interesting lineup this time around, with the first half featuring quite a few familiar faces making their return to the Roundup, while the latter half is packed with some incredibly promising bands that I think deserve a little more attention. So whether you’re here for the old favorites or looking to discover someone completely new, I think we’ve got plenty for you to enjoy.

Now, without further ado;

Let’s get to it!

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ブラッド♡スパークス/blood sparks
by ブランデー戦記 (brandy senki)
Looking to do another run

It’s been more than encouraging seeing Brandy Senki find their footing again this year, especially after there was a period where I wasn’t entirely sure what direction they were ultimately going to take their music in. Character was never really the question with the band. If anything, that’s always been one of their greatest strengths. There’s a certain attitude and personality to the way the band carries themselves that makes a Brandy Senki song immediately feel like a Brandy Senki song, regardless of what they’re actually doing musically. What I did have some reservations about was whether the music itself could consistently live up to all of that character. Their return this year has gradually been putting those concerns to rest, and Blood Sparks might be the most convincing argument yet. There’s a much grittier, more Punk-leaning quality to the song than what we’re normally used to hearing from the band, and man, those riffs. It’s not necessarily the kind of guitar work I immediately associate with Brandy Senki, but it fits them remarkably well, giving all of that attitude they already naturally possess something considerably rougher to work with. I mean, just listen to that sick instrumental break. More than anything, Blood Sparks feels like another example of Brandy Senki sounding increasingly confident in what they want to be. They’re not simply relying on the personality that made them stand out in the first place; the music is starting to feel every bit as exciting as the band presenting it. We’ve still got a few months left in the year, and considering how promising this return has been so far, I’m really hoping Brandy Senki can close out 2026 strong.

アンチ・アフター・スクール/anti after school
by shallm
Maybe less really is more

Speaking of returns, here’s another name we haven’t seen around the Roundup in quite some time: shallm! And I have to admit, Anti After School caught me a little off guard, though perhaps not for the reasons you might expect. If anything, it’s how little fanfare there is surrounding the song that makes it so interesting to me. I may or may not have insinuated at one point in the past that shallm felt a little bit like an industry plant (lol). Not necessarily as some grand accusation against the band, but more so because of how quickly everything surrounding them seemed to come together. There was a level of polish and presentation there that made it feel like shallm arrived already packaged and ready to go. Anti After School, meanwhile, feels surprisingly removed from all of that. The arrangement is considerably more stripped down, putting much more of the emphasis on the instruments themselves rather than dressing everything up with elaborate production. There’s still enough going on to keep the song moving, but the overall presentation feels much more grounded than what I remember associating with shallm before. And I kinda dig it? There’s something refreshing about hearing them pull things back like this. Rather than trying to impress you with how polished the whole production can be, Anti After School gives the actual band more room to breathe, and in turn, I feel like I’m getting a better sense of shallm as musicians than I necessarily have in the past. Whether this is simply what this particular song called for or an indication of where shallm intend to take their music moving forward, I couldn’t tell you just yet. But considering this is the song that brought them back onto the Roundup after an extended absence, I’m certainly curious to find out.

ブーゲンビリア/bougainvillea
by cephalo
Beautiful melancholy

The Roundup homecomings aren’t over just yet, as we now also have cephalo making their return with their first release of 2026, Bougainvillea! Though, admittedly, their absence around these parts is probably more on me than anything. It’s not like cephalo have been terribly inactive since we last talked about them. They released their gloaming point EP last year, which I unfortunately never got around to featuring here, and the band is currently out on tour as we speak, all while vocalist fuki continues splitting her time between cephalo and her other project, iVy. So consider Bougainvillea me making up for lost time. And what a song to come back to because, if you wanted a reminder of what cephalo do particularly well, Bougainvillea puts it right there on display. I’ve always loved the way cephalo can evoke nostalgia through their music, and there’s such an overwhelmingly melancholic atmosphere surrounding this song. Everything feels hazy and distant, but at the same time absolutely dazzling, like you’re looking back at some beautiful memory that you’re no longer entirely sure happened the way you remember it. It’s almost dreamlike in that regard. There’s an incredible balance to how cephalo handle all of that beauty and melancholy without allowing either side to completely overwhelm the other, and it’s that push and pull that keeps me coming back to it. There is, however, something bittersweet surrounding the release beyond just the music itself. Following the tour they’re currently on, drummer Uchida will be leaving cephalo, meaning we’re once again looking at a band on the verge of some form of transition. With Bougainvillea being their first new song of the year, I’m curious whether it’ll also end up being the final recording we hear from cephalo with the band’s current configuration. Whatever ends up happening, I’m certainly glad we got them back onto the Roundup before that next chapter begins.

