Luna's Ongaku Go For February 2024!

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The snow days of February have passed us by, that means it’s time for 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!

“That Girl” by Crystal Kay

Crystal Kay started off 2024 with the banger “That Girl” in celebration of her 25th Anniversary in the industry. “That Girl” is composted and produced by Taku Takahashi (of m-flo). Crystal Kay has collaborated with Taku in the past, so it’s no surprise “That Girl” immediately went into my rotation and has been making its way around various SNS with its catchy chorus and adorable dance to go along with it. “That Girl” brings back the nostalgia sounds of late 90s/early 00s, which is playful and fun. It oozes a mixture of the pop R&B cross over genre, which Crystal Kay knows how to play on both of those perfectly. “That Girl” will capture you with its catchy chorus, nostalgia beats, fun lyrics, and fantastic vocals.

Check out “That Girl” by Crystal Kay here and the lyric video below!

“Kono sekai no achikochi ni” by Angela Aki

February has been a month of my nostalgia artists releasing new music. Angela Aki was a big surprise as she stepped away from singing in 2014, but would come back to compose and write. “Kono sekai no achikochi ni” is the first single in over 10 years and it brings back the feels. Angela Aki is not only an excellent singer but a great composer as well. She knows how to bring the emotion to her music and its listeners, “Kono sekai no achikochi ni” is no different. This track will be used in her upcoming album that releases in April called Angela Aki sings Kono sekai no katasumi ni and will be the first studio album release in 12 years! “Kono sekai no achikochi ni” is currently being used as the title track for the musical “In the Corner of This World”. The song is beautifully crafted, not just by Angela Aki’s vocals but the composition which includes herself on piano and brings out a unique touch which she has brought to the Japanese music industry.

Check out “Kono sekai no achikochi ni” by Angela Aki here and the music video below!

“Sarigiwa no Romantics” by See-Saw

With the release of Gundam SEED Freeom in Japanese theaters, the artists who were apart of the original Gundam SEED series released new songs specially for Gundam SEED Freedom. See-Saw is an duo that has not released any new music in over 15 years. When I heard “Sarigiwa no Romantics”, the nostalgia came over me and I was swept away. I had high hopes that “Sarigiwa no Romantics” would live up to my expectation, which it did and more. Yuki Kaijura’s composition is top notch as always and Chiaki Ishikawa shows her vocal skills have not gotten rusty. See-Saw is a treat to listen too; the emotions their songs make you feel while listening to them with their deep lyrics plus a composition and the vocals that fit perfectly together. “Sarigiwa no Romantics” is a mid tempo ballad, which is what See-Saw is more known for. Their music has that softer mellow tone but still captures the urgency and emotions of their creation. This is the perfect outro to the Gundam SEED Freedom movie music wise and as a throwback to the original show as they did some of the outro themes previously.

Check out “Sarigiwa no Romantics” by See-Saw here and the anime outro version below!

“Good Girl” by Sincere

Sincere is an artist that jumped on my radar last year and she is already on my radar this year with her new single “Good Girl” which dropped on February 14. “Good Girl” instantly ended up in my rotation as it stuck out for all good reasons. Sincere’s vocals are top notch showing the sultry smooth side vocal wise but this track has lyrics that bite. “Good Girl” is a song about why she hates and loathes someone, giving all the reasons why. It’s such an honest track but with a catchy hook and amazing vocals that back it up. Sincere worked with composer Chocoholic, who has worked with artists such as SIRUP and Taichi Mukai in the past, which explains the R&B vibes and smoothness “Good Girl” gives.

Check out “Good Girl” by Sincere here and the music video below!

LEveL by Sawano Hiroyuki [nZk] feat. TOMORROW X TOGETHER

Honestly, I never thought I’d have a song by or featuring TOMORROW X TOGETHER on my Ongaku Go. I do enjoy TxT’s music but I don’t listen to them often, however, “LEveL”, which Sawano Hiroyuki collaborated on them with changed that. LEveL is a upbeat track that has that electronic vibe with the pop genre feel. It’s a difficult track to describe, it is poppy but has EDM elements to it as well. Sawano Hiroyuki is an excellent composer, he brings out TxT’s vocals and rap in such a perfect way that it blends perfectly to his creation. “LEveL” is currently being used as the opening to the anime Solo Leveling and it’s definitely one that sticks with you. The chorus and the second versus’ of this track are so catchy, not to mention the subtle rap is a piece that I didn’t know I needed. “LEveL” has definitely put TxT on my radar.

