🎧 Issue #55

Wowee, it’s been a long walk through the desert, but you finally reached the oasis which is this week’s issue of Shibuya’s Scrambled Sounds !

Too much music to talk about (what have I gotten myself into…), so this week there are no ratings, just a bunch of albums and some EPs. They’re roughly arranged in the order that I liked them (the top being my favorite, etc.)

🥧Freshly Baked Albums 🥧

^{The best new-ish albums}

uami - Mioboe

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

uami is the master of glitchy soundscapes with ethereal vocals over it. If your favorite Björk album is Vespertine, look no further.

mei ehara - All About McGuffin

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

Every song has a similar melancholic vibe, but it’s all so comfy. This is for fans of slow chamber pop like Faye Webster (ehara is on one of her songs for god’s sake). I will also say this album has the best mixing and production out of all the albums on this list. Everything is buttery smooth and crispy clean while still being a little saucy.

HARU NEMURI - ekkolaptómenos

Genre: Noise Pop, Art Rock
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube

While I miss her older more noisy/punk albums, this one still has amazing moments on it such as the pounding drums on “indulgentia” or the percussion and vocals intertwining on “haven”. The percussion sounds and rhythmic choices on this release are genius, borderline 10/10.

Yuransen - MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE

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

This one is such a mixed bag. Amazing moments of experimentation surrounded by some rather middle of the road Pop Rock. I think a lot of effort was put into this album and it’s worth checking out for the ambition alone.

Sunny Day Service - Sunny Beat

Genre: Indie Rock, Indie Pop
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube

With Sunny Day Service, you always know that you’re going to get comfy Indie Rock, and that’s okay (certified cozy since 1992). They’ve always kind of been a “what if” situation where Weezer didn’t make their best albums, but also didn’t sink down to their lowest lows. You may never get a Blue Album from them, but it’s never gonna suck either.

🍱Mystery Bento🍱

^{An older album you should check out}

Yura Yura Teikoku - Hollow Me (2007)

Genre: Indie Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Minimal Rock
Spotify | Apple Music

Have you read my Shintaro Sakamoto album ranking issue?

If you have, you would know that it is very normal to worry about Shintaro Sakamoto. While there were always hints in the past, I think this is the first album where his unique sad boy talk really comes out. These songs feel so empty and desolate both musically and lyrically.

Despite this doom and gloom, there is a glimmer of hope. Emptiness can feel painful, but there are also plenty of opportunities for new love and passion to enter your life.

I rarely hear albums that are so confident with riding the same grooves for so long. There are very few changes, yet it’s exactly what they were going for. But don’t let that fool you, the simultaneously beautiful yet explosive sax solo on track 10, as well as the noisy freakouts on track 8 are definitely exciting and left field.

I’ve noticed that most people either love or hate this album. I say give it a shot. If you’re in the mood for it, it’s absolutely breathtaking.

Favorite Tracks: 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, 10

♨️ Steaming EPs ♨️ 

^{Some good EPs that recently came out}

Yanushi - NORM EP

Genre: Guitar-driven Indie Rock, Indie Pop
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube
*Jacob Tanaka and his recent band Yanushi have always been hit or miss for me. Some amazing and exciting songs mixed with tracks that either try too hard to be complicated, or are just plain out boring. This however is the best front to back release I’ve heard from him yet and it makes me excited for the next full-length album.

Tempalay - Naked 4 Satan EP

Genre: Psychedelic Indie Pop, Indie Rock
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube

🍵 Piping Hot Playlists 🍵

The hottest Japanese music playlists around.

Shibuya’s Scrambled Sounds official Spotify and Apple Music playlists below!
*The Spotify playlist has been updated! The Apple Music one will be updated tomorrow.

Playlist Links:
Spotify
Apple Music

❤️‍🔥 Thank you! ❤️‍🔥 

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

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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/