With a large music industry such as Japan has, second largest in the world, it is inevitable that music fans will be inundated with a profusion of good (and also less good) music from this country. It is impossible to keep track of this and write a review about it per video. But to avoid missing out on gems, it is time for a weekly list of new music videos from Japanese musical acts that are definitely worth watching. We are now looking back on a couple of videos that were released in week 33.
GoodMoon – Contrast
If you are not familiar with GoodMoon, that is not that strange since it is a fairly new name. But you might recognise the name TarO&JirO, last year the two brothers were in France for a short tour and they have been active for 10 years with making music under the name TarO&JirO and MunizO. GoodMoon is the newest step in their endeavour and got started earlier this year. In September they will release the album, titled Pop-Lex. — Recommended by Fran
CANTOY – 麻婆豆腐 (Mapo Tofu)
To celebrate the existence of a popular dish, originating in China, Mapo Tofu, the three-piece CANTOY made a song where they are singing that they love this powerful food and want to eat it. The result is a catchy and quirky song. The independent rock band has been active since 2004, released two albums and a lot of singles, and their focus in their music and especially their live performances is to make the audience smile. — Recommended by Fran
RainDoll – 阿漕な自分と無欲な彼 (Akogina jibun to muyokuna kare)
Based in Kansai, the five members of the brand-new rock band RainDoll released their first official music video on their YouTube channel with a bang. No time to stand still. The video was filmed in Studio 246 in Osaka. They are currently joining a video festival connected with the studio where they are in the running to win a prize in money. The voting will start on 14 September. The vocalist, Okome, is also active in the Osaka-based band PERRIERTO. — Recommended by Fran
PLASTIC GIRL IN CLOSET – HEART & SOUL
PLASTIC GIRL IN CLOSET are a 3-piece shoegazer band based in Iwate prefecture. Formed in 2006, they have released five original albums. Their fifth album won a regional award, the Tohoku Block Award. In September they will release their first album in 6 years, DAWN TONE. — Recommended by Fran
H ZETTRIO – TOKYO
This jazz trio from Tokyo has been active since 2013 and shows jazz isn’t just for an older audience. H ZETTRIO creates a fun and exciting music experience using jazz as their main sound and coloured noses as a way of setting them apart. They describe their music as “A paranormal performance that unites experimental composition & musical arts.” Their newest single TOKYO will release September 1st, but in the meantime, you can already enjoy their previous album released beginning this year, RE-SO-LA, which is available on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon. — Recommended by MetalHachiko
GARUDA – 支配者 (Shihai-sha)
GARUDA is the name of the self-produced solo project of musician Yuffie Sakimura who promotes herself as the first industrial idol. She toured the United Kingdom last year, with 2& (Double And) and 十四代目トイレの花子さん (14th Generation Toilet Hanako-san), which increased her popularity outside Japan. The video consists of the (dark) power and theatrics that she is known for to incorporate in her live performances. She is also part of the idol group MELON BATAKE A GO GO. — Recommended by Fran
場違いクラウン (Batigai Clown) – マーベラス (Marvelous)
As the band name suggests, the theme of clowns is incorporated into the band. For this music video the vocalist went for a half smeared clown look on the face. In terms of genre, the band doesn’t want to put itself in a specific box, but describes itself as a unique band of clowns. Batigai Clown has been active since 2017 and is mainly active in the city of Nagoya. They can be seen on stage most of the time and so far they have three releases to their name. — Recommended by Fran
Next week we will be back for a new list of new music videos to check out.
