Despite the ease of access that streaming has brought to the distribution of music, the volume that's released can make it a daunting task to find unique new stuff every week. In this recurring weekly feature we put together a short list of new songs from the past week that stand out amongst all the noise and deserve a spot in your rotation.
All songs featured in this recurring series can be found in our scrmbl selection 2026 playlist on YouTube, Apple Music or Spotify.
Batten Shojotai — “Sinra Bassho”
Batten Shojotai return to party mode in their new one, and the idol group reunites with Kenmochi Hidefumi to kick off their summer. Instead of deep house, a familiar touchstone to a Bassho/Kenmochi collaboration, the producer’s love of club fuels this towel-twirler of a live-show record, full of bells and whistles: pitter-patter of drums, endless chirp of whistles, and a drilling beat drop made of micro vocal chops. “An endless carnival,” the idols say of their anthem, and they certainly bring back an exciting and refreshing sound after a series of cutesy synth-pop.
Chinza Dopeness — “Blue Flame”
As the introvert meets hip-hop to help find a place to belong in Shadow Beat, what brings the story of the web anime series to life are the original songs commissioned for the show. DJ Mitsu the Beats sets a mood well-suited for a cast of moody protagonists with his production in “Blue Flame,” while Chinza Dopeness dials down his animated personality to match the producer’s dusky boom-bap sound. The latter rapper’s freewheeling style comes alive regardless with his verses resembling a mind gone a little far off to the deep end during the late nights.
CUBΣLIC — “Glitch&&Glitch”
CUBΣLIC’s new one finds the jazz-funk to electro ratio of the idol group’s music losing equilibrium. When the two sides are levelled, their singles often resemble early Perfume at the trio’s most videogame-y. But as excitement gets the best of them, synths begin to fire off in hyperspeed. The electropop affair sounds like a motherboard malfunction, not just from the, well, glitching breakdowns but also from the idols’ computer-geek speak that soon turns to gibberish as they try their best to express how they feel.
GSH Featuring tiger bae — “The Greedy Dog”
Gather 'round children, because grandpa needs to reflect on Japanese chillwave for a second. Fifteen years ago an online niche genre of music inspired by slowed-down dance samples and a recession wowed the blog space. This style made its way to Japan, and no outfit did it better than Kyoto's Hotel Mexico. Today members from that project have split off into a variety of outfits, but they come together on “The Greedy Dog” as GSH (aka Great Silent Harbour) welcomes tiger bae over for a slightly more lively dance-rock affair. Built around guitar and swift electronic samples that ripple, it's a movable number still boasting a layer of gauze over it, not tied to the era they all emerged from but nodding to it.
foodman — “Hard Reclining”
Never doubt the power of good relaxation. That's an ethos central to the music of Nagoya-based tinkerer foodman, whose wonky tracks and brain-wobbling percussive details often emerge from a pursuit of everyday chill. “Hard Reclining” takes that to its logical end, with a sampled voice saying “kimochi” (“feel great”) over and over again, stretched out and massaged until it turns into something approaching euphoria.
Urakami Souki — “Saiko No Sweat”
Urakami Souki really has fallen for someone, and they express that non-stop giddiness across “Saiko No Sweat.” It's a jaunty number featuring all kinds of sonic treats (lots of voice samples that add a fizz to this one) and great vocal touches courtesy of the singer-songwriter (check the slight snarl he brings to words at the very beginning of the song, like he's overly excited to the day). It all works together to turn into an ecstatic love letter of a tune that can barely contain its joy.
