Daoko — “COMIT COMET”
Patrick: Daoko is capable of adapting to so many styles that it is easy to forget she can just be a straight-up killer pop singer when needed. “COMIT COMET” is slightly throwback dance-pop featuring some juicy bass lines and bounce-along melodies that finds her stepping into the role with vocal aplomb. Listen above.
HARUKA ECHO — “Zankyo”
Ryo: If there is a definite “Sakamichi-group sound,” HARUKA ECHO embodies it. The idol group’s debut single builds upon the musical palette but also the structure similar to anthems by Nogizaka46 or Keyakizaka46: shrouded in pensive atmosphere, a lone acoustic-guitar strum soon ushers in arena-EDM stomps and a dramatic string section to bring the point home. “Zankyo” actually should evoke “Silent Majority” with HARUKA ECHO being produced by Bugbear, the duo behind Keyakizaka’s iconic debut single. But more than the sound, the single is driven by the same ambitions toward self-realization as the group’s predecessors: “going to do it with this song / let’s leave proof that we’ve lived,” the idols sing before the big chorus. Like their inspirations, HARUKA ECHO’s debut lands with an indelible impression.
Pilaf Seijin — “Shalala”
Patrick: The arc of Pilaf Seijin is wild enough on its own. A rapper who first caught internet attention because of how badly he wanted to meet his idol Peanuts-kun (who can't relate!), he soon became a constantly buzzing MC who now finds himself releasing his first song made for an anime which...is wild. But “Shalala” stands on its own too, thanks to its pogoing pace and pop energy, drawing from Jersey Club and giving space for a big ol' hook at its center. Listen above.
Sasane — “mosi mosi?”
Ryo: Sasane just recently dropped this quirky synth-pop tune, her first official song so far, yet it’s been circulating on TikTok as part of a dance meme since the start of the month. Every time I scroll past clips of idols doing the dance, “mosi mosi?” captivates me through its Shibuya-kei-esque sound: the jingle-like keyboard melodies, the airy atmosphere, the nonsensical yet sweetly catchy chorus. Shibuya-kei from the 2000s has been popular on the app, so it’s about time we hear new pop inspired by those acts native to the platform.
Tota ft. 163braces — “Onomatopoeia”
Ryo: Tota usually sings folk-y guitar pop in the vein of Yorushika or Ikuta Lilas, but those gentle acoustic riffs get filtered into fresh material for surging electropop in this new collaboration with Taiwanese singer 163braces. “What do you call it / my mind’s all twisted,” she sings, nearly tongue-tied, about this rising, inexplicable feeling while the guitars and kick drums thrust the song forward. The fluttering production of “Onomatopoeia” offers no time for Tota to pause and recollect, but she sounds satisfied getting swept away by the music.
Wednesday Campanella — “Scipio”
Patrick: Few groups anywhere in the world could create a song about a famous Roman general and twist it into a commentary on the devotion of modern fandom. Even less could set it to the hyperactive sound of Eurobeat. Yet that's why Wednesday Campanella remains such a welcome oddball in the modern J-pop scene. “Scipio” finds vocalist Utaha using BC-era war genius Scipio Africanus as both character and metaphor for the modern supporter of anything, turning an ancient tactician into an oshi worth loving. It's clever, funny and sometimes suddenly aching — she sings about the importance of stanning out for your fave while you can, that last bit really getting to the urgency behind this passion — all while producer Kenmochi Hidefumi delivers a delirious retro-tinged barrage befitting of Velfarre. Listen above.
