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 25 of 2024. We sincerely hope you enjoy the new discoveries!
シェカラーシカ (Shekara Shika) – アネモネ (Anemone)
Shekara Shika started activities only a year ago with the mission to deliver life-size songs by teenagers. The four band members are high school students and it is always admirable to see how these young musicians dedicate their time and energy to come together as a band and create music. The song that received a music video this week, their first single, was written by guitarist and singer Sae during her first year in high school. Seeing how they develop and continue their musical journey will be interesting. — Recommended by Francisca
Maverick Mom – Transcend even God
Kanazawa-based four-piece rock band Maverick Mom quickly gained traction by performing as the opening act at ROCK IN JAPAN FES. 2022, just four months after their formation. In December the same year, they released their first mini-album ENERGY, which they also produced themselves. A second mini-album, titled unknown, followed in November 2023, and this week the band presented the first song since that release, Transcend even God. With this song, the band shows a different side, as it is the most intense and wild song in the band’s discography. — Recommended by Francisca
諭吉佳作/men (Yukichi Kasaku/men) – にゃんこ・ニュー (Nyanko New)
It all started with making music with an iPhone and GarageBand, it can be that simple. It resulted in writing songs for the idols of Dempagumi.inc and various other interesting collaborations, apart from creating their own work. Since October last year, the musician has been freelancing without the commitment to record label Toy’s Factory Inc. For several months now, Yukichi Kasaku/men has started releasing various music videos showcasing their skills in Blender alongside the singer-songwriter’s musical talent. The music video for this brand new track was made by the singer-songwriter personally and mainly shows lots of variations of the beloved feline. — Recommended by Francisca
Harmless – さよなら、郷愁 (Sayonara, Kyoushuu)
Three-piece alternative rock band Harmless may seem like a brand new band, but a bit of detective work suggested that the new band might be an offshoot of another rock band, ライカ (Leica). On Harmless’ YouTube channel, some traces of this connection can be found such as a trailer of a demo and the song 1957. After all band members of Leica left, except of the guitarist and vocalist, activity around the band quieted down. Looking further, it appears that the band Leica is put on hold while the focus has been shifted to the newly formed Harmless. Just last week a trailer of Harmless’ first EP was shared to YouTube, Sayonara, Kyoushuu, which will be released at the end of June. Now we can enjoy the band’s first music video. — Recommended by Francisca
nufehtin – True and Blue
After the two musicians met each other in Thailand, they decided to join forces and start a new band and named it nufehtin. Both musicians have extensive experience performing internationally as they have been part of several bands – guitarist and vocalist Yo-Yo is currently also active in the five-piece instrumental band SEQUOiA and previously in the rock band JunK while drummer Daeng-Daeng has been part of rock band Walkings and is currently the support drummer for the Thai band The Drivers and bass player in the two-piece band the tapings. With all this experience, they went to Taiwan for a tour soon after their formation and released a limited 2-track EP, that got recently followed up by another EP, titled the. — Recommended by Francisca
VIYON – ワンダー (Wonder)
VIYON, a four-piece rock band from Tokyo, started activities in the spring of 2022. Influenced by Japanese rock from the 2000s and beyond, their songs mix different musical genres and styles, characterised by substantive lyrics. This year, the band VIYON released singles for three consecutive months, with the song Wonder being the last of the batch. The three singles follow up their first mini-album release 何も知らない (Nanimo Shiranai) which was released in September 2023. The new song is fast-paced with catchy melodies and emotional vocals while also incorporating VIYON’s distinctive quirkiness. The song is described to be the band’s new killer tune. — Recommended by Francisca
パソコン音楽クラブ (PASOCOM MUSIC CLUB) − Hello feat.Cwondo
Pasocom Music Club, a Japanese duo from Osaka formed in 2015, produce music using classic hardware synthesisers and sound modules, blending retro tunes with contemporary electronic elements. Their albums, EPs and mini-albums reveal a journey through varying moods and sonic landscapes. Over the years, the synth-pop duo has collaborated with many musicians, writing for other musicians and also composing music for television shows, like ユーレイデコ (Yurei Deco) and Pokémon Journeys: The Series. The latest collaboration is with Cwondo, a music project by No Buses guitarist and vocalist Taisei Kondo. — 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.
