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 all this and write a review about it for each video. But to avoid missing out on (obscure) gems, the decision has been made to create 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 41 of 2025. We sincerely hope you enjoy the new discoveries!
Jose – アストロボーイ (Astro Boy)
Jose, a four-piece alternative rock band from Kyoto, released a new single this week, entitled アストロボーイ (Astro Boy). The quartet was formed at the start of 2020, at a time when we were not yet fully aware of what was to come, which was the COVID-19 pandemic. But this band, sometimes described as a genre-defying rock band, has come through this challenging time and has released several singles and an EP. In addition, the vocalist recently participated in a song by neo folk rock band The Slumbers. We are curious to see what the next step will be for this band. — Recommended by Francisca
Tattletale – 炎天下 (entenka)
Recently seen live on stage in Canada with other promising bands Haku., Banshimoku and Carpenter’s Blue, all bands that have been featured in AVO Magazine before, it is finally time to shine the spotlight on rock band Tattletale. The three-piece band from Sapporo combines screamo with hardcore and manages to mix this with other music genres to present something distinctive, yet unique. It is sometimes described as alternative emo or mathcore. After releasing an EP, the rock band has primarily been busy producing singles and delivering powerful performances. Their sixth single, 炎天下 (entenka), was released in early this month. — Recommended by Francisca
NiCK – 深夜行 (Shinyakou)
This week, Koshigaya (Saitama Prefecture)-based rock band NiCK released their first EP, titled dive, mostly comprised of new tracks. It appears to be the follow-up to the three singles released in three consecutive months in September, October, and November 2024, うらみっこなし (Uramikkonasi), self, and 超えて (Koete). Around this time, bassist and vocalist Yuki Wada joined as an official band member after two years as a support musician for this band. To date, they are still looking for a permanent drummer. The new EP is therefore a kind of new chapter for NiCK. — Recommended by Francisca
Nesora – Luminous
On 18 October, the digital mini-album LOST by Nesora, a violinist from Tokyo, will be released. From an early age, he had dreamed of becoming a violinist, a dream he managed to realise by continuing to practise and persevere to make something of his life. His playing style is often described as ‘moving’ or ‘sentimental’; in a blog post, he explained that this could be due to his emotional background. With his new release, he has worked hard to explore new worlds for the violin by challenging himself. As can be heard in the track Luminous, it is not simply a solo piece for violin, but a band formation in which the violin plays the central role. — Recommended by Francisca
COPES – with
The melodic pop band COPES started activities at the start of 2021 and have had a very interesting 2025. In addition to performing at big festivals such as JAPAN JAM and RUSH BALL, the three-piece released their first mini-album in July, titled Happiness. The band’s mission is to create uplifting songs that will give listeners who face their problems every day a supportive boost, which is why the title of their latest release is so fitting for what they produce. Packed with energetic songs and catchy melodies, they also offer two vocal styles that seem to be in perfect balance: Nanako’s clear and soft singing voice and Yuuki’s rich, powerful voice. — Recommended by Francisca
Grandma’s Garden – だから、さよなら (Dakara, sayonara)
Call And Response Records always manage to find interesting underground acts in the metropolis of Tokyo, including this band called Grandma’s Garden. This two-piece indie band will release their very first EP in a few days, also their first release that has been in the making for some time. The upcoming EP, entitled Sweet Dystopian Daydreams, will be released digitally and on cassette tape (limited to 100 copies). Formed in the autumn of 2024, guitarist/vocalist Saki Nakayama and drummer Yohei Sumita bring together various music genres, such as post-punk, alternative rock, garage punk, and even stoner rock, with a pop feel. — Recommended by Francisca
Abiuro – 悪魔。 (Akuma.)
Here in the Netherlands, we are in the middle of autumn, so that calls for some doom music. I’m talking about that slow, droning wall of sound with some grunting and shrieking to make it dark (and depressing). After releasing several singles, EPs, compilation contributions and splits, Tokyo-based sludge/doom metal band Abiuro will soon release their first full-length album via Doom Fujiyama, entitled 落 (Ochi). The release consists of several re-recordings of earlier songs and new material. It is worth noting that the production was done by the original band members and that they are also active live in the same line-up. — 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.
