Gray's Ongaku Go For November of 2021

Picking up after Ken and Luna, we’re another month down in 2021, and we at Ongaku to You would like our readers to know what has been filling our ears for the past month. Each track is available across all digital music streaming platforms with Apple Music being featured on this site.

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“Lost In Paradise” by ALI

Man, am I glad this is has been put back on digital platforms. This is one of my favorite songs of the year and I’m glad I get to enjoy it again. 

Check out “Lost In Paradise” here and the music video below!

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“A New Day” (feat. Phum Viphurit) by Nulbarich

I’m just a sucker for the sound of a synthesizer and this track has it in spades. I listen to this track and it takes me back to earlier days, which I find really enjoyable.

Check out “A New Day (feat. Phum Viphurit)” here and the music video below!

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“No.1” by DISH//

This is a song I wasn’t too high on when it first dropped, but I’ve come around and have been enjoying it as of late. I’m glad to see that DISH// is going to be performing at the Kohaku this year and I’m really hoping to hear this song.

Check out “No. 1” here and the music video below!

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“All Me” by IVVY

November has been a pretty slow month, so I’ve been going back and listening to tracks that came out earlier this year and reflecting on the year so far. “All Me” is a fun track that I just keep coming back to. So, even though I’ve already featured this number, I wanted to give it another shout-out.

Check out “All Me” here and the music video below!

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“Can’t Keep It Cool” by Akira Takano

Another track I’ve talked about here, but this is such a wonderful way to kick off his ENTER album, which is easily my favorite album of the year so far. There is a rush of life and energy in this track that keeps me coming back for more.

Check out “Can’t Keep It Cool” here and the music video below!

Gray's Ongaku Go For September 2021

Picking up after Ken and Luna, we’re another month down in 2021, and we at Ongaku to You 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 being featured on this site.

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“All Me” by IVVY 

This song reminded me why I love these guys so much. It is such a fun and catchy melody that really gets me moving. The vocal work done here is also spectacular. This is another all-around great single by IVVY.

Check out “All Me” here and the music video below!

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“Kimi To Ireba” by Little Glee Monster

This is a lovely track and just shows how insanely talented these girls are. I do wish that they would commit to doing tracks fully acapella instead of doing only half. That being said, the composition in this number is indeed wonderful and complements the vocal work done here.

Check out “Kimi To Ireba” here and the video below!

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“Jasmine” by Gakuto Kajiwara

What really makes this track stand out is the jazz piano playing along with the trumpets which really gives this number an overall jazz feel without actually being jazz. At the end of the day to me, this is just a pop song, but the composition overall is done really well. Also, the vocals done by Kajiwara are just spectacular.

Check out “Jasmin” here and the music video below!

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“Can’t Keep It Cool” by Akira Takano

I frequently have this song stuck in my head and I love it so much. On a personal level, this song really just speaks to me. The composition of this track is done super well, and it compliments the vocal work done by Takano really well. This is a wonderful way to kick off his ENTER album.

Check out “Can’t Keep It Cool” here and the music video below!

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“Ajisai” by Three1989

Three1989 has had an incredible year with their debut album dropping earlier this year and they are not slowing down. They have also released three digital singles and an EP this year as well, and, personally, I think “Ajisai” is probably the best track they put out this year. It has this cool jazz feel about it that really pulls the listener in. 

Check out “Ajisai” here and the lyric video below!

Music Corner Week 90: Akira Takano

Akira Takano is a vocalist who got his start with the popular five-member co-ed idol group Dream5 back in 2009, but has then broke out on his own after the group dissolved back in 2016. While he initially started his solo work with various amounts of stage play work throughout the years, Takano would then return to the music industry back in 2019. Taking what he learned from his time off, Takano brings solid vocal work and style that he wasn’t able to bring before hand. Nothing takes that example to a head like “New Direction” and “tiny lady”, while not being all changing for a solo male pop artist field, the work shows off he has matured as a vocalist. Takano also mixes it up with several emotional pack tracks such as “You’ve broken my heart”, and while it’s a bit more of a mid-tempo style of compositions, it really proves that with a bit of a push he can handle any type of work that can come his way. His biggest vocal improvement was shown back during his re-debut year of 2019 with the song “Can’t Keep it Cool”, an out of this world performance that needs to be heard to be believed. 

Akira Takano has only one album titled ENTER that released back in March of 2021, along with five singles and a digital single with the latest being “Vacances” back in August. 

Be sure to check out his official website along with his Twitter and Instagram and his latest music video “tiny lady” below!