🎧 Issue #54 - Fan Submissions

You’re a skip, hop, and a jump away from this week’s issue of Shibuya’s Scrambled Sounds !

Now let’s dive into the first fan submission episode of the newsletter.

✨Fan Picks✨

^{Enough about me, let’s talk about you.}

Tomoki’s Pick

Mellow Youth - Gokan (2025)

Genre: Rock, Pop
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube

While this isn’t quite what I’m into, I think the instrumentation (especially the guitar) is pretty tasteful and not too over the top. This is definitely a safe pick, but it has its moments such as the Jazz Pop of “Outre Noir”, or the City Pop inspired brass section of “STEP BY STEP”. Actually, all the tracks with trumpets ended up being my favorite because they bring a little bit of a unique flair to the table.

If you’re looking for something that is easy to listen to and has good musicianship, I could recommend this for sure.

Teri’s Pick

Superfly - Superfly (2008)

Genre: Rock, Pop
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube

This artist and album is actually super popular and I didn’t realize what it was until I heard Track 4, a song I’ve heard so many Japanese friends sing at Karaoke. The most impressive part of Superfly’s tracks is Superfly herself, having a vocal range and flexibility that allows her to command control over the song, no matter the genre.

Compare the rockin first couple of tracks to “1969”, a personal favorite of mine from the album, and you’ll see what I mean. Actually, now that I think about it, the tracks that are more acoustic and Pop-esque are my favorites, such as the slightly Motown-inspired “Oh My Precious Time”. While this one isn’t quite my thing either, I appreciate Superfly’s songwriting ability as well as her passion, singing every single line from the bottom of her heart.

Clover’s Pick

Poison Girl Friend - Shyness (1993)

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

This pick and the next one are from 2 of my previous bandmates / best friends, so they will definitely be more in the vein of the albums I usually talk about on this newsletter compared to the previous 2.

While Poison Girl Friend, the solo project of Noriko Sekiguchi, sounds very Shibuya-kei adjacent, I wouldn’t quite call her music by that name. However, the obvious western influences that were apparent at that time within the Japanese underground are here in full force. Yet, Poison Girl Friend retains a distinctly “Japanese” sound palate, making her sound unmistakably her.

I had never heard this album until now, however, I am familiar with Poison Girl Friend’s classic mini-album Melting Moment. Honestly there isn’t too much of a difference in aesthetic or sound between the two releases, which is exactly what I would have wanted anyways.

Nathan’s Pick

Ruins - Vrresto (1998)

Genre: Zeuhl, Math Rock
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube

Oh, you want wacky? You want wild? You want ACTION?

Here you go, Ruins are one of the most unique bands you will ever hear. Tell me somewhere else where you can hear the following:

✔️Bass and Drum 2 piece
✔️Unfollowable rhythms that are flawlessly recreated live
✔️Lyrics in Kobaïan (Yes, the Magma/Zeuhl language)

Vrresto is one of the 4 or so albums from their 13 studio album discography (not including their infinitely growing collection of collab albums) that is relatively well known in the American underground.

This album is the only one out of the recommendations featured in this issue that I have listened to before. Actually, I’ve listened to this album quite a few times in my life, but the virtuosity is always stunningly mind-bending.

Also, as someone who has seen Ruins live, I can confirm that yes, they sound perfect live.

❤️‍🔥 Thank you! ❤️‍🔥 

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

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See ya next time! Breakfast is ready.

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