Check out “LEveL” by Sawano Hiroyuki [nZk] feat. TOMORROW X TOGETHER here and the music video below!

Music Corner Week 143: ACME

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ACME is a four piece rock band of the Visual Kei style who formed in 2017. The group consists of Chisa (Vocals), Shogo (Guitar), Rikito (Bassist), and Hal (Drums). Chisa and Shogo had played in a temporary band before they formed ACME, called Chisa & Shogo, which happened to include the future members of ACME, Rikito and Hal. ACME was formed with the concept of ‘delinquent boy in an imaginary world’, which shows not only in their music but fashion style as well. ACME released their debut album, Senkou in August 2017 accompanied by a national tour. In August 2018, a year after their debut mini album, ACME released their first full length album Zesho Oka. In 2019, they made their first overseas and North American performance at Anime Milwaukee, signaling the dawn of more North American tours to come in the future.

ACME means ‘the pinnacle of evoluation’, which this group shows in their music. You hear evoluation throughout each album ACME has released. ACME is not just Visual Kei, Rock, Metal but have evolved their music to include all these types of genres. From their debut album, Senkou to their latest single “Twilight”, you can hear how their music has evolved and how they have evolved as a band since their debut in 2017. Chisa has such a great range in his vocals that can go from singing to screaming depending on the intensity of the track. Listening to the band as a whole, you hear how they started out on the heavier side, such as “Senkou” but in one of their latest tracks, “Senno (Brain washing)”, you hear a more relax and lighter style.

ACME caught my ear a couple years ago when a friend of mine got to meet them and recommended I check out their music, this was back in 2019 during Anime Milwaukee. I had checked out their Zesshou Oka album and enjoyed what I heard - I enjoyed the intensity of their music and Chisa’s vocals, specifically in “Paradox”. “Paradox” is a mixture of screamo, vocals, and showcases that heavy side of the band. Recently, I went back to listening to them and noticed they’ve since released several new digital singles, “Twilight”, “Ulfhednar”, and “Senno”, which show an evoluation in music with the variety just these three offer alone. “Ulfhednar” is my favorite of the three, with its electronic beat then going straight into metal with the guitar, bass, and drum work followed my Chisa’s screamo then leading into his vocal work. I love how this track just takes you on the perfect ride. “Senno” is very stand out as it has a different tone, with its futuristic composition displaying a lighter composition than they usually showcase which makes for a a stand out track. Their newest track “Twilight”, takes you on a ride with Chisa’s vocals and the lighter than heavier style when in between the versus and chorus’, not to mention the use of guitar and bass. Their three newest singles are such a great follow up to their 2022 album Resisted Temptation, which had solid tracks such as “Come Back to You”, “Gekkouyoku”, “Resisted Temptation”, “Kagaribi”, and “Enchanted” to name a few that grabbed my attention. ACME has shown that they hold true to their title in how they are constantly evolving with their music and looking forward to their latest single, “Stand Up” that just released on February 14th.

ACME will be the guest of honor at Kawaii Kon in Hawaii which takes place from March 29th to March 31st at the Hawaii Convention Center.

ACME currently has four albums, Senkou (2017), Zesshou Oka (2018), WE ARE VISUAL KEI (2020), and their latest Resisted Temptation (2022); 17 digital singles including their latest “Twilight”. Check out their official website, X, and their music video for their single “Senno” below.

Luna's Ongaku Go For January 2024!

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As the cool Winter breeze of January has passed us by, that means it’s time for 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!

“Yellow.” by 7co

7co is an artist who jumped on my radar last year with the track “lonely nights” and ever since then I’ve been keeping track of her music. I’m glad I did too as her latest track “Yellow.” that released mid-December 2023 is fantastic. “Yellow.” is more of an upbeat track than “lonely night” as it’s filled with more energy vocally and in terms of composition. The composition showcases an extremely high energy beat that gets you pumped up. “Yellow.” easily could translate into a dance track or even used to just pump you up in general. 7co has shown that she knows how to utilize her vocals no matter what type of composition. I’m looking forward to seeing what is in store for 2024 for her.

