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 13 of the year 2021. Enjoy the new discoveries!
For Tracy Hyde – Sister Carrie
For Tracy Hyde are a 5-piece band that started activities in the Fall of 2012. The Tokyo-based band incorporates various music from the 60s to the present, while focusing on shoegaze and dream pop although they identify as a 12-string band. In February, the band released their fourth album, titled Ethernity, which seems to consist of tunes longing for the 90s. — Recommended by Francisca
Risa Satosaki – Love is over
Risa Satosaki is a singer-songwriter and formerly part of a couple of idol groups. Satosaki started her own entertainment agency and music label at the age of 21 and was able to arrange a one-man show at Zepp DiverCity in Tokyo by renting it as an unaffiliated sole proprietor in 2017, which didn’t happen before. In October 2020, she released a mini-album, titled Love is over. She also released another music video this week. — Recommended by Francisca
SILUE – Doppelgänger
SILUE can be best described as a rock band, although they call themselves free(dom) rock band. The four-piece started with activities in 2017 and is based in Niigata. They were previously active under the same band name, but in katakana (シルエ), but changed it to SILUE in November 2020. At the start of the new year, the rock band released their second single, titled Happy birthday to 「 」. — Recommended by Francisca
NOMAD POP – SHIOSAI -潮騒-
Pop group NOMAD POP started out in 2019. The music of this five-piece group can be seen as a layered cake with the base of rock, R&B, hip-hop and electro with the addition of poetry and melody that results in a sort of genre-defying pop music. All in all, this goes well with the band name. NOMAD POP’s latest release was their first mini-album, titled PRISMATIC NOMAD LOVE. — Recommended by Francisca
Sean – 君のバンドが嫌い – I don’t like your band –
After his former rock band cOups. stopped activities, the singer Sean, who is half Australian and half Japanese, decided to go make music as a solo artist. From the start of the new year, he has been producing a handful of music videos to show his abilities and creativity to the crowd. In the case of the latest video, also his humour. — Recommended by Francisca
ペントノート (Pentonote) – これが夢だと気づいてた (Kore ga yumeda to kidzui teta)
Pentonote got formed in 2018 by guitarist and vocalist p.e.n from Hokkaido and keyboardist Kentaro Kakunuma from Tokyo. With the slogan ‘the pen is mightier than the sword’ this band makes rock music with the addition of the sugar-sweet voice of p.e.n. To date, the band released 1 album and several singles. A second album is on its way and a special celebration for this release will be held in May on their YouTube channel. — Recommended by Francisca
Oyogu Odoru – ナイトダンサー (Night dancer)
For those yearning for some 80s synthpop, might want to check out Tomoya Onishi’s solo project Oyogu Odoru, in which he gives a modern twist to this genre. Full of nostalgia and certainly something that makes you want to dance. After playing in a band, Osaka-born Onishi decided to start his solo career in 2020. A couple of singles have been released until now and it is waiting for more!— 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!
