Awesome City Club release new mini-album ‘close:to’

Close:to digial jacket cover

Three-member rock band Awesome City Club has just release their new digital mini-album ‘close:to’ All of the songs have been used in collaboration projects, including ‘hikari’,the theme song for the Wednesday drama series ‘Nursing Aide At Your Side’ currently airing on Nippon Television in Japan.

The mini-album ‘close:to’ includes several songs with the theme of “you and me”, so the spelling of the title is intended to reflect the closeness of the band and the listener. However, using Japanese wordplay, the title is pronounced “closet”, as each song is like a beloved item of clothing that the band have stored carefully in a wardrobe.

The mini-album compiles Awesome City Club’s tracks following their fourth full-length album ‘Get Set’, released in 2022.

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Tracklist

1. hikari (Nippon Television Wednesday drama ‘Nursing Aide At Your Side’ theme song)

2. Iolite (TBS Tuesday drama ‘Kissing the Ring Finger’ insert song)

3. Talkin’ Talkin’ (SHIBUYA MARK CITY CITY POP PROJECT)

4. Setting Sail ~MODERN LOVE • TOKYO~ (Amazon Original drama ‘Modern Love Tokyo’ theme song)

5. yume yume yume (Amazon Original drama ‘Modern Love Tokyo’ episode 7)

6. Good Morning (TV Asahi ‘Good! Morning’ theme song)

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In April, Awesome City Club will celebrate their ninth anniversary with their first solo concert tour in two years, titled Awesome Talks - One Man Show 2024 -. The tour kicks off with a show at LINE CUBE SHIBUYA in Tokyo on Friday, April 19, followed by a show at Sankei Hall Breeze in Osaka on Sunday, April 21. Don’t miss it across all streaming platforms here, along with the music video for ‘hikari’ below!

Ken's Ongaku Go For January 2022

Springboarding into 2022, it’s that time of the month: January’s Ongaku Go! We at OTY would like our readers to know what was filling our ears the past month. Each track is available across all digital music streaming platforms, with Apple Music featured on this site.

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“PAINT” by I Don’t Like Mondays.

I haven’t been keeping in touch with IDLM as much I have wanted to, so to my surprise I was really thrown aback when “PAINT” came out. The funny thing that I absolutely love about this work is how un-IDLM it is; it doesn’t really have a hook, so to speak, which they usually do. But I found myself going back to it throughout the month since it came out. Its earwormability either due to the fact that Yu’s vocals really don’t overextend the composition, or Choji’s guitar work throughout, “PAINT” became that nice rock tune I needed this month. 

Be sure to check out the music video for “PAINT” below, along with the song here!

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“unitbath (Jazz Version)” by showmore

Honestly, this group is one the ones that I will always keep championing till their disbandment. This new mood they have adopted throughout 2021 and now 2022, of updating what it means to be a neo-jazz singer, has really captured me. Nothing really exemplifies this like their new Jazz Attitude series, and they came out swinging with Vol. 1 velvet, which was released in December. While I think the release as a whole is absolutely solid, “unitbath” really takes the cake. While it might be a tad on the long side, as a whole it absolutely works and cannot wait for the next volume of this new series.

Be sure to check out the track here!

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“Good bye Claire” by Kaho Nakamura

Honestly, Kaho Nakamura was one of the surprises I found this month, and a vocalist who isn’t afraid of breaking the boundaries to explore something new. The electronica synth throughout this number is fresh and I absolutely love it; alongside Nakamura’s vocals, it just works. After listening to just this one slice of her discography I can’t wait to explore the rest of her work and do a deep dive eventually.

Be sure to check out the lyric video below, along with the track here!

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“Life still goes on” by Awesome City Club

While people might have “Wasurena” hangover from Awesome City Club, I love the new direction they’ve gone and how they’ve stuck to their morals to not follow a same style or feeling as their previous hit. While I do think it’s not entirely rewriting anything about their style, “Life still goes on” still really flaunts how solid they are as a band. I can’t wait to see what 2022 has in store for them and I hope they’ll have more solid releases just like this one.

Check out the lyric video for “Life still goes on” below, along with the song here!

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“You Raise Me Up” by EXILE ATSUSHI

Originally sung by Josh Groban back in 2003, “You Raise Me Up” was again given a new spin, this time by EXILE ATSUSHI. With this work, ASTUSHI goes above and beyond what he’s typically been doing with his solo covers. It woulda been simple to just do an English cover of this, but, like with his previous covers, he translates it into Japanese and adds his own flare to make it his own. This is something I absolutely love. I honestly cannot wait for the full release of his solo best-of album which will drop later in the year. 

Be sure to check out the music video for “You Raise Me Up” below, along with the track here!

Thai Superstar STAMP Collaborates with Japanese Band Awesome City Club in Latest Release!

“move on feat. Awesome City Club” Digital Jacket Cover

As a huge fan of Japanese culture, Thai superstar STAMP has released a new single in collaboration with Japanese male/female twin-vocal band Awesome City Club. “move on feat. Awesome City Club” is out today across all digital music streaming platforms, along with a music video. The song carries the message that while life brings good times and bad times, we should face the future and walk forward together. In these dark days when the news can feel overwhelming, it’s a comforting song to warm your spirit.

This is Awesome City Club’s first collaboration with an artist from outside Japan. On the second chorus, you can even hear band members atagi and PORIN singing in Thai for the first time, a rare treat that’s worth listening out for.

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Awesome City Club

To mark the single’s release, STAMP and Awesome City Club made the following comments.

