Music Journal: Sept-Oct 2025

FLAVOR FOLEY - Spoken For (Single)

2025 / Indietronica

I've always knew about Vocaloid but I never really stuck with it, but hearing how far English Vocaloid has come intrigued me. It's cool to hear a synthetic voice tackle the intricacies of the language I know best. I love how FLAVOR FOLEY tuned Teto's voice, they allow her to use the deeper and mature-sounding parts of her range. I liked the story too, it's about a pop star who loses her agency and identity the more famous she gets.

椎名林檎 (Sheena Ringo) -
勝訴ストリップ (Shouso Strip)

2000 / Shimokita-kei / Noise Pop

Sheena Ringo has such an emotive, unique voice. It's still a pop voice no doubt but she's not afraid to get a gritty and loose with it. Her voice rasps, she shrieks, she rolls her R's (wait writing that made me realize Japanese has no R sounds) and with all this she also has the vocal prowess to belt out those high notes. The instrumentation matches this, it's eclectic and grungy but has a solid hold on what it wants to be.

Fave Tracks: 虚言症, ギブス, 罪と罰

advantage Lucy - oolt cloud

2001 / Dream Pop / Shoegaze

It goes from carefree light-hearted summer jams to bittersweet nocturnal tunes. Wherever they decide to go with this album they have a confidence about their identity that makes their music sound uniquely theirs.

Fave Tracks: we go, oolt cloud, さくらんぼ

[Listen here]

Coaltar of the Deepers - NO THANK YOU

2001 / Shoegaze / Alternative Metal

It's so weird for shoegaze and metal to be in the same album. It might be strange if you're going into it expecting one or the other, but if you accept they're going to whip you around a bit I think you'll have a good time. They really play around with the opposite ends of the rock subgenres :)

Fave Tracks: Good Morning, Star Love, Dreamman

原口沙輔 (Sasuke Haraguchi) - アセトン (Acetone)

2023 / Glitch Pop

Cut down and minimalisitc glitch pop. The instruments may sound over the top and esoteric but it's super economical, it kinda reminds me of Daft Punk, not the sound or the style but the "Less is more" kind of production. His mixing really stands out, the atmosphere he creates allows his minimalistic choices to speak for itself.

Fave Tracks: あの場所はね, 無ートピア, 思い出した