SABOTEN
by きのぽっぽ (kinopoppo)
Now this is a welcome return

If I had to pick one Roundup return this month that I was the most excited about though, I think that distinction would have to go to singer-songwriter Kinopoppo! I’ve always had such a soft spot for the way she sings. There’s this incredibly infectious quality to her voice and delivery that gives her songs so much personality, and every time she gets going, I find it difficult not to get swept up in whatever she’s doing. SABOTEN is certainly no exception. Funny enough though, as much as I love hearing Kinopoppo sing, my favorite part about this song might actually be everything happening around her. SABOTEN is constantly switching things up melodically. Just when you think you’ve settled into one section, the song changes course and brings you somewhere else, only to do it again not too long after. It gives the whole thing this wonderful sense of whimsy, like the song is perpetually skipping along and pulling you behind it. And importantly, none of those changes ever feel like they’re happening simply for the sake of keeping you guessing. There’s a really pleasant flow to the way everything connects, so rather than feeling disjointed, all that movement makes SABOTEN that much more engaging of a listen. Throw Kinopoppo’s infectious singing on top of it and, yeah, I’ve missed having her around these parts. Hopefully this isn’t just a brief visit either. I’d love to see more of Kinopoppo before the year is out, and if I can be a little greedy here, perhaps all of this new music eventually culminates in that debut album I’ve been waiting for. Just putting that out into the universe (lol).

此処/koko
by のあ (noa)
Those guitars just tear into your soul man

Rounding out the first half of this month’s Roundup, we have one more returning face in noa with their latest work, Koko. When I last featured noa around these parts, one of the things I remember really gravitating toward was their guitar work, particularly the way those riffs carried this beautifully melancholic quality that seemed to linger over the entire song. Well, I’m happy to report that Koko gives me plenty more of exactly that. Those guitars are once again a major part of the appeal here, carrying so much of the emotion in the composition even before we get to the vocals. And this time around, noa has brought along TOKYO6 Entertainment’s Hanakuma Chifuyu to provide them. If you’ve listened to noa’s previous work, their choice of voice bank shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. They’ve shown a penchant for using some of the more natural-sounding voices available to them, and I think that’s especially important for the kind of music they make. There’s already so much melancholy being communicated through the instrumentation that having a voice with a more human quality helps all of that emotion resonate just a little bit more. Koko doesn’t need an especially dramatic vocal performance to get its feelings across; Chifuyu’s delivery complements what those guitars are already telling you. It’s a pairing that makes a lot of sense stylistically for noa, and one that has me excited to hear what else they have in store. Hopefully it won’t be too long before we’re talking about them here again.

目合ったら/meattara
by peanut butters
Sitting here wondering how have we never talked about them before

Leading the charge for the second half of this month’s Roundup is a band that, for the longest time, I could’ve sworn I’d already featured here on multiple occasions. But apparently not. So, making their long-overdue Roundup debut, please welcome peanut butters! Now, I imagine some of you might be listening to Meattara and thinking that this is a little outside of my usual wheelhouse, especially if you’ve only started following the Roundup fairly recently. But here’s a little something you might not know about me: I’ve actually got quite the soft spot for Hyperpop and Hyperpop-adjacent music. And Meattara certainly scratches that itch. There’s something incredibly infectious about the way the song bounces along, with its bright, almost sugary melodies and electronic flourishes giving the whole thing this wonderfully restless energy. It’s a little different from what I normally associate with peanut butters, but I think that’s part of what makes this particular release so much fun. Actually reminds me a fair bit of Guiano’s handiwork to those famiiliar. There are moments throughout Meattara that feel remarkably reminiscent of the producer’s work, particularly that combination of upbeat electronic production and melodies that sound like they’d be right at home in the virtual singer scene. So much so that I’m almost willing to bet that KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO’s RIM ends up covering this song at some point, because I genuinely think it’d suit her style that well. And if that ever happens, just remember you heard it here first (lol). What’s funny is that, despite this being a somewhat unusual direction for peanut butters, the one thing that hasn’t changed is their ability to write an absolute earworm. That’s always been one of the things I’ve appreciated about their music. There’s just this addictive quality to their songwriting that makes it ridiculously easy to find yourself coming back for another listen, and Meattara is no exception. Which, again, makes it all the more surprising that it’s taken me this long to finally feature them here. But hey, better late than never, right? And if there was ever a song to make that first Roundup appearance with, I think Meattara is a pretty darn good choice.

