As the hot summer months of August pass us by, that means it’s this months Ongaku Go! We at OTY would like our readers to know what was filling our ears for the past month. Each track is available across all digital music streaming platforms, with Apple Music featured on this site along with our Spotify playlist here!

“TURN IT UP” feat. Candee & ZOT on the WAVE by LANA

LANA originally caught my ear with her track L7 Blues. With the release of her debut EP, 19, “TURN IT UP” became a favorite listen for August. Not to mention, LANA’s appearance at Summer Sonic 2023 added to my addiction. “TURN IT UP” is a heavy hip-hop/R&B track that features a mixture of LANA’s vocals and rap, plus two featured guests, Candee & ZOT on the WAVE, who add the cherry on top for this hot song. The composition fits with LANA’s style and also has that modern sound, plus both the chorus and verses are catchy. My only issue with this is the use of auto-tune by LANA, which isn’t needed, as she has powerful vocal skills.

Check out “TURN IT UP” feat. Candee & ZOT on the WAVE by LANA here and the music video below!

“Summer Dive” by FAKY

Summer is my favorite time of year due to all the fresh sounds that come out and FAKY’s “Summer Dive” is just what I needed in time for it to get sizzling. “Summer Dive” starts out with piano followed by FAKY’s vocals chiming in, giving this track a refreshing feeling for those hot days. The first verse is a little slow but once you get to the chorus, the beat picks up along with the girls’ harmonies. From there, it keeps a consistent upbeat feeling. “Summer Dive” is a track you can dance to, relax in the pool to, karaoke to, or just enjoy as it has a fun, playful vibe that puts you in a good mood. The composition can be odd at certain points in the song, but FAKY knows how to make it work to their benefit so you don’t get taken out of the song. Having Taku Takahashi of m-flo as the producer on this track explains why this song is such a banger.

Check out “Summer Dive” by FAKY here and the music video below!

“BLACK WINGS” by Koda Kumi

It’s obvious that “BLACK WINGS” would make my OG, given Koda Kumi is my Kuu-een, plus this track is absolutely fire. Koda Kumi is in her element with the hip-pop style. “BLACK WINGS” gives off a modern dance vibe with its composition. Koda Kumi combines her vocals with a little bit of light rap mixed in, giving it that hip-hop flare, but with a more pop sound. Both the verses and choruses have a catchiness that pulls you in, although it can be a bit repetitive at times. “BLACK WINGS” feels like a perfect follow-up to Koda Kumi’s mini album WINGS, released in January of this year.

Check out “BLACK WINGS” here and the music video below!

“Summer Ghost” by I Don’t Like Mondays.

“Summer Ghost” came out in July 2023 as a digital single, the perfect time for this summer and it does not disappoint. Despite the lyrics for “Summer Ghost” being a little on the depressing side, I love it as it is so relatable. IDLM knows how to play with your emotions, as this track feels very personal and pulls you in both lyrically and composition-wise. I enjoy the combination of English and Japanese in “Summer Ghost” and how well the band blended it together; it feels like a story despite being a bilingual song, the band executes it perfectly. Upon hearing and constantly listening to “Summer Ghost”, I am even more excited for IDLM’s upcoming album RUNWAY which releases on September 6th.

Check out “Summer Ghost” here and the lyric video below!

“Rendezvous” by Nissy

“Rendezvous” came out in early July, however, it has slid its way into my August playlist. Nissy’s smooth vocals, cute lyrics, and poppy composition made their way into my heart with this track. Nissy knows how to put out songs that make girls swoon and “Rendezvous” is just that. What I love about listening to this is it could easily be danced to with its poppy composition, but it can also be sat and listened to, as I cannot get enough of his sultry voice. Despite this not sounding summery at all, it is just what my playlist this month needed to stand out from just explicitly being summer tunes.

Check out “Rendezvous” by Nissy here and the music video below!

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