High New Music Albums from Japan: August 2022

With journey reopening (considerably), it’s seemingly that many individuals missed some nice releases in August. Concern not as Tokyo Weekender has rounded up the perfect of the bunch. Aside from one selection seaside album from Gimgigam, August releases are able to welcome the cooler fall climate with open arms (ears).

Dayzero turns up the wonky beats on Subworld Communication whereas Takuro Okada produces a ‘sayonara summer time’ affair, excellent for these September hangouts.

Gimgigam — Summer season Deja Vu

Listeners will certainly be getting summer time déjà vu with the third album from guitarist and producer Gimgigam. Contemporary from a collaboration single with Xiangyu — which, coincidentally, made the charts final month — Summer season Deja Vu was launched initially of August. Gimgigam calls upon a variety of up-and-comers for this summery, upbeat launch, together with Punipunidenki, Uami and Junes Ok.

On “Tonttu,” listeners get island-inspired bongos and vocal samples, full with jungle sounds and a incredible interlude which closes with the opening of a can. One likes to assume that on this case it is a cool can of Ting.

Uami croons huskily over a trip-hop kind observe, “awai,” which has vibes of Huge Assault’s “Teardrop” with drawn-out, chugging beats. Minori Yoshikawa sings over “Aquarium Summer season,” a cool disco-inspired observe. “Airport Dub” is a superb tune for sitting on the airport, baggage packed, sun shades preemptively on, ready for take-off.

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4s4ki — Killer In Neverland

At solely 24 years previous, 4s4ki (pronounced Asaki) is already a prolific musician. Killer in Neverland is her fourth album, following a string of EPs and singles, and her first on a serious label. Compared to earlier releases — particularly, taking a look at her debut album which first garnered consideration again in 2020 — Killer in Neverland appears extra rounded and developed.

4s4ki welcomes again longtime collaborator, Maeshima Soshi, for “Log Out,” launched earlier this yr as a single and video. That includes heavy autotune and a responsible pleasure David Guetta-style opening, the tune heads right into a bass-face-inducing drum ‘n’ bass breakdown. “Ring Ring, You Kill Me,” henceforth, is an easy, drum ‘n’ bass influenced quantity. Considerably satisfying in the way in which it harks again to the nice previous days of the style, the observe is given a 4s4ki slant with usually dystopian lyrics.

“Sword of Preemptive Assault” with gu^2, is the toughest of the bunch, pulling no punches with its sonically-charged breakneck beats at 200mph.

Regardless of tougher tracks and 4s4ki’s latest affiliation with the hyper-pop style, Killer in Neverland is a blended board, displaying the artist’s versatility. A collaboration with Australian rapper Zheani hints at a vibrant future for 4s4ki. Let’s hope she continues on this vein and outlasts the hyper pop hype.

Takuro Okada — Betsu no Jikan

The fourth, lovely studio album from Takuro Okada quietly incorporates a star-studded listing of individuals within the background. The album has obtained prestigious approval from quite a lot of sources reminiscent of Jim O’Rourke and Haruomi Hosono.

And with good cause. The opener, “A Love Supreme,” admittedly extra a homage fairly than a canopy of the unique John Coltrane observe, is comfortable and textured. Subsequent up is “Moons,” with Okada crooning over twinkling melodies, nature-evoking samples and easy-listening electrical guitar. The fairly appropriately named “If Sea Might Sing” opens with a washed saxophone melody alongside detectable rainstick and splintering percussion. This may be the ocean singing at low tide, heading again out to the solar.

“Reflections/Getting into #3” is probably the most experimental observe on the album. A cacophony of barely-restrained sound, from guitar to sax and the aforementioned rainstick regularly builds a penetrable wall of melodic sound.

One assumes that the theme for this album is water, contemplating the abundance of water-related samples and splashes of sound and contemplative beats. An excellent album for residence listening, excellent to get up to on a sunny Sunday morning.

Dayzero — Subworld Communication

Contemporary from dropping bass-heavy releases on the likes of UK label, Livity Sound, and taking part in at dubstep and bass festivals reminiscent of Croatian trailblazer Outlook, Dayzero shifts focus with this album. A well-produced report, it sees the DJ — whose songs are recognized for switching up and their completed progressions — tackle experimentalism. There’s additionally a remix by Japanese producer, Foodman, who basically removes the bass from the unique.


For those who’re a Japan-based musician and are eager about that includes, please ship any forthcoming releases over to: editor[at]tokyoweekender[dot]com.

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Function picture by Anna Petek