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 selection of videos that were released in week 29 of 2023. We sincerely hope you enjoy the new discoveries!
フジタ カコ (Kako Fujita) – 怪物 (Kaibutsu)
In April this year, singer-songwriter Kako Fujita started releasing singles as part of a project where she will release 7 consecutive singles, we have now arrived at single number 4. She started her activities as a musician when she was 15 years old and borrowed the guitar from her grandparents, a year later she wrote her first songs. Now 21 years old, she has managed to release at least three EPs and several singles in the meantime, and the young singer-songwriter is still brimming with creativity. — Recommended by Francisca
カラコルムの山々 (Karakoram Range) – 東京自転車(二号機) (Tokyo Jitensha (Unit 2))
Karakoram Range are a four-piece cinematic rock band coming from Tokyo and active since the summer of 2021. They want to create a new genre with their music, which has the immensity and storytelling quality of a film. With this band the four-piece gets the chance to explore their own musical style, attempting to carefully merge music genres such as jazz, techno, and hip-hop. The effect may be perplexing at first because it is difficult to track the progress of the music, but it may delight the open-minded listener to encounter a new realm. They just released a new EP and soon, the band will perform on the ROOKIE A GO-GO STAGE at FUJI ROCK Festival. — Recommended by Francisca
umitachi – 今を生きる君へ (Ima Wo Ikiru Kimie)
This rock band has been active since late 2020 and is well underway. We wrote about umitachi in the spring of 2021 and in the meantime, the band released another demo and joined TRUST RECORDS, which was followed up with a single and mini-album in 2022. Ima Wo Ikiru Kimie is the fourth single for this year and since this week, umitachi officially became a trio again with the addition of bassist Ami, who has been supporting the band since July 2022. — Recommended by Francisca
KNOSIS – 神喰 (KAMIGURAI)
For those who know about the band Crystal Lake, the name Ryo Kinoshita should sound very familiar. After the vocalist left the metalcore band in September 2022, he appeared not to be willing to stay idle and stay quiet and managed to tease music fans with short sound clips which seemed to indicate that he wanted to do something with music after all. This resulted in the announcement of the experimental metalcore project KNOSIS in collaboration with the music production team The Hideout Studios with the subtitle “Know that you know nothing about me”. The second EP by KNOSIS, titled The Eternal Doom, will be released soon. Later this year, KNOSIS will tour Europe as a support act for US hardcore punk band Stray From The Path. — Recommended by Francisca
PLASTIC GIRL IN CLOSET – Ramune River
Shoegaze band PLASTIC GIRL IN CLOSET just released a new single, the fourth single of 2023, titled Ramune River, which they described as sentimental noisepop that is reminiscent of distant summer days. The Iwate-based trio decided last year to rework their first mini-album White Loud and fifth album eye cue rew see, both of which were initially published in 2014. This year they have released mainly new music and they may be on their way to the creation of a new album. — Recommended by Francisca
熱帯魚とものくろーむ (Nettaigyo to Monochrome) – めっちゃラブです。(Metcha love desu)
Coming from Fukuoka prefecture, Nettaigyo to Monochrome’s first gig took place in spring 2022. The four band members of this young rock band have worked hard in a short time with various performances and making music, and they have finally arrived at the release of their very first album: 私の話、2人の秘密 (Watashi no Hanashi, Futari no Himitsu). They each contribute their unique individuality to the band’s distinctive style, where they focus on empathy, creative word choice and thoughtful messages in the songs. — Recommended by Francisca
SPRINGMAN – 勤労 (Kinrou)
After activities as a three-member rock band, SPRINGMAN is now active as a solo project with support musicians. In the music video, vocalist and guitarist Daisuke Arakawa plays the role of a researcher who, despite repeated failures, keeps trying to get the android, played by Sari Goto, to work properly. The song describes the struggles of life in society, experiences that might be familiar to everyone. Kinrou has been released before, namely February 2021, when the band was still active as a trio. But now it has been re-released, with a new twist. — 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.
