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 Japanese music acts that are definitely worth watching and need some extra focus, with an emphasis on the lesser-known names.
We are now looking back on a selection of videos released in week 16 of 2024. We sincerely hope you enjoy the new discoveries!
窓際ぼっち俱楽部 (Madogiwa Bocchi Kurabu) – なんでもない(のに) (Nandemonai (no ni))
Time for an introduction to Madogiwa Bocchi Kurabu, a five-member melancholic rock band from Osaka who clearly don’t want to show their faces and hide behind masks or just blur in post-production of video editing. The musicians are described as loners in the real world while that is a different story online and against expectations, these self-proclaimed loners have started a band. At the time of writing, the band has yet to release a full-fledged album, but from the formation of the ‘club’ in March 2023, they have worked hard to release new music, releasing several singles and EPs. — Recommended by Francisca
Life crown – Past
March saw the release of the latest single from Tokyo-based rock band Life crown (stylised as life crown), a four-piece rock band formed in 2020 by high school friends. Striving to produce a creative sound that reaches both the underground and mainstream, the band is heavily inspired by shoegaze and grunge, strongly reminiscent of US alternative music of the 1990s. By the looks of it, the band has mainly released singles and two EPs, so it remains to be seen when the band will be ready for a full-length album release. — Recommended by Francisca
感覚ピエロ (Kankaku Piero) – ナンセンス (Nonsense)
In a few days, rock band Kankaku Piero will release their third album NULL, besides this joyous news, the band is also celebrating their tenth anniversary this year. In those ten years, the four-piece, known for their explosive sound and provocative songs, has their own label and has written many theme songs for TV dramas, animated series and films. The formation of the band came after Akizuki, then booking manager for Club Vijon in Osaka, discovered that the bands he supported had quit or were taking a break, so he decided to start his own band with musicians he found interesting. — Recommended by Francisca
STAY FOR WELL – Here I Am
Nice and short, but powerful, that’s the new song Here I Am that can be found on the brand-new single from melodic pure pop-punk band STAY FOR WELL, titled Fall Into “Bad Dreams”. The four-piece formation does not seem to have been active for very long at all, as the upcoming single will be the third release for the Kashiwa City-based band (to be found in Chiba Prefecture). Still, this small body of work shows what the band has to offer and so it was time to highlight STAY FOR WELL. — Recommended by Francisca
MAD JAMIE – FXXK YOU VERY MUCH
With “Good morning, haters!” Akubi Kanjosen drops in with the song FXXK YOU VERY MUCH, she is currently the only original group member of the idol punk rock group MAD JAMIE. Earlier, the idol group operated as a group formation, but this came to an end in March 2023. Shortly afterwards, it was announced that it had become a solo project of Akubi Kanjosen. Three MAD JAMIE music videos have been released in the space of two weeks to give a taste of what to expect from this music project, shortly before Akubi embarks on a short tour in Europe. — Recommended by Francisca
ĀTMAN – 反撃 (Counterattack)
Based in Chiba, the three musicians of the rock band ĀTMAN are in their early twenties. The band formed at the height of the pandemic in 2021, and despite the challenges of performing during that time, they managed to take the stage that same year. They are making music that is best described as alternative grunge rock, which culminated in an eight-track album released in 2023 titled, 焦燥ネグレクト (Shousou neglect). They are less on stage nowadays, but that does not mean the three men have been sitting on their hands considering they came up with a new music video this week. — Recommended by Francisca
BACKDAV – B.U.G
Tokyo-based alternative rock band BACKDAV started operations in 2017 and since 2019 they have been active with their current line-up. Their songwriting delves into themes of embracing human darkness and leading it towards the light, complemented with an aggressive rock sound that the band believes transcends genre limitations because each band member has a different musical background. March saw the release of BACKDAV’s third EP, titled INNOVATION, making it their first release of 2024. — 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.