Check out “Yellow.” by 7co here and the lyric video below!

“puzzle” by NAQT VANE

When NAQT VANE announced their latest album, Dispersion, I had it as my most anticipated album of 2024. Dispersion did not disappoint as being anticipated, NAQT VANE hit it out of the ballpark. The new tracks on this album all stuck out and hit hard, but “puzzle” was the one that really resonated with me. Hiroyuki Sawano’s masterful composition pulls you in instantly with its edgy beat, HARUKAZE’s vocals fit perfectly with each verse, chorus, lyrics resonating with my soul. I love how HARUKAZE knows how to intertwine English and Japanese into the lyrics seamlessly.

Check out “puzzle” by NAQT VANE here and the music video below.

“Vroom” by Koda Kumi

Koda Kumi released the digital single “Vroom” back on December 20, 2023 with a promotion of her Driving Hits -Tokyo Auto Salon 2024- Music card. “Vroom” does not disappoint with its high energy composition that hits with bombastic sounds. The versus’ pulled me in more than the chorus as I love the vocal work Koda Kumi displays in them. The chorus is way catchier, but meshes so well with the versus’. This is such a perfect dance song and has been on my playlist since its release. Crossing my fingers this will end up on a physical release as I was not able to secure the music card.

Check out “Vroom” by Koda Kumi here and the music video below.

“Poison” by Miliyah, MUD, & Neetz

Miliyah Kato is an artist I’ve been following since her debut single (Never let go/Yozora) back in 2004. I always loved her R&B style she started out with and hearing “Poison”, it feels like she’s once again going back to her roots. Miliyah has the perfect voice for R&B with its smooth and sultry sound, so “Poison” just immediately sunk its way into my playlist. The composition is that chill R&B that I just love, plus this song introduced me to MUD and Neetz, whom I’ve only heard by name until now. I thought MUD’s rap fit it with Miliyah’s vocal quite nicely and like what he brought to the table. Neetz’ beats just fit perfectly with both artists, which is no surprise as he’s collaborated with MUD before and also has done many other renowned collaborations in the hip hop scene.

Check out “Poison” by Miliyah, MUD, & Neetz here and the music video below!

“Together” by Sala & Shin Sakiura

With the release of Sala’s latest digital singles, “Gacha Gatcha” and “Lazy”, I started to dive further into her discography and discovered the track “Together” that she collaborated with Shin Sakura on. “Together” is an amazing track; Shin Sakiura knows how to compose a track and fit it to that artists strengths with ease. Sala’s vocals are brought out, showing her range as an artist and how veritile she can be. “Together” has more of an upbeat sound but it has that city pop feel with some R&B mixed in. If you are a fan of Shin Sakiura’s other collaborations, such as “Blue Bird” with Maika Loubte, you will love “Together” just as much.

Check out “Together” by Sala & Shin Sakiura here and the lyric video below!

Vicke Blanka's First North American Tour

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Acclaimed artist, Vicke Blanka has started his North American Tour and has a full list of dates across the nation. Vicke Blanka began his tour on January 31st with Vancouver and will be ending it in New York on February 20th.

Vicke Blanka is an acclaimed artist, who was recognized in 2012 when he won an event called Minami Wheel with his song “Wake up sweetheart”. In 2016, he made his major debut with avex trax with the mini album Slave of Love. Vicke Blanka is known for his songwriting capabilities along with his talent for the guitar and piano. Due to Vicke Blanka’s talent, he was chosen to perform several themes, “Black Catcher” and “Black Rover” to the popular anime Black Clover. That is just a small portion of his achievements as an artist.