廃墟から/haikyo kara
by 旧市街 (kyuushigai)
Right at home around these parts

And now, getting back to something a little more in line with what you guys have probably come to expect from the Roundup, we have Tokyo-based alternative rock band Kyuushigai with Haikyo Kara, taken from their self-titled first full album! And let me tell you, I’ve been listening to this album a lot. I happened to come across it earlier in September, and it ended up finding its way into my regular rotation for a good majority of the month. Which, considering how much music I typically have to work through for these Roundups, should already give you a pretty good idea of how much I’ve been enjoying it. If you’ve been keeping up with the Japanese indie scene lately, particularly the bands drawing inspiration from that late 90s to early 2000s era of melodic alternative rock, then I think you’ll find plenty to appreciate here. It’s a sound we’ve become quite familiar with around these parts by now. In fact, you could probably argue that it’s become something of a calling card for the Roundup over the past couple of years, especially with how much of the Japanese-style alternative scene we’ve been featuring. And Kyuushigai fit right into that conversation. What really impresses me about them though isn’t necessarily that they’re doing something particularly different from their contemporaries. It’s how complete everything already feels. For a relatively young band, there’s a remarkable sense of confidence to their songwriting and arrangements. The guitars, the melodies, the way the songs develop from one section to the next; everything feels thoughtfully put together, and perhaps more importantly, it all works toward making the music genuinely enjoyable rather than simply technically impressive. Haikyo Kara is a great example of that, but I really do think you need to hear the album in its entirety to appreciate just how much Kyuushigai have going for them. So consider this my recommendation to do exactly that! I can absolutely see Kyuushigai finding an audience both within Japan and internationally, especially among listeners who’ve already taken a liking to this particular corner of Japanese alternative rock. It’s really just a matter of getting their music in front of the right people. And if this first full album is anything to go by, I certainly wouldn’t be surprised if we start hearing their name come up a lot more often in the near future.

エメトワ/emetowa
by mM7th
Four minds, one seriously exciting band

And on the subject of bands that I think are on the verge of attracting some serious attention, both domestically and internationally, let me introduce you guys to mM7th! Pronounced “Minor Major Seventh,” mM7th are a Tokyo-based four-piece comprised of university students who describe themselves as a “patchwork pop band.” Which, admittedly, is a pretty interesting way to introduce yourselves, but once you learn a little more about how the band operates, it starts to make a lot of sense. See, what’s particularly fascinating about mM7th is that each member comes from a different musical background, drawing inspiration from everything from Pop and Jazz to EDM, Classical, and Western music. And rather than having one principal songwriter responsible for putting everything together, all four members contribute to the songwriting process. So when they describe themselves as a patchwork pop band, they really do mean it. Their whole approach revolves around bringing these different musical sensibilities together, playing around with the boundaries between genres, and seeing what they can come up with as a collective. And man, does Emetowa make a compelling case for it. There’s just so much character coming from every corner of the arrangement, with each member seemingly finding their own opportunity to make an impression. I’m particularly fond of the bass work from Mitsui Hikaru, whose lines give the song so much personality and are easily among my favorite things about the instrumentation. And then, of course, we have vocalist Kashima Ririko. Now there’s a frontwoman. There’s a tremendous amount of presence to the way she sings, and I think that’s especially important for a band like mM7th, where so much of the music is built around different ideas and influences coming together. She has the kind of delivery that can hold its own against all of that musical activity while still making the whole thing feel cohesive. It’s honestly pretty remarkable how much character mM7th already have going for them, especially considering how young they are as a band. Of course, there’s still plenty of room for them to develop, and I’m curious to see just how far they’re willing to take this whole patchwork pop concept. But if Emetowa is any indication of what these four are capable of when they put their heads together, then I think we’re looking at a band with a very promising future ahead of them. Definitely keep mM7th on your radar.

