SEVEN #6: J-Pop songs that are worth your time
Because where else am I gonna get to gush about this?
If it wasn’t obvious from some previous posts I’ve made here on this lovely site, I have something of a soft spot for J-Pop and J-Rock. Call it nostalgia, call it my weeby past sticking with me, call it whatever you want, but Japan consistently pumps out some of the most intriguing and captivating music I’ve listened to (and yes, I am aware that I’m doing the “thing from Japan” meme, lemme have this one). But, obviously, not all J-Pop songs are created equal, and there can often be a thin line between the truly good and the cringe.
Which is why I’m going to take a stab at showing off SEVEN J-Pop songs that I genuinely think are worth your time, from the murky depths of Vocaloid to the equally murky depths of anime to the just plain old J-Rock. Let’s get going, shall we?
Inabakumori - Lagtrain
File this under “rainy day music”, and throw it on when the sky outside is slate gray. Inabakumori has been incredibly consistent, and “Lagtrain” is easily the utmost peak of his work (it’s his most viewed song on his YT channel for a reason). What starts with a simple synth line and the fluttering voice of Vocaloid Kaai Yuki quickly blossoms into a low-key, bouncy, yet simultaneously melancholic indie rock track that touches on themes of social anxiety and being left behind (themes that fellow Gatekeeper! Hugh Puddles touched on extensively in their excellent review for Inabakumori’s debut album Anticyclone). By the time the final chorus hits, you’ll have that synth lick stuck in your head for weeks to come.
Nanashi Hachiya - Jitterbug
Released to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the first Japanese Vocaloid, MEIKO, “Jitterbug” is a song that has had the illustrious honor of being included in the long-running Project DIVA rhythm game series, and yet somehow has remained criminally overlooked in comparison to many of the other popular Vocaloid tracks out there. MEIKO’s vocals stand side-by-side with Hatsune Miku’s as one of the most chaotic electro-swing instrumentals I’ve ever heard guides them on in the background. The vocal harmonies here alone would make this song worth checking out, but the surprising rhythmic complexity that “Jitterbug” often indulges in only sweetens the deal, with special mention going to a sudden tempo slowing in the second verse. Above all else, this song is just a catchy jam through and through. Just good luck trying to play it if you’re a Project DIVA player like yours truly. Those rhythm changes are pleasant to listen to, but hell to follow along with in the middle of a game.
Kenshi Yonezu - Machi
If you know Kenshi Yonezu, it’s most likely from his landmark J-Pop hits like “Lemon”, “Peace Sign”, “Kick Back”, or even the recently viral “Iris Out” (all of which are still worth checking out, mind you). But, for those of us who remember his days as Vocaloid producer Hachi, I cannot recommend “Machi” enough (and all of Diorama for that matter). This opening song carries many of the hallmarks of Yonezu’s Hachi-era works, the subtly off-kilter guitar, melancholic/slightly sinister overtones, and a general sense of uncanniness, and merges it with the theatricality that would define Yonezu’s more mainstream releases down the line, with his incredible voice tying the disparate eras of his music together. “Machi” in particular has always sounded to me like Yonezu’s take on a Sgt. Pepper-era Beatles track, and it perfectly sets the tone for the beautiful chaos that follows.
MyGO!!!!! - SilhouetteDance
If you’re going to make an anime multimedia franchise that centers around rock bands, you better make damn sure that the music contained within is up to snuff. Thankfully, long running franchise BanG Dream (which we will refer to as Bandori from here on out) has always had consistent talent to spare. MyGO!!!!!, the eighth band in Bandori’s… interesting history marked the beginning of Bandori taking a far more mature route with their storytelling, and the band’s music mirrors that transition expertly. “SillhouetteDance” in particular opens with a shockingly technical punk riff (at least in comparison to the rest of Bandori’s catalog), and once the shy yet powerful vocals kick in, you’ll be hooked.
As a side note, I actually do recommend watching BanG Dream: It’s MyGO!!!!!, as it’s shockingly emotional and well-written, especially compared to the iffy quality of Bandori’s writing in seasons past.
UtsuP - Gorgon
Look, just because this is a J-Pop list doesn’t mean I can’t indulge in some metal here and there, right? I’ve always been an advocate for UtsuP’s odd fusion of Vocaloid and metalcore, but I think the steadily increasing popularity of his works in the Vocaloid community speaks for itself. Among the singles released off his newest album, Perfect Persona, “Gorgon” is easily the biggest shock. It’s a pure shot of adrenaline that never lets up, with drums pounding furiously in the background as Miku alternates between pseudo-rapping and metal screaming. But it’s the final stretch of the song where UtsuP really lets loose, as the song throws an out-of-left-field hardstyle electro breakdown that will leave you wondering what the hell you just listened to in the best way possible.
Supercar - STORYWRITER
Hugh Puddles strikes again! Years back, when asking for recommendations, Hugh pointed me in the direction of this neat little J-Rock shoegaze band. I was hooked the moment “STORYWRITER” kicked into full gear. Vocally light, the real draw of the song is the fuzzy, dreamlike atmosphere that it creates from the opening ambience. It is perhaps one of the finest examples of shoegaze I’ve ever heard, and there’s not much I can say about it because you honestly just have to listen to it yourself and experience it firsthand.
Happy Heads NANIYORI - Wish y’all the Best of Luck
Because sometimes all you need is just some good, uncomplicated rock. This has, so far, been my only exposure to Happy Heads NANIYORI, but it’s a damn good first impression, if I do say so myself. Gritty, fuzzy guitars pave the way, with a chorus that is repetitive, but in that way that just makes you want to shout along with the band, as if it was tailor made for a concert setting. This is one of those songs that doesn’t do anything new, but does the familiar so well that you don’t care about anything other than nodding along and stomping your foot in time.
And here we are at the end! Did you check out any of these songs? Did any of them resonate? Are there other J-Pop songs that you think deserve recognition? Let us know down below, and make sure to check out the previous editions of SEVEN for some more mainstream stuff!