New & Noteworthy J-pop of the Week (September 17, 2023)

In reference to my need to totally sustain with the J-pop business, I’m planning on doing a weekly round-up of any new releases which have caught my ear. A few of these could have been coated on the weblog already, however my hope is that this can turn out to be a one-stop store for anybody desirous about what’s new in J-pop.

With that in thoughts, right here’s the place you are available in: I’m one particular person with one set of musical preferences, so please embed every other new J-pop tracks you’ve loved within the feedback so we are able to get a fuller spectrum every week.

*And identical to I do with my opinions, I’ll wait till full variations of songs can be found earlier than posting them on this round-up. This can largely apply to Johnny’s teams, who nonetheless restrict nearly all of their YouTube uploads to shorter, edited variations.

2023 Index: Feb 1 – Feb 18 // Feb 19 – 25 // Feb 26 – Mar 3 // Mar 4 – Mar 10 // Mar 11 – Mar 18 // Mar 19 – Mar 25 // Mar 26 – Apr 1 // Apr 2 – Apr 8 // Apr 9 – Apr 15 // Apr 16 – Apr 22 // Apr 23 – Apr 29 // Apr 30 – Could 6 // Could 7 – Could 13 // Could 14 – Could 20 // Could 21 – Could 27 // Could 29 – Jun 3 // Jun 4 – Jun 10 // Jun 11 – Jun 17 // Jun 18 – Jun 24 // Jun 25 – Jul 1 // Jul 2 – Jul 8 // Jul 9 – Jul 15 // Jul 16 – Jul 22 // Jul 23 – Jul 29 // Jul 30 – Aug 5 // Aug 6 – Aug 12 // Aug 13 – Aug 19 // Aug 20 – Aug 26 // Aug 27 – Sep 2 // Sep 3 – Sep 9

Aimer – Skylight

My favourite monitor on Aimer’s latest album now has a music video!

Ayumu Imazu – Run For You

I don’t like this fairly as a lot as his final track, however I’m a fan of his voice and the chugging synthwave parts.

BE:FIRST – Mainstream

Arrghh!! I critically wish to love BE:FIRST’s music. Sadly, that is one other monitor I merely discover “okay.”

Damian Hamada’s Creatures – The Starting of the Finish

Right here’s a little bit of early Halloween for you! I used to be first drawn to this video due to the group’s uncommon identify, however I’m into the darkish symphonic steel sound. It jogs my memory of Finland’s Nightwish.

FTIsland – F-R-I-E-N-DS

I get pleasure from this rather more than their latest Korean comeback. It’s bought a pleasant bounce to it and would have been nice for summer time.

Girls²×iScream – The Most interesting

A giant, brash assertion piece. Okay-pop followers will like this one, I feel.

IMP. – IMP. (track of the week!)

I wrote about this right here. I preferred it rather a lot and it’s already rising on me, so I’m selecting it as a track of the week.

Kami Wa Saikoro Wo Furanai – Division

This band’s Meguru Meguru was certainly one of my favourite tracks of 2021. I’m nonetheless ready for one more track I like as a lot. That is effective, however a bit secure.

lol – Increase Me Up

That is good! I just like the bombast of it.

Lucky² – Yumezora Ni Hane

Not my factor, sadly.

Naniwa Danshi – Make Up Day / Lacking

I wasn’t impressed by both of those songs when the quick variations had been revealed, however time has been variety to each. I’ve loved them rather more with every pay attention. The b-sides are sturdy as nicely. I really like Umbrella!

Official HIGE DANdism – Nichijo

That is higher than their final one, however they’re positively of their boring period of songwriting.

Psychic Fever – Hearth (ft. Sprite)

That is one other group I wish to like greater than I do. This track is okay however doesn’t actually stand out.

Rides In ReVellion – Yoake Saizensen

I’m not a giant fan of visible kei and I don’t know that I’d get pleasure from the rest by this band. Nevertheless, I really like this. The singer has a fantastic voice and the track feels tremendous anthemic.

Ryugujo – Japanese Psycho (track of the week!)

You may as nicely name me a Ryugujo stan. I really like what they’re doing, and their debut EP is unbelievable. I’m completely obsessive about Japanese Psycho – a solo monitor from their chief Keigo. I really like the unhinged efficiency, the driving power and the attractive synth textures. It’s like punk rock meets Flashdance. I’d have by no means anticipated them to have a synthwave monitor! That is my favourite track of the week.

Sekai No Owari – The Peak

It feels bizarre to consider Sekai No Owari writing an OST for One Piece, nevertheless it form of is sensible when you concentrate on it. It’s good to listen to one thing extra sprightly from them. I might see this rising into a giant standout as soon as I’ve had time to turn out to be extra acquainted with it.

**STA*M – Dancing Ceaselessly** (track of the week!)

Stardust has so many teams and items – each debuted and un-debuted. I don’t know a lot about STA*M however I actually like this track. It’s bought such a rousing, upbeat power. The refrain is nice. That is one other track of the week.