Five Japanese artists and labels to support during Bandcamp Friday (April 2023)

As communicated in February, Bandcamp Friday has returned for the rest of this year (excluding June and July). And so every first Friday of the month, we can look forward to the day when Bandcamp waives their revenue share, meaning more money left over for artists and labels. That’s Bandcamp Friday in a nutshell.

And considering Bandcamp Friday is today, on 7 April, it is time to mean this means we will highlight some Japanese artists and labels in an article. Do you want to know who we have highlighted in the past? Be sure to check to read our articles listed here.

Chouchou

The musical duo Chouchou got formed in a virtual world around 2007, Second Life, a 3D virtual world and currently seen as the original metaverse where people can create worlds and connect with other people. The duo consists of vocalist Juliet Heberle and composer Arabesque Choche and together they create their music from start to finish, as well as artwork and music videos. Their extensive discography was expanded last 20 March with a new release, an EP titled 明​日​、​花​嵐​の​向​こ​う​側​で (Tomorrow, Beyond the Flower Storm).

AVOD

In 2020, a couple of motorcycle friends who knew from each other that they could play instruments came together to start a crossover thrash metal band, AVOD. The four-piece is currently active in the Kanto region, mainly in Yamanashi. In September 2022 they released their first album, Out Of Order, in which they demonstrate how they incorporate other genres in addition to trash metal. The album is available physically and digitally via Bandcamp.

ハレトキドキ (HARETOKIDOKI)

The hyper pop music unit HARETOKIDOKI got formed in September 2018 by track maker and producer Yu Fujishima (brinq) and vocalist Misatsun with the mission to deliver a new dimension of Japanese pop, by mixing elements of the 80s and 90s with contemporary sounds. They have contributed music to the Vtuber compilation album VirtualREAL, KONAMI’s DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION, and Namco Bandai’s dance music project Denonbu. Their latest release is an Eurobeat remix album, but be sure to check out their second album LOST MEMORY, which was released in March last year after a successful crowdfunding campaign.

Kokeshi

Kokeshi’s activities were started in 2017, they describe themselves as an expressionist group with decadent (and dark) poetry and songs at the heart of their violent rhythms and ethereal sound. Since 2019, the blackened/dark hardcore band is going strong with the current band line-up, a quartet, releasing the first album Longing a year later, joined a three-way split for Tokyo Jupiter Records’ 15th-anniversary. Kokeshi’s second full-length album, 冷刻 (Reikoku), has been released today.

FIRED STOMP RECORDS

FIRED STOMP RECORDS is the name of a Do-It-Yourself hardcore/punk label based in Osaka. The label started in 2016 and is run by band members of the hardcore band BRAVE OUT. Besides releasing BRAVE OUT’s music through this label, they also release music from bands such as TRUE FIGHT, NO EXCUSE and NUMBERNINE. Through Bandcamp, you can buy mainly digital releases.

It is good to know that on Bandcamp Fridays, an average of 93% of your money reaches the artist or label (after payment processor fees). On other days, an average of 82% reaches the artist or label. Who are you going to support on Bandcamp Friday?