Thanks for screeching over into this week’s issue of Shibuya’s Scrambled Sounds !

Hi everyone, I hope you had a nice couple of weeks.
I also hope those of you who were able to get a Switch 2 are enjoying your Mario Kart filled worlds right now. I’ll hopefully join y’all in a few months when the chaos has died down a little.

Reviews of the best new-ish albums

Genre: Indie Rock, Jazz Rock, Progressive Rock, Math Rock
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube

Do you remember that kid in class (maybe it was you) who tried really hard to impress everyone else? They were really talented and knew it, so they flaunted their abilities to everyone at school. As much as we may hate to admit it, I think we all have a little bit of that kid inside of us, it’s hard not to get carried away when you have impressive skills and are knowledgeable about your skill.

Khaki is definitely that kid. Jazz, Progressive Rock, Math Rock, and Pop, have all been thrown together into an ambitious blender. This creates both moments of creative genius as well as overly bombastic acts of showmanship. Now don’t get me wrong, I love some flashy showmanship if done correctly, which Khaki definitely does the majority of the time. Check out the 9 minute track 8 (文明児) for the perfect example of where they pair a love song with a genre-changing frenzy.

However, it’s really hard to pinpoint quite why this gets 2 pies instead of 3 or 4. I think it’s the fact that they’re still trying to be a “Pop Band” despite being technically talented and having diverse music taste. That, or maybe it’s songs like track 5 (軽民物語) which start out amazing, but by the end, it reminds me of how much of a try hard kid they truly are. They created something that should have left a strong impression but instead sounds like a “ Hey look at me! I’m unique too!!” moment.

Let’s be honest, I’m being really critical. In the scheme of things, they are definitely a breath of fresh air.

Rating: 🥧🥧 Oh that’s hot - for any fan of the genre(s)
Favorite Tracks: 2, 4, 8, 9, 11

Genre: Ambient, Experimental Electronic
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube

Genre: Indie Pop, Bedroom Pop
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube

Genre: Jazz, Jazz Fusion
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube

An older album you should check out

Genre: Experimental Electronic Music, Art Rock
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube

Now THAT’s what I call music!!!!!

This is one of the rare times for the Mystery Bento section that I will talk about one of my absolutely favorite albums of all time and a 10/10 for me.

You think that means I would rant forever about this album right? Well I could, but instead, I just want you to listen to it if you haven’t. This is Sakamoto at his most creative, the perfect balance of experimentation and unforgettable melodies.

For all you YMO fans, it might be controversial, but I believe this has the best versions of both “THOUSAND KNIVES” and “THE END OF ASIA”. Speaking of the track “THOUSAND KNIVES”, it has perhaps my favorite guitar solo of all time and is the best way you could ever spend 9 minutes and 34 seconds in your lifetime. The experimental synthesizer landscapes of “ISLAND OF WOODS” sounds otherworldly and definitely not from 1978.

The Neo-Romanticism of “GRASSHOPPERS”, the kitschy bleeps and bloops of “DAS NEUE JAPANISHE ELEKTRONISCHE VOLKSLIED”, it’s all the perfect combination, creating an unique album that has stood the test of time.

Favorite Tracks: All of em!

Some good EPs that recently came out

Genre: Electronic Pop, Art Pop
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube

A collection of tracks from all the new albums and EPs I’ve talked about so far this year.

Shibuya’s Scrambled Sounds official Spotify and Apple Music playlists below!
*Freshly updated!!

Playlist Links:
Spotify
Apple Music

As always, thank you thank you sooooo much for reading this issue of Shibuya’s Scrambled Sounds! 🥹

See ya next time! Breakfast is ready.

All SS Sounds logos and images were created by local Tokyo artist Mai Moroe.
https://www.instagram.com/maimoroe/
https://www.moroemai.com/