Despite being their most zonked out number lyrically to date, Yurufuwa Gang’s “Fresh All Day” manages to avoid falling into the ether. That’s not a bad spot for the pair — last year’s “Palm Tree” being a strong argument for just letting the void devour you entirely — but this one works because Ryan Hemsworth’s…
#30 Haruno Filia Vocalid remains one of the most intriguing instruments available in the world today, and 2018 saw plenty of artists — many of them outside of Japan — use it in thrilling ways (check Kira’s The Introduction for one good example). Domestically, Haruno’s Filia stuck around in our minds the most this year,…
One of the more jarring experiences you can have at a Japanese rap show is watching a relatively straightforward performer go on…and then be followed by Yurufuwa Gang. Recently, I watched Keiju of collective Kandytown (once known as Young Juju) play club Unit to an excited crowd, and like a lot of Japanese rappers, it…
#10 Ame To Kanmuri Nou Welcome to the top ten, where a common thread emerges in the releases Make Believe Melodies loved the most. This year was defined by artists who have been around for a while now hitting the sweet spot of their respective sounds, along with performers who crafted their own little fully-realized…
I talked to Yurufuwa Gang in The Japan Times today, about their forthcoming album Mars Ice House, one of the better Japanese rap albums I’ve heard in recent years. “Escape To The Paradise” isn’t their most Technicolor cut, though it still manages to highlight most of the sonic elements that makes them such a breath…