Dance-music legend Shinichi Osawa’s duo RHYME SO release new lyric video for ‘UNFOLLOW YOU’, featuring rare sample of Seiko Matsuda’s classic hit ‘Akai Sweet Pea’

IAFB Jacket Cover

RHYME SO, a duo comprising Japan’s leading dance-music producer/MONDO GROSSO member Shinichi Osawa and Australian poet, DJ, trackmaker and performer RHYME, have released a lyric video for ‘UNFOLLOW YOU’, taken from their 2023 album ‘IAFB’. 

The song includes samples from the 1982 classic hit single ‘Akai Sweet Pea’, which was originally performed by Seiko Matsuda, with lyrics by pioneering Japanese rock musician and Happy End member Takashi Matsumoto, and music by singer-songwriter/national treasure Yumi Matsutoya.

This is the first time a Seiko Matsuda song has ever been sampled, which was made possible by Osawa sending letters directly to lyricist Matsumoto and composer Matsutoya to personally request their permission.

The chorus to ‘Akai Sweet Pea’ features the lyric “I will follow you”, which back in 1982 was meant as an expression of affection for someone special. In the modern age of social media, a “follow” is simply a number to show popularity. RHYME SO’s track leans into this wordplay to warn of an era in which human beings and entertainment alike are at the mercy of the cynical pursuit of follows and likes.

Comment from Shinichi Osawa

“This song is intended to sound an alarm about the current state of the music scene. How can we express individuality in an era where everything is being standardized by algorithms?

With these thoughts in mind, I wrote letters to Takashi Matsumoto and Yumi Matsutoya, and against all odds, they gave me permission to sample their song ‘Akai Sweet Pea’. I hope you will take a deeper look at the meaning behind the lyrics.”

◆ Check out RHYME SO’s recent album ‘IAFB’ to hear their musical take on the modern zeitgeist RHYME SO / ‘IAFB’ here!

Shinichi Osawa and RHYME’s dance music unit RHYME SO release long-awaited first album ‘IAFB’

IAFB Jacket Cover

RHYME SO are a dance music duo featuring pioneering DJ and producer Shinichi Osawa (MONDO GROSSO) and music partner RHYME. Since making their debut with US-based music company 88rising, RHYME SO have explored the artistic processes and pathology of creative work in the modern age, with their innovative electro sound revealing the psychology and conflict inherent to the craft of making music.

Released on November 24, RHYME SO’s first full-length album ‘IAFB’ marks an important milestone for the duo. Throughout the album, the euphoric electro songs are infused with acid house-style modulation and deep bass, folding in the destructive power of industrial hip-hop, the deep low end of modern trap, a tech house vibe, and even classic “parapara” and Eurobeat elements – stretching Osawa’s versatile musicality to new limits. 

Over this, RHYME’s lyrics coolly and sometimes violently describe the conflicts that artists face in modern times, from the ills of consumerist society to the rise of influencers, lack of self-esteem, feelings of despair and emptiness, and an unquenchable thirst for recognition. These themes intertwine via reinterpreted takes on Japanese poetic verse such as haiku and tanka, resulting in a truly unique album. ‘IAFB’ is a love letter to all music fans and cultural explorers, created by a duo who are constantly searching for “that special something that will provide the next wave of Japanese sound with a bridge to the world”. 

The next step in the global evolution of J-pop and dance music has arrived. Check it out and hear it for yourself by checking out the music video for ‘POSEABLE’ below along the streaming link for IAFB here!

After making waves with 88Rising, RHYME SO has started streaming a new collaboration with Vietnam's up-and-coming artist, Táo!

“magick feat. tao” Jacket Cover

Shinichi Osawa (MONDO GROSSO), a leading DJ and music producer from Japan, and RHYME, an Australian poet, performer, DJ, and track maker, have formed a unit and made a remarkable debut under 88rising as RHYME SO.

Their upcoming release "magick feat. Tao" includes Vietnamese rapper Táo and offers relentless and intense lyrics in Vietnamese, English, and Japanese, presenting a noisy and discordant global mandala-patterned HIP HOP.  The track which is available across all digital streaming platforms, features Táo capturing the fleeting nature of contemporary life, the feelings of helplessness in creation, emptiness, and cyclical incompetence. Responding to these sentiments, RHYME expresses, "I want to be your magician."

The discontinuous and disjointed beats by Osawa are, nevertheless, sophisticated and fluid, resonating with modern industrial hip-hop. Be sure to check out “magick feat. Tao” on all streaming platforms here!

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About RHYME SO

RHYME SO is a dance music duo consisting of Shinichi Osawa, a leading DJ and music producer from MONDO GROSSO in Japan, and RHYME, an Australian poet, performer, DJ, and track maker. By combining Osawa's beats, which have consistently rocked the dance floor, with RHYME's sharp and witty interpretation of modern life in their lyrics, they produce avant-garde club sounds, heralding a new era in electronic music.

Their debut single in 2019, "Just Used Music Again," was released under 88rising and was also included in 88rising's compilation "Head In The Clouds II." It was added to popular playlists on various streaming services and garnered attention from international music media. In the spring of 2020, they released "Fashion Blogger," a disco track adorned with RHYME's cynical and witty lyrics.The video, set in a fictional world of figure skating and featuring MILK from the former RuPaul's Drag Race, reached 2 million views on YouTube. In 2021, they released "Poseable" under 88rising. In 2023, they collaborated with the British POP STAR Sophie Ellis-Bextor, releasing a cover of Malcolm McLaren's "DEEP IN VOGUE." They continue to broadcast cutting-edge music from Tokyo to the world.

88INFINITY, the New Japan-Based Sub-Label of 88rising, Releases Single and Music Video ‘POSEABLE’ by RHYME SO!

Photo Provided by Meena

RHYME SO, the dance music duo consisting of legendary producer/DJ Shinichi Osawa of MONDO GROSSO and Australian poet/songwriter/DJ/model RHYME, have released a super-charged new single,
“POSEABLE” across all digital streaming platforms. This sure-to-get-you-on-your-feet-dancing tune is out now on 88INFINITY, a Japan-based imprint of the acclaimed New York label 88rising that is home to global stars such as Niki, Rich Brian and Joji.

“POSEABLE” is accompanied by a music video that stars veteran Japanese actress Mari Natsuki, who fans around the world may recognize as the voice of Yubaba in Studio Ghibli’s Academy Award-winning animated feature film Spirited Away. With Natsuki playing a Grandma character alongside a number of top Japanese influencers and dancers, the video was shot on location at an iconic capsule hotel in Shinjuku and an “izakaya” restaurant in Shibuya, offering a tantalizing, authentic glimpse of Tokyo’s nightlife scene.

“POSEABLE” addresses all the people who are consumed with “posing”, being shallow and worrying about others’ opinions, and challenges them to stop obsessing over taking selfies and just be themselves. Otherwise GRANDMA SEND YOU HOME! – and no one can ignore Grandma! “The message of ‘POSEABLE’ is about going back to the roots and honoring Grandma’s sense and allowing her to be the tastemaker, as she knows what’s up when it comes to quality and the original recipe for success,” RHYME says.

Be sure to check out the music video for “POSEABLE” along with the digital streaming link for the track here!

(Cover photo provided by mitograph)