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 couple of videos that were released in week 24 of the year 2021. Enjoy the new discoveries!
butterfly inthe stomach – 春雷地帯 (Shunrai chitai)
Rock duo butterfly inthe stomach got formed in 2003, at that time it was a full-fledged band with four band members. After 10 years of activities, the two band members, vocalist and guitarist Yuichiro Ono and drummer Taro Nakae decided to continue as a duo. The band has several mini-albums, albums and singles on its name and is known for their energetic performances. — Recommended by Francisca
カムリキ (Kamuriki) – Jammer
We’re talking about a very new musical unit here, as this group -formed by two childhood friends with connections in other bands such as Amanojac and Nucleo- got launched this month. Jammer is Kamuriki’s very first single and with this first music video, they’ve already secured a collaboration with MEES Audio. An impressive start and this might say something about Kamuriki’s future. — Recommended by Francisca
Lazuli rena nicole – Mood
This alternative rock band is based in Niigata and got formed in the winter of 2016. The trio has released a mini-album and four EPs, of which the latest two are digital releases. The rock band likes to play with a variety of music genres, and the band’s first single, Mood, shows that the band is presenting a dreamy atmosphere. — Recommended by Francisca
KLEPTO – The Newest
Indie rock duo KLEPTO got formed in 2019 in Tokyo, consisting of SJM as the vocalist and guitarist and BNKN as the bass player and drummer. On their website, they state that they have respect for garage rock revival. Last year, they released two EPs with a few months in between. The Newest is not their newest release, but got released just last month. This month they also released a digital single, Let Me Down. — Recommended by Francisca
DEARS – Portfolio
DEARS consist of a group of nine young musicians who are ‘born in funk and raised in jazz’. The group can be best described as a multidimensional pop band consisting of vocals, horns and rhythm. To date, they have released two CDs, although under their former name Absolute Dears. Since May 2020, they are active as DEARS. — Recommended by Francisca
メランコリーメランコリー (Melancholie-Melancholie) – 悪魔 (Demon)
Melancholie-Melancholie are a rock band from Osaka and consisting of three members. The band got formed when the members were high school students. The sound of the band is a fusion of nostalgia and modern Japanese rock. If you have been following Get Your Genki this year, you might have found one of their tracks on one of the releases. — Recommended by Francisca
未遂ドロップス (Misui Drops) – シガレット (Cigarette)
Misui Drops began band activities in the autumn of 2009. This rock band consists of four members and is based in Osaka. The band makes songs that have an emotional and powerful sound, and with it, a bit of nostalgia. Although their last physical release was a mini-album in 2019, they have since published new tracks in the form of music videos. — 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!
