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 lesser-known Japanese musical acts that are definitely worth watching. We are now looking back on a couple of videos that were released in week 3 of the year 2021. Enjoy the new discoveries!
モクメノキ (Mokumenoki) – コンビニフレンド (Conbini Friend)
Mokumenoki are a three-piece rock band that seems to have existed since somewhere in 2014, but officially (re-)started with a release of a free download album and the current band line-up in 2017. The band concept is “feelings that everyone thinks, with words and sounds that no one uses”. In February they will release their second EP, titled 致死量の愛 (Lethal dose of love). — Recommended by Francisca
ヨルニトケル (yorunitokeru) – Dramatic Irony
Formed in Tokyo in 2011, yorunitokeru are an alternative pop-rock band consisting of three members. The name stands for melt down last night. Vocalist Fuse is in charge of the songwriting who was earlier on active as the guitarist for the band Suck a Stew Dry. The discography of this rock band consists of a couple of singles, mini-albums and EPs. It doesn’t look like a full-fledged album is on the way yet. — Recommended by Francisca
Hannah Warm – LIKE THE SUN
Hannah Warm is active as a singer-songwriter, track maker, filmmaker and designer. Since her debut in the summer of 2019, she has been releasing singles on a monthly basis. In April 2020, she released her first album. The music she produces is been sprinkled with soul, funk, electro and pop. The result is dreamy pop with a retro sound. The music video is directed, edited and starred by Hannah Warm herself. — Recommended by Francisca
AMUSEMENT LAGER – ニコラシカ (Nikorashika)
To promote their first release, the single with the title decision, the rock band AMUSEMENT LAGER produced a music video which is also an introduction of this brand-new band. It seems that the music video did attract quite some attention in a few days time. The guitarist and vocalist, Yuhe, is also the person behind the lyrics and composition of the songs. The first single contains three tracks and can be listened to on the known streaming services. — Recommended by Francisca
GIG MACK – All or Nothing
“Liberation, to possibility of the future” is the concept of the rock band GIG MACK. It is also the title for their album that they released in November 2020. Active since 2015 and mainly active in the Kansai area, the rock band describes itself as a mixture rock band. That means that they like to mix different genres in their sound, such as Japanese pop, rap, melo-core and guitar rock. — Recommended by Francisca
KOMONO LAKE – MIRROR
A brand new music unit, KOMONO LAKE, with whose genre is described as natural city pop, recently released their first single, which is accompanied with a music video. Their first EP, titled LAKE, will be released in the spring of 2021. While inheriting modern Japanese soul sounds that you can also find back in iri, SIRUP and KIRINJI, they are also influenced by city pop and Showa songs. — Recommended by Francisca
Falling Asleep – Underneath
Falling Asleep are a four-piece metal band combining melodic hardcore, metalcore and post-hardcore. The track Underneath can be found on the split-single with the metal band SUGGESTIONS, titled Feed Maggots Until We Die. Furthermore, this band has a couple of EPs, singles and an album on their name. Maybe not original as a pun (how many times have they have heard this?), although serious, but this band is not something to sleep on. — Recommended by Francisca
Next week we will be back for a new list of new music videos to check out. But you can also look back to the earlier editions of this weekly article series for when you yearn for more musical gems!
