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 22 of the year 2022. Enjoy the new discoveries!
SLOW LEARNERS – Stardust
The activities of this mysterious musical art project named SLOW LEARNERS seem to have been started in the fall of 2021, when the band presented a band photo with three people, all members were identified by a single letter. One of the members is not unknown to us, as she has another music project named KILL MY 27. The descriptions that they give to their music are genres such as dream pop and triphop. — Recommended by Francisca
arne – abyss
The last time we talked about Gifu-based math rock band arne, it was the fall of 2020. At that time, the band was active for more than a year and released their third single. There is no album in sight yet, but they have already released two new singles and can be found a lot on stage. The song is inspired by the manga series Shonen no Abyss by Ryo Minenami, depicting the unstable feelings of the characters during their adolescence. — Recommended by Francisca
明くる夜の羊 (Akuruyo no Hitsuji) – シネマを抜け出して (Cinema wo nukedashite)
The rock band Akuruyo no Hitsuji got formed in 2018 after the four members met each other at the live venue Sound Stream sakura that is located in the city Sakura in Chiba Prefecture. Currently they are mainly active in Tokyo and Chiba. The four-piece hopes that the music they create will accompany you in your daily life. To date, they have released two mini-albums and a couple of singles. Now it is waiting for an album. — Recommended by Francisca
新東京 (Neo Tokyo) – Metro
Neo Tokyo got formed in the spring of 2021 by four university students with the intention of forming a guitarless band. Currently they have taken a break from school to concentrate on their music career. Their way of mixing various types of melodies in combination with the artistic and gloomy mood that can be found in the lyrics seems to have brought the band to the attention of music lovers and the media. — Recommended by Francisca
ヨルノアト (Yoru no Ato) – 焦操と幻想 (Ase Misao to Gensou)
Recently the alternative rock band Yoru no Ato released their third EP, titled 魂の置き場 (Tamashi no Okiba), on the same day that the band was celebrating their sixth anniversary, 22 May. The Osaka-based band consists of three members, of which one member is a support musician, in addition to the three EPs, the band also provided songs for several compilation albums. The band says to develop rock music full of lyrical feeling. — Recommended by Francisca
Vision of Fatima – Phosphorescence
While this five-piece emotive hardcore band has been very active on stage, it has been a while that Vision of Fatima put out new music or even a music video. For the upcoming release of the Double-A digital single Pseudomorph / Phosphorescence, Vision of Fatima created a music video that is taking place in a snowy winterscape. The band is characterised by its unique musicality and aggressive performances on stage, incorporating elements of chaotic hardcore, post-hardcore, melodic hardcore, emo, and more. — Recommended by Francisca
KAYO. – 退屈 (Taikutsu)
Active since 2016, KAYO. (recently renamed from カヨ) are a five-piece rock band from Nagoya. Centred around vocalist Saaya, their band sound has a wide range from heavy and dark to poppy and danceable vibes. The latest single, their fourth digital single, which received the music video linked below, features an alternative guitar sound, fast-paced rhythms and a striking pop melody. Hopefully an album will arrive soon. — 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.
