With a large music industry such as Japan has, the 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 8 of the year 2022. Enjoy the new discoveries!
AkuBi – 碧に旅 (Aonitabi)
There is some degree of mystery surrounding the music unit AkuBi. Consisting of Ichiro Shimodi and Hatsuga, this duo started releasing music and videos in April 2021, so the impression is that this music project has not been active for very long. At present, single number 6 has been released and the two musicians have revealed that they make music about what they feel is most important in various ways, abandoning the conventional image of artists. — Recommended by Francisca
Ferri-Chrome – How could I feel you ?
This song can be found back on the first full-length album of Ferri-Chrome, titled Dazzling Azure. The album will be released next week and as can be noticed, the music has the same flowy and dizzying vibes that you can find back in shoegaze and indie guitar pop. Consisting of four members of Shortcut Miffy!, Mica Flakes, For Tracy Hyde and Boyish, the band is centred around Kurogome who is the vocalist of the band. As described by the band itself, they connect and play the ’90s and the now with their music. — Recommended by Francisca
コネクリ (Conekuri) – 20
It was 2018 when the rock band Conekuri by three friends who knew each other from school in Koshigaya, located in Saitama Prefecture, which was also the city where they mainly performed. After three years, they released their first music video, a self-produced one, which caught some attention. On the 9th of March, they will release their first mini-album, titled ホワイトケイカク (White Keikaku). The band gets described as “Koshigaya’s ultimate weapon”. — Recommended by Francisca
McGrady – on&on
The independent band McGrady was formed by guitarist Minori and vocalist Soushiro, who were juniors in the same circle at university. Later on, they invited drummer Mattsu and bass player Reina to make the band complete as a four-piece. After releasing two EPs in 2020 and 2021, the Fukuoka-based rock band McGrady thought it was time to release a (digital) single, titled on&on, accompanied by an intriguing music video. — Recommended by Francisca
FAT TUESDAY – 百鬼夜行 (Hyakkiyakou)
Alternative rock band FAT TUESDAY started its activities in 2019 with Tokyo as its home base. The band’s motto is “Hymn to Humanity”, praising life in the modern world, with all its joys, sorrows, sourness and sweetness. This is FAT TUESDAY’s first music video after the rock band released several singles. Now it is waiting for more such as a full-length album from this four-piece. — Recommended by Francisca
The Vapes – ZERO
Tokyo-based rock band The Vapes got formed in 2018, is centred around vocalist Nana and is full of rebellion without a need of following the trends. Their music, which has a rough finish combined with Nana’s knife-like vocals while singing powerful, yet gentle lyrics, is said that it is rock with a punk way of life, and steadily seem to reach more and more ears. In 2020, the four-member rock band released their first mini-album Suicide Live through the label SNK Records. — Recommended by Francisca
グスタフの寝癖 (Gusutafu no Neguse) – HOME
Consisting of vocalist and bass player Hijikata and guitarist Yuzuna, Kobe-based post-rock/math-rock band Gusutafu no Neguse will soon release their first album, titled satellite studio. In the summer of 2020, they decided to temporarily stop performing and focus on producing music such as this album. In March 2021, Gusutafu no Neguse released a music video and announced their first album, after that it was quiet for a while around the rock band. Now they are back! With HOME, this seems a very appropriate comeback song. — 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! Want to read more about how this project started or check out the YouTube playlists? Click here for all the information.
