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Category Archives: Music

New Oyubi: Just Like Dat EP

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One of the early highlights of 2018 in Japanese music has been Oyubi’s My Fingers album, released by Omoide Label near the start of March. The producer now offers what I’m sounds like a palette cleanser of sorts after the at-times abrasive My Fingers, offering another side to the artist. Oyubi still sticks to juke sounds, kicking the whole thing off with the swift title track which feels like a reminder of their foundation. Things get slightly more sandpaper-like with “Smokin,” but after an early rush it is mostly an exercise in vocal samples (same goes for the sample ping-pong of “Join! Die!,” almost like a movie trailer for a really knocking film). It’s not quite up to the energy and intrigue of My Fingers, but shows a different side to Oyubi. Get it here, or listen below.

New ELLEH: Anthems Part III

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Tokyo duo ELLEH recently jumped up to a English label — Rare Cut Records — and offered up the third part in their Anthems series last Friday. It starts off with the strongest moment, the previously shared “Everything You Ever Needed,” which still wows with its dizzying climax. While that lead off teases catharsis, the songs that follow double down on ELLEH’s unnerving side. “Make Your Love Worth Living For” struts forward on deep bass notes, a slightly menacing compliment to the lead vocals, which sometimes slip into quick spoken word. “In The Maze” swirls before shuffling ahead, while closer “Your Worst Desires” burbles and flares up around the edges. It highlights a tension lurking in ELLEH’s music, one that makes the temporary release of something like “Everything You Ever Needed” all the more powerful. Listen above.

Electronic Round-up Featuring Hiroki Yamamura, Toccoyaki And Kloni

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Busy weekend as usual — electronic artists love dropping new tracks on days off, huh? — so let’s dive in to a few highlights. Osaka juke creator Hiroki Yamamura ventures into more elastic and funky territory with “Mimosa,” his latest. The familiar skittery beats come through clearly, as is the persistent energy that defines his best tracks. But everything also comes off as a little more laid-back, maybe a few drinks down in the day (those tipsy keyboard notes!). It’s playful, even as it rumbles forward at a familiar quick tempo. Listen above.

More bubbly is the latest from Toccoyaki, providing something a bit more busy, even if it takes a little more time to get there. “Yume No Ato” features vocals from Yuzuki, who adds a nice counter to what ends up being pretty heavy — albeit carbonated — electronic drops from the producer. It works in tandem to create an energetic cut that takes a second to build up, but then delivers when everything starts popping. Listen below.

The energy only increases via Aichi-based producer Kloni, who delivers a dazzling rush with “Magic.” Fans of artists such as Amunoa should definitely check out the young creator — SoundCloud description, “beginner” — who uses hiccuping vocal samples practically tripping over one another to add to the thrill of the already swift music beneath it. For those who like Technicolor whirlwinds, keep an eye on this one. Listen below.

New T4CKY: I / II

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Producer and roman-numerals-aficionado T4CKY created one of 2017’s more promising debuts in the form of XIX. Now they continue flashing their potential with two new songs. “I” is the one that is more readily available to all, as it is up on SoundCloud (and you can hear it above). It’s a touch more restrained, opening with bell twinkles and slowly adding in elements, from a head-bopping beat to Spanish vocal samples. It’s more about showing off texture than necessarily cutting back, and feels more like a display of production skill than anything else. Which is why you should hunt down “II,” available on streaming services, if you can. That one pulls a lot of similar tricks, but morphs all those samples and machine-beats into a woozy dance number that just gets steam as it goes along, losing itself in its own sound and inviting the listener to come along.

New There Is A Fox: After Image

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Let’s call it spring cleaning, if you will. Kyoto-based singer/songwriter There Is A Fox’s album After Image has been out for a whole month now, but today feels like the right day to write about it, with the weather feeling warm and pleasant (and, uhhhh, I remembered I made a note to write about it…but didn’t see until today. Nice.). After Image offers intimate and sparse numbers guided by acoustic guitar, the key element being There Is A Fox’s vocals, soft and at-times near-whispered, which add a sweetness to numbers such as “Sun Shower” and “Good Bye.” Critical to the album, however, is its pacing. Between this folk numbers are instrumentals that add in other elements — music boxes on the aching “Day Break,” a slight electronic fuzz on “After Image 1” and “After Image 2” — that keep things compelling. Perfect for a warm day. Get it here, or listen below.