Aiobahn +81 & Explorers of the Internet ft. Kasane Teto - “plug n pray”
Ryo: Can anyone outdo PAS TASTA at their own game? Aiobahn +81 dare tries with Explorers of the Internet, who once remixed the supergroup. Their collab—off of Aiobahn +81’s excellent new album— resembles a more twisted, Kasane Teto version of the Hatsune Miku-meets-baile funk track “B.B.M,” but also with a whole lot more thrown top of the riddim: the “Gypsy Woman” piano riff, hard step drops, the sheet-metal screeches heard in the gnarliest strands of Brazilian funk. This is tough competition not only for PAS TASTA but for whoever else wants to join this arms race of noise.
Kohjiya ft. MIKADO, G-k.i.d, Tete - “Ma Boyz”
Ryo: Kohjiya makes introspective trap music where the rapper hums and bends Auto-Tuned melodies to his will—the kind of pop touch that fits him into a collaboration for a recent Pocari Sweat advert. Maybe it’s that breakthrough of a previous year that inspires him to round up his peers and get boastful in his new single, “Ma Boyz.” The four assembled here appear supersized as they big themselves up over a brass-heavy beat evoking a gladiator’s stadium. There’s no lie when they rap about how their music got the attention of the whole nation. If there’s any doubt, just cue up Kohjiya’s Music Station appearance.
Meg Bonus — “Mermaid”
Patrick: Fledgling artist Meg Bonus grabbed our attention last year thanks to a pair of shapeshifting albums capturing the young creator as a sonic chameleon for the 2020s. Latest single “Mermaid” continues that trend while revealing a previously unseen side of Bonus, one capable of reserve. This is a mid-tempo stroll where sonic change happens subtly rather than frantically, albeit with touches nodding to their more whirlwind nature (distorted vocals, splashes of guitar feedback). Yet it is ultimately grounded, focused on drama delivered by strings and higher-note singing. Here's Meg Bonus showing pure songwriting skills.
Noah Oda — “OVER KILL”
Patrick: We all need to blow off steam sometimes, or risk blowing a gasket. That sense of something on the verge of explosion adds some tension to the otherwise upbeat “OVER KILL,” the debut single from Noah Oda of the band um-hum. She describes the light electronic sound as being inspired by like Wii menu music and Windows start-up sounds, but I hear touches of neo-Shibuya-kei in its dash. Yet what makes it work beyond Aughts appreciation is the moments where something more stressful sneaks in, whether it is a distorted vocal or “wooooo” sample.
OBAKE FM - “Mikazuki Shinju”
Ryo: OBAKE FM’s social media shroud the project with a bit of mystique as it gives the impression of them as a secret music program rather than a band. Their radio speak, though, comes off more as them being playful after hearing the jazz-pop whimsy behind “Mikazuki Shinju.” As a Shibuya-kei-esque intro opens the new single, the band channel their proggy instincts for a MOR track that’s meticulously arranged yet light in feel. The song is not without a rocket take-off of a breakdown toward the end but it only adds to OBAKE FM’s sense of fun.
sakanaction — “Iranai”
Patrick: Given sakanaction honcho Ichiro Yamaguchi's long-simmering interest in well-worn sounds, it is not surprising that he would eventually give the plink-plonk of techno-pop a god. While “Iranai” isn't a total exploration of early '80s synth-powered sound, the whole song bounces ahead thanks to rigid electronic touches (with some human flashes via Yamaguchi's heavy breathing). The band makes it work, and as it goes on adds in their own spin while retaining the spirit of the past.