メビウス/mobius
by NaCl
Sounds like they’re ready

I can say a lot of the same good things about our next band, who are filling in our number nine slot this month, coming all the way from Mie Prefecture: four-piece Pop Rock band NaCl! Now, unlike mM7th, who we just spent a good bit of time talking about, there actually isn’t a whole lot I can tell you guys about NaCl at the moment. At least from the outside looking in, anyway. We know where they’re from, we have their relatively modest discography to work with, and that’s about the extent of it. So perhaps they aren’t quite as ready to make that big splash just yet compared to some of the other promising young bands we’ve featured this month. But man, if Mobius is anything to go by, I think there’s a lot of potential here. What impresses me most about the song is just how readily I could imagine hearing it on the whatever mainstream platform people listen to nowadays. And I mean that in the best possible way. There’s a very contemporary Pop Rock sensibility to Mobius, from the way the melodies are put together to the overall presentation of the song. It has that accessibility and immediate appeal that I tend to associate with more established acts, to the point where I honestly don’t think it’d sound particularly out of place alongside some of the bigger names in Japanese Pop Rock right now. Which is pretty darn impressive for a band that’s still relatively early into their career. While we’re here, can we talk about that band name for a second? (lol) NaCl, like, y’know, sodium chloride. I’m sure some of you who are a little more scientifically or medically inclined probably got a tickle in your brain with that one too. Unfortunately, it does come with the slight inconvenience of sharing a name with an already existing band from another country, which I do hope doesn’t end up making things unnecessarily difficult for them as they continue growing. Though, for what it’s worth, I actually wouldn’t mind if they eventually adopted the hiragana spelling they already use in their profile bio. If nothing else, it’d certainly make finding them a little easier. But that’s a conversation for another day.

soda
by luluplmu
Sometimes it just takes one song to make me a believer

And last, but certainly not least, we have an entry that’s admittedly a little bit for me, a little bit for you guys, and perhaps most importantly, for the band themselves (lol). Closing out this month’s Roundup, please give a warm welcome to indie band luluplmu! Now, I wouldn’t blame you if this is the first time you’re hearing that name, considering the band only released their very first single, soda, just shy of two months ago. And as luck would have it, the song has now received a PV to go along with it, which means I finally have an opportunity to talk about them here! And man, have I been wanting to. Obviously, I’m a little biased when it comes to this particular brand of shoegaze. If you’ve been following the Roundup for any considerable amount of time, then you probably already know that this is exactly the sort of music that tends to get me going. But even with that in mind, I genuinely wasn’t prepared for just how much soda would affect me. The sheer power coming from the instrumentation is absolutely incredible. The guitars, the bass, the drums; everything comes together with this overwhelming intensity that just completely washes over you. And yet, accompanying all of that noise are these wonderfully gentle vocals that somehow manage to leave just as much of an impression as everything happening around them. It’s that contrast that really gets me. There’s so much force behind the music, but the singing brings a certain tenderness to the whole thing that makes it feel all the more affecting. Neither side takes away from the other, and together they create something that I found myself completely absorbed in from beginning to end. I mean, I was genuinely speechless listening to this thing. And that’s coming from someone who’s spent the better part of the last several years listening to more shoegaze bands than I could probably count (XD). Of course, we’re still talking about a band with exactly one released song to their name, so there’s only so much we can reasonably say about what the future holds for luluplmu. But if this is how they’re choosing to introduce themselves to the world, then consider me very, very interested.

