With a large music industry such as Japan, the second largest in the world, music fans will inevitably 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 19 of 2025. We sincerely hope you enjoy the new discoveries!
ue – 深海 (Deep sea)
This four-piece instrumental post-rock band with a name consisting of two letters, ue, is characterised by melodic twin guitar work and rhythmically refined compositions, combining influences from musical genres such as math rock, punk, hip-hop, and electronica. Formed in 2020, the band has released several singles and an EP in recent years. After the release of the single 1998 in December 2023, things remained quiet for a while in terms of new music, but ue continued to perform actively. This week, the band broke the ‘silence’ with a new single that delves deeper into their sound. — Recommended by Francisca
Khamai Leon – 風の谷 (Valley of wind)
Alternative band Khamai Leon is known for their interesting mix of musical genres in their music, effortlessly incorporating elements of rock, hip-hop, jazz and even classical music into their songs. At the end of April, Khamai Leon released their first EP, 風の谷 (Valley of wind), a music video of the title track was released this week, which is linked below. For a band that has only been active since 2022, the four musicians have already built quite a discography, with more than 10 singles and two albums in addition to the recent EP. — Recommended by Francisca
Soirée – 融解 (Meltdown)
Soirée, a Nagoya-based indie pop duo consisting of composer and guitarist Usagi Fumitsuki and vocalist Mao, released their first album in April. Despite their compact line-up, they have regularly collaborated with various guest musicians and content creators since their formation in 2022, resulting in a wide range of musical productions online and on stage. The new album, titled Tableau, features 10 tracks, some of which were previously released as singles, but half of them are brand-new tracks. — Recommended by Francisca
飯澤遥土 (Haruto Iizawa) – 君の世界 (Your World)
This is the third single from multi-instrumentalist Haruto Iizawa, who mainly plays percussion and strings. But not only that; he writes, composes, arranges, mixes and partly designs the artwork from his home studio. His alternative pop songs stand out with a mix of different styles and a serious undertone that appeals to many listeners. This was evident with his first release in 2020, which took him to sixth place on the weekly chart of Japanese indie platform Eggs. Besides being a solo musician, he is also active as producer of the band ペドウィンズ (Pedouins) and band member of the electro pop unit 809. — Recommended by Francisca
山二つ (Yamafutatsu) – 屋根のない星 (Yane no Nai Hoshi)
Yamafutatsu gets described as an elusive pop quartet that creates alternative pop with a free, expressive approach, immersing the listener in their music. The band was formed in 2021 with four musicians who all come from diverse backgrounds, including design and performing arts. Three of them are responsible for the composition of the music, alternating between vocals and instruments, while live performances also add a dynamic element through dance to bring their music to life visually. Their newest single is the follow-up to their first album, テレビ (Television), which was released in the summer of 2023. — Recommended by Francisca
Epifunnies – Bring Me Back
A veil of mystery surrounds this brand-new band from the start; they want their music to speak for itself. On Christmas Day, the four-piece rock band released their very first digital single, and on 30 April, they released their very first album, titled non’non’. Their music contains Britpop influences and consists of both energetic and sensitive songs, including piano ballads and string arrangements. Fun fact: the band name Epifunnies is a combination of the English words epiphany and funny. A music video of this song was released two months ago, but since I had missed it and I find the band interesting, I chose to highlight the live video. — Recommended by Francisca
Beachside talks – sign
After releasing several singles and a mini-album, Beachside talks’ first full-length album, Hokorobi, consisting of 13 tracks, was released this past March. Formed in 2017, this shoegaze/dream pop band evolved from making covers to creating their own work in 2022. Their music style is rooted in shoegaze and dreampop, but the three-piece band also mixes influences from R&B, UK garage, grunge and postpunk. The music video for the album’s closing track tells of grief, memories and buried emotions in story form, translated into a soft and gentle sound. — 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.
