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 10 of the year 2022. Enjoy the new discoveries!
てんとてん (Ten to Ten) – O
Ten to Ten is the name of a pop duo consisting of vocalist and lyricist JURI and composer and engineer Hisahiro Ikari, who is also active as composer and bass player of jazz group Uno Trio while JURI is influenced by neo-soul and contemporary jazz. They have been releasing music since 2020 and the meaning of O, the fifth single by the pop unit, is the hole in the heart that cannot be filled and the light of hope that people still want to hold on to. — Recommended by Francisca
SUGGESTIONS – OUTCAST
We have written about this metalcore band before on AVO Magazine, active since 2016 and described as a depressive groovy music group with the goal of supplying the listeners with new sounds and experiencing new feelings. It was finally time for the Osaka-based band to come up with a new single, OUTCAST, after the release of the full-length album Another Heaven, Our Catharsis in 2019. — Recommended by Francisca
KLONNS – VESSEL
Hardcore punk band KLONNS – described as the new wave of Japanese hardcore – will release soon a 7″ EP with the title Crow, VESSEL is one of the tracks on that upcoming release by the four-piece. The Tokyo-based formation has chosen for a VHS-type of music video to make an intriguing impression of going back in time, while you are blasted away by the noise that they produce. Shared on the YouTube channel of Harakiri Diat, who also is a host on NTS Radio, it is filled with many more music videos which might suit your interest. — Recommended by Francisca
simsiis – yodachi
White hot is the title of Simsiis’ latest release, an EP consisting of four tracks released via indie label PAPER MADE SHELL RECORDS and is presented as the counterpart to their previous release, hale grow. This four-piece indie rock band from Sendai was formed on the day of Halloween in 2019 and is influenced by emo and post-rock. With this as the foundation, the music is completed by the delicate and crystal-clear voice of Kocorono and the intense melody lines. — Recommended by Francisca
13.3g – アンコウ (Ankou)
Osaka-based band 13.3g (read: Juusan Tensan Gram) started their band activities in 2021, so it can still be seen as a brand new project, although they have released several singles and an EP. The four-piece formation describes itself as genre-less and boundless with “ever-changing faces”, which could refer to the diverse range of sounds they work with, from dance music to funk to pop. — Recommended by Francisca
FOR TE FOUR DIE – 三月になっても (Sangatsu Ni Natte Mo)
Inspired by the number 4 the band name can be read as 444), even though this rock band consists of three members, FOR TE FOUR DIE’s activities started just last year. From the start, the Fukuoka-based band has been pushing out a handful of releases including several music videos, one EP and two singles, which certainly was noticed thanks to the distinctive voice of Yu and aggressive style of sound and live performances. — Recommended by Francisca
PaperCloud – Manmade Mermaid
Started as a solo project as Bell, since 2020, the music project is active under the name PaperCloud. The multi-instrumentalist, seen with a cloud on his head in the music video, is influenced by indie rock, hip-hop, and shoegaze. Most of his music is recorded at his home, most likely in his bedroom. This week, he released his first album, titled Hello, Manmade Mermaid. — 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.
