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New Takeaki Oda: Endless Summer

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Endless Summer gathers a handful of previously released songs from chillwave disciple Takeaki Oda and also introduces a few new ones to the mix too. I’ve written about many of the numbers that make a repeat appearance on Endless Summer, and they remain nice replications of chillwave wooze built for zoning out (and maybe…just maybe…at a point when the musical ideas that fueled that niche-genre are reappearing?). Newer inclusions depart a bit from the laid-back vibes in favor of something more end credits and M83 — see the driving “The Dream Of Ghost Shyoujyo” for the best example of that. The key, though, is something to melt alongside with during hotter times, and this does a good job compiling those numbers. Get it here, or listen below.

Aisle Sheen: Tozo’s Smoked Tongue And “Jihanki Corner”

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Tozo’s music hovers somewhere in the same orbit as Boogie Idol and Pasocom Music Club’s output, shiny synth numbers riffing on the sounds of the past, but the more forgotten ones. Smoked Tongue came out last month, and puts the focus on Tozo’s composition skills, opening with the synth-wash boogie of the title track before zipping through shorter numbers built from pieces of forgotten funk and, on the closer “Mental Mochi Monja,” even sprinkles hip-hop elements in. Get it here. More recent — and a little more apt for the grocery store BGM vibe — is “Jihanki Corner,” a shimmering melody that finds something pretty in the everyday. Just listen to that bass sneak in! Listen below.

Lot Going On: Suguru Ohtaka Featuring Nao Nanba’s “Closer To Me”

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Sendai producer Suguru Ohtaka crams a lot into “Closer To Me.” It stands out from the other tracks posted to their SoundCloud, and not just because of the presence of a singer/rapper in the form of Nao Nanba. Other creations either lean into what appears to be a heavy interest in emo rock, or are more of the chill hip-hop beat kind of variety. Yet “Closer To Me” finds a midpoint between the two…and then takes a whole box of Crayola to them. The music moves from 8-bit fizzles to future-bass synth rushes to a big ol’ drop featuring sliced vocals flying by and (critically) samples of Linkin Park’s “One Step Closer,” which pinballs off of Nanba’s main refrain. Production wise its a rush, but she really seals it all down thanks to her nimble verses and signing, which add the charm to cut through the maximalism. Listen above.

New Oresama: “Hoto Hashiru”

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I mean, congrats to Oresama for landing an anime ending sequence, that’s a pretty solid career step. But I will never watch this ghost cartoon that “Hoto Hashiru” appears in, so I have to just absorb it as music. Thankfully, their latest is a nice bit of fidgety electro-pop, loaded up with small ripples that keep the energy moving (especially fond of the post-chorus sections, where the half-second vocal snippets do their best work). But it’s anchored by lead vocalist Pon, who speeds alongside the splintered funk music and adds in all the extra energy needed. Listen above.

New Mom: “Natsu No Mahou ’18”

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The latest from Mom serves as a celebration of summer, even in all of the bad parts of the season. Mainly, the heat, which is at record highs this year across the country. Mom actually nods to this during “Natsu No Mahou ’18” but doesn’t let the record-breaking temperatures get them down, as they deliver a laid-back flow over a pretty easy-going beat. And while Mom nods to the heat, they also celebrate the small wonders of these months, from the air conditioning on the subway to simply hanging out on a park bench. A snapshot of life and the simple but pleasant parts of it. Listen above.