The tour dates for ‘Vicke Blanka North American Tour 2024’ are listed below. You can also check out Vicke Blanka’s official website for ticket information

★ Tour information
Vicke Blanka North American Tour 2024

• Jan 31 (Wed)
Vancouver - Biltmore Cabaret
• Feb 2 (Fri)
Denver - GOTHIC THEATER
• Feb 5 (Mon)
 San Francisco - GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC HALL
• Feb 6 (Tue)
Los Angeles - THE BELASCO
• Feb 8 (Thu)
 Dallas - THE STUDIO AT THE FACTORY
• Feb 9 (Fri)
Houston - Scout Bar
• Feb 13 (Tue)
Chicago - PARK WEST 
• Feb 15 (Thu)
Toronto - Adelaide Hall
• Feb 18 (Sun)
Montreal - Foufounes Electriques
• Feb 20 (Tue)
New York City - PALLADIUM TIMES SQUARE

Luna's Ongaku Go for November 2023!

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As the autumn leaves of November has passed us by, that means it’s time for 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!

“Celebrate” by TWICE

When in Japan, I picked up TWICE’s Merry&Happy album and it re-sparked my interest in TWICE and got me to dive down the rabbit hole of listening to all of TWICE’s music. Upon listening to TWICE’s album, Celebrate, which released last year, I became obsessed with the title track ‘Celebrate’, which made it into my rotation instantly. ‘Celebrate’ is a fun song that can work for the holiday season or feel good for your love and happiness. For me, it hit around my anniversary and just seemed to fit with its up beat composition, smooth vocals and harmonies, and its relatable lyrics. ‘Celebrate’ just puts me in a good mood, bringing a smile to my face, especially the chorus as it is super catchy - leaving you singing to it even after the song is over.

Check out ‘Celebrate’ here and the music video below!

To The Stars by FAKY

FAKY recently announced that they will be disbanding and going their seperate ways in January 2024, which is disappointing but I wish them the best. FAKY is nonetheless disbanding with a bang as it’s been a good year musically for them. They just dropped their newest and probably last release, Departure, on November 10th, which contains one of my favorite tracks by them called ‘To The Stars’. Despite ‘To The Stars’ having a more up beat, dance like composition that gives off a reminesence of J Soul Brothers, the emotion I can hear in their vocals resonated with me. Upon listening to ‘To The Stars’, I can hear the power in their voices deliver a meaningful and emotional message that hits on all levels for me. ‘To The Stars’ instantly made it in my top 5 favorite FAKY tracks and is slowly moving its way up to the top.

Check out ‘To The Stars’ here and the audio video below.

Our Way by Sincere

Sincere just released her newest EP titled When was that at the end of September, which was highly anticipated by myself and it did not disappoint. The track ‘Our Way’ easily pushed its way into my usual rotation. ‘Our Way’ is a soulful yet playful track as you can easily hear Sincere’s soulful voice, but the composition is more on the poppy side giving that a fun easily listening song. The lyrics are easily relatable, its easy to sing-a-long too, and gives you a good feeling. It’s a song that really makes you want to celebrate what you have to be grateful for.

Check out ‘Our Way’ here and the music video below!

What’s going on? by I Don’t Like Mondays & Celina Sharma

IDLMs. just dropped ‘What’s going on?’, a collaboration with Celina Sharma halfway through November and I am already obsessed. This track is the perfect easy listening song with a chill composition that oozes that old school R&B vibe with the perfect combination of vocals to accompany it. IDLMs. leader, Yu shows off his vocal prowess with smooth mellow vocals that match the composition and play to Celina Sharma’s style. The lyrics alone draw you in as anyone can relate to this track and feel it in their soul. ‘What’s going on?’ hits on a major level and gives you those feels you’ve been wanting.

Check out ‘Whats’s going on?’ here and the audio video below!

NIGHTINGALE by NAQT VANE

When I was in Japan, I was lucky enough to get to see NAQT VANE perform live (and get to meet them). They are absolutely amazing live, with HARUKAZE’s beautiful vocals and Hiroyuki Sawano’s composition that works in tandem with HARUKAZE’s vocals, its the perfect match. ‘NIGHTINGALE’ is a alluring ballad that contains so much power musically, lyrically, and vocally that you feel it on every level. NAQT VANE is an artist that knows how to create a track that will stick with you and ‘NIGHTINGALE’ is another one of those. The other reason I believe ‘NIGHTINGALE’ really got me, it is stands out from all the other tracks they’ve done. NAQT VANE has done slower tracks, but not a ballad like this and it shows how well composed and sung this was.

Check out 'NIGHTINGALE’ here and the music video below!