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.
cosmosy — “Paradise ~ I need you ~”
Ryo: Cosmosy puts in a lot of work on world-building when it comes to the presentation of their music. Cryptic song titles, face-averse album art and elaborate videos evoke in their work an art-house mysticism reminiscent of the vibes found in K-pop acts like Billlie. Their actual music, too, springs from a similar well with sensual R&B given a touch of deep house for an otherworldly feel. The anti-gravity garage beats in “Paradise ~ I need you ~” in particular go beyond aesthetics, expressing in the song the idols’ irrepressible desire as much as a chic new sound to the group’s impeccable palette.
DE DE MOUSE and WaMi — “In Yr Dreams”
Patrick: DE DE MOUSE is so good at the neon-accented garage pop that makes you long for Shibuya streets that when he chooses to flip sounds around it's a genuine surprise. “In Yr Dreams” is another shimmering dance cut featuring declarations of longing courtesy of singer WaMi for about a minute. Post-last-train fantasia? Not quite, because then bass straight from someone's trunk soundsystem blurt across this fantasy. It doesn't disrupt the sweetness, though, but only turns it surreal.
Hakushi Hasegawa — “The Owner of Sadness”
Ryo: My image of a typical Hakushi Hasegawa song finds the artist on the piano, firing off these jagged chords and riffs that assemble into this madcap jazz-pop. The first of their upcoming album, Honest Feeling Album, scraps that whole impression in favor of Hasegawa now fronting a psych-rock band by the name of HaHa and the Hairpins. Yet from the sound of “The Owner of Sadness,” it makes no difference whether they play a piano or guitar: the result is all going to be so full of feeling that the emotions begin to warp the contours of the music, the instruments and their voice ringing thick with distortion. You might not place the exact genre, or pick up on the lyrics, but you definitely recognize the feeling.
The Otals — “Tarte Tatin Reverie”
Ryo: The Otals delivers that blockbuster feeling with the band’s shoegaze-driven power-pop glowing with so much color and pure sensation. For their new one, they roll out a scrappier sound that’s more indie-budget garage-rock than last year’s All Imperfect Summerland. Yet the song spills as much emotion as their usual big-screen new wave with a woozy rollercoaster ride of a guitar riff that channels their heart throbbing over a fat crush. They sound so dizzy and tongue-tied from the butterflies, but you almost want to stay feeling this sick when the headache rings this sweet.
Tomggg and ena mori — “MONO TARINAI!”
Patrick: A fizzy gripe session built around borderline-cartoon sounds and some harder hitting elements. The latest collaboration between producer Tomggg and artist ena mori features the prior's playroom sparkle and harder bass zig-zagging over one another to create a disorienting atmosphere caught between Candyland and the club. For her part, mori skips along but doesn't let the mood stop her from dwelling on the negatives that stop a potential partner from being a real catch. “MONO TARINAI!” doesn't create tension between these two sides, but instead lets them mingle together to create something much more interesting.
wanbed — “Beat”
Patrick: Fledgling Tokyo quartet wanbed sure know how to offer some twists on latest song “Beat.” What starts as a somewhat sparse rock ramble begins to coalesce into what could be another example of young emo-leaning rock coming out of the capital...until the tempo slows, the guitars rev up and the number turns into like a bouncy samba-inspired jaunt? Didn't see that coming, but it's nice revelry soon twisting into something more emotionally charged for its final stretch without losing the fun.