MUST LISTEN:
“SABOTEN” by Kinopoppo and “soda” by luluplmu
I think you guys could probably tell from how excited I was to have Kinopoppo back on the Roundup that SABOTEN was going to be a serious contender for one of this month’s MUST LISTEN picks. I’ve always been particularly fond of her singing, but what really puts SABOTEN over the top for me is just how much fun the composition itself is. Those constant melodic changes give the song this wonderful sense of whimsy, with each new section bringing something different to appreciate without ever feeling disjointed. It’s the kind of songwriting that makes me want to go back and listen again just to enjoy how everything comes together, and Kinopoppo’s infectious delivery makes the whole thing that much better. I’ve missed having her around these parts, and SABOTEN reminded me exactly why. If this is your first introduction to Kinopoppo, definitely give this one a listen. Hopefully, we’ll have even more to talk about before long! My other MUST LISTEN this month goes to soda by luluplmu, and I don’t think I could’ve picked a more appropriate song to represent what I love about discovering new music. Because sometimes, all it takes is one song. I listen to a lot of shoegaze, as I’m sure most of you are painfully aware of by now (XD). But even with that familiarity, soda genuinely caught me off guard with just how powerful and affecting it was. The overwhelming guitars, bass, and drums contrasted against those wonderfully gentle vocals made for a listening experience that left me completely speechless. And considering this is the band’s very first single, I think that’s pretty darn remarkable. I can’t tell you what luluplmu have in store for us next, but I already know I’ll be paying attention. So please, give soda a listen. These are exactly the kinds of discoveries I hope to share with you guys through the Roundup, and I’d love to see luluplmu find an audience that appreciates their music as much as I do.

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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!

And if ten songs somehow weren’t enough for you, there’s always more where that came from! As always, I’ve also put together this month’s Roundup Extended Playlist, featuring even more songs that I enjoyed throughout September but couldn’t quite squeeze into the main features above. Because believe me, narrowing everything down to just ten recommendations is rarely as straightforward as I’d like it to be. So if you’re still in the mood for some new Japanese music, definitely give the Extended Playlist a listen! There’s plenty more waiting for you there.

And that should just about do it for recommendations! What did you guys think of this month’s Roundup? Were there any songs in particular that stood out to you? Maybe an artist you hadn’t heard of before that you ended up really liking? As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts! And likewise, if there were any songs you were listening to throughout September that you think I should know about, feel free to send those recommendations my way too. I’d love to hear what guys have been blasting!

Moving right along, don’t forget to check out September’s J-Music Advance Party! For those unfamiliar, this is my monthly series where we take a look ahead at some of the most exciting Japanese albums and EPs set to release over the coming month, giving you guys an opportunity to get acquainted with them before they actually come out. And we had some pretty darn good releases on the docket for September! Among them were Sabanomisony’s point EP and flip-flops’ debut album, both of which I’d highly recommend checking out if you haven’t already. Especially that flip-flops album, considering we’ve already talked about the duo here on the Roundup before! And if you’re looking forward to what’s coming next, our October J-Music Advance Party is scheduled for October 11, 2026! So depending on when you’re reading this, that might be right around the corner. I hope to see you guys there!

And of course, we can’t forget about our monthly J-Music Exchange/Rate! For September, Al and I decided to take a look at albums that we felt were particularly excellent examples of a group effort. You know, those releases where everyone involved brings something important to the table, and where the music just wouldn’t quite be the same without each person’s contributions. For my part, I got to spend some time with CRCK/LCKS’ manimani, while I had Al check out Aooo’s Fooocus. Two rather different approaches to making music together, but both very much worth talking about! So if you’d like to see what I thought of manimani, definitely check out this month’s Exchange/Rate! And don’t forget to head over to Al’s Omunibasu Substack as well to read his thoughts on Fooocus.

And with that, I think we’ve finally covered everything for September. Thank you guys so much for stopping by, as always. Whether you’ve been following these recommendations for years or this happens to be your first time here, I hope you had just as much fun checking out this month’s music as I did putting everything together. And hey, even if these Roundups aren’t quite arriving on the schedule they used to, I hope you’ll continue looking forward to them whenever they do find their way into your feeds. There’s still plenty of great Japanese music to discover, and as long as that’s the case, I’ll have plenty of reasons to keep coming back here to share it with you guys.

Until next time, take care, enjoy the music, and as always;

Happy Listening!