Comment from STAMP

“This is my fourth Japanese-language single, and it features Awesome City Club, a male and female twin-vocal band from Japan. The lyrics are in a mix of Japanese and Thai, and Awesome City Club’s beautiful and harmonious vocals and guitar combine to make a heartwarming song about overcoming difficult times. The song was created with the hope of boosting your spirits in these challenging times we face all around the world.”

Comment from atagi (Awesome City Club)

“There are many motivational songs in the world, but this is one of the most tender songs I’ve ever heard. It has a life-affirming largeness of scale, but with a warm human touch. As for the collaboration itself, it was incredibly stimulating to experience STAMP’s sense of music, sound and lyrics, which is so different from my own. This is a song that only STAMP could write, and a reminder of what makes him so special.”

Comment from PORIN (Awesome City Club) 

“This is an extremely positive, heartwarming and motivational song that will gracefully enter your ears, so I hope it finds a wide audience. I also hope this song can foster an interest in Thai culture among Japanese people and in Japanese culture among Thai people, and that the cultures of our two countries can grow together.”

Comment from Morishi (Awesome City Club) 

“I was curious as to how our first collaboration with an overseas artist would turn out, but thanks to STAMP’s kind personality, we were able to create something really wonderful. I hope people will listen to it in Thailand, and I hope people in Japan who don’t know STAMP will listen to it too. Everyone, please play it over and over again!”

A music video was also released today. The video combines footage of STAMP that was shot in Thailand and footage of Awesome City Club filmed in Japan. It shows various scenes of a woman’s “stay home” lifestyle in a one-room apartment, with appearances here and there from STAMP and Awesome City Club. The video carries the message that music is always with us, through good times and bad.

Be sure to check out this summer’s hottest collaboration with the the music video below, along with the track here!

Luna's Ongaku Go For February 2021!

Picking up after Ken with another month down from 2021, 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.

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“CRAZY OUTSIDE” by MIYACHI & Thelma Aoyama

MIYACHI has been on my radar since I heard him featured on the m-flo track “Sheeza”, and I have been a Thelma Aoyama fan since “Soba ni Iru yo”; so “CRAZY OUTSIDE” is a dream track for me. Thelma’s vocals are perfect for this track as she has an alluring and sultry vibe while MIYACHI’s rap flows perfectly with Thelma’s vocals. The back and fourth between both artists show the chemistry they have together in this song as it matches perfectly. MIYACHI and Thelma bring the perfect Western meets Eastern mixture to “CRAZY OUTSIDE” which is one of the reasons why I enjoy this track so much, with the lyrical style and rap being Western and the composition mixing the Eastern flavor in. Forewarning, there are explicit lyrics in this track.

Check out “CRAZY OUTSIDE” here, along with the music video below!

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“WASURENA” by Awesome City Club

After Gray’s Music Corner of Awesome City Club, I have been anticipating their newest album release of Grower and was not disappointed. The lead track of Grower, WASURENA immediately caught my ear with its relaxing beats and smooth vocals by both PORIN and Morishi making for the perfect blend. The composition of this powerful resonating track picks up in the chorus, chiming in with drums, guitar, and violins in full force, showing the extent of how Awesome City Club brings talent and vision.

Check out “WASURENA” here, along with the music video below!

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“Hajimari no Toki” by Ms. OOJA

Ms. OOJA is celebrating her 10th Anniversary this year and she has been off to a fantastic start. In December she released covers of Heisei era songs, and in February she streamed her 10th Anniversary Tour as well as releasing her latest single “Hajimari no Toki”, which is a powerful ballad. When I first heard this amazing song, I was blown away with Ms. OOJA’s powerful yet smooth vocals alongside a beautiful composition. “Hajimari no Toki” is a track that is easily enjoyable over and over with the meaningful lyrics and soft melody mixed with the soulful vocals Ms. OOJA carries. This track has stayed with me throughout the month.

Check out “Hajimari no Uta” here, along with the music video below!

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“Boss” by CREAM

CREAM recently released the music video for “Boss”, which was a part of their newest digital single “Independence Day Vol 1” that released in December 2020. This music video release brought me back to this track as I initially wrote it off, but upon watching the video I realized how much I enjoyed it and added it to my rotation for the month. “Boss” is more of a chill R&B-hip-hop track with its laid back composition. MINAMI delivers great vocals with the perfect laid-back feel and Staxx-T’s delivers a rap that matches the vibe the song portrays. Forewarning, this track does have explicit lyrics.

Check out “Boss” here, along with the music video below!

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“Chronometry” by TEARS OF TRAGEDY

Hot off my Music Corner is TEARS OF TRAGEDY; many of their tracks still have an impact on me. “Chronometry” is one of those tracks that stays with you due to its unique composition. There are so many transitions and music going on in this song that each time I feel something new. Plus I absolutely love how HARUKA’s vocals emulate the heaviness the composition displays in certain parts. “Chronometry” had an effect on me I did not expect and has continued to stay with me throughout the month.

Check out “Chronometry” here, along with the music video below!

Awesome City Club Grow More In New Album

Standard Edition

CD plus Blu-ray Edition

Music Corner alum Awesome City Club revealed they will be dropping a brand new album titled Grower February 10, 2021. Grower will be the group’s third album overall and is meant to reflect the growth each member experienced through their second album Growing Apart. This will also be the first album since Yukie, the drummer, left, leaving them as a three-member band.

Grower is being released in two editions total: a standard CD-only edition and a CD plus Blu-ray edition. The full track listing has yet to be revealed but the CD will feature a total of ten tracks and the Blu-ray will feature live footage along with a little documentary. Pre-orders are up and posted below along with their latest song “Ceremony” for everyone to check out. 

Standard Edition

CD plus Blu-ray Edition