beni

Me without my braces! /o/ Thought they looked weird at first, and I never expected to have such a nice (and not super wonky and confused!) set of teeth, so I'm really happy.

Fking 10/10, all you really need for any game ad to be a success.

For the first time in 16 years, wyse has announced that they will go major this summer! In addition, they will also release a new album and go on a nationwide tour.
 

In the future, please use the report function to direct staff attention to topics you feel we should intervene on. To date, you have filed a grand sum of zero reports. If you care so much, ante up and start becoming the change you want to see. Otherwise, take your shade elsewhere and quit manufacturing controversy.

Alright guys. Thread closed. 
 
 
 

Heavenstamp, the band who disappears for ages but never actually disbands,  will release their first album in five years (and second total) sometime in May! There's no other info about it yet on any of their official websites, though. Will keep this thread updated with new details as they arrive!
 
Meanwhile, they released the official music video for "Around the World", which was released as a stand-alone song through YouTube last year.  It seems to be re-recorded for the album too!
 
 
Source
 

Hello and welcome to MH! I do hope you enjoy your time here with us. Sounds like you'll fit right at home! For any questions or concerns, feel free to send any messages to the members with a blue/red name for help. Other than that, hope to see you around!

Fking 10/10, all you really need for any game ad to be a success.

We've got a most recently purchased thread, so how about a discovery one?
 
Be it that you're not that much of an instant fan, or if you're digging it as soon as your ears graced the sound, feel free to share your most recent new artist/band you've found. It's encouraged you talk a little bit about it, or just simple answers to questions like: What do you like about it/dislike about it, do you think it's a grower, will you be following the musician from now on, do you think you'll ever go back to it? What's its genre, is it new to you? What about the artist's ethnicity, is it outside what you'd usually search for/stumble on? And all that jazz~ Without further ado...
 
This really is what I've randomly stumbled on a few minutes ago:
 
 
Not really a fan of the talking instead of singing delivery, but that chorus is hilarious and fun and don't get me started on the video. I'll be coming back to watch instead of listening really, that's for sure.
 
EDIT: I just checked out their other stuff and it's much more up my street and not so down right silly and nuts. Real smooth rock dudes, glad I stumbled on 'em.

I'll sign up and try this out some time.

I wanted to keep things really straight forward this year - only 10 albums and keep my blurbs short. I know this is a bit on the late side, but I hope that some people can find some new music they enjoy out of it!
 
10) gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy - Fujouri Shugeki

 
Those of you who know me should already know that I am a sucker for nagoya kei. The formula for this band is a no brainer - vocalist from Merry Go Round, guitarist and bassist from the god and death stars, and the (original) drummer from L’Arc~en~Ciel all bring a long pedigree of talent. A brooding atmosphere that permeates through the album, leaving the album feeling bleak in the best way possible. Though different styles, gibkiy brings that same “unhinged” feeling that I enjoy so much in DEZERT’s work. The 14 minute closer is an avant garde piece constantly uncomfortable and on your toes, with long unusual pauses and strange guttural growls, wraps the album on a truly memorable note.
 
 
 
9) girugamesh - chimera

 
I’d be lying if I said that this being Girugamesh’s final album didn’t push this up a bit on my list. But I’ll be damned if Giru hasn’t been on of the most important band in my Jrock journey, and them hanging it up still feels like a huge deal to me. I’m just so happy that I can say that they exited on a high note, with chimera being a fasted paced and hard hitting album that does a great job of blending their electronic style from the and their energy from their earlier musical day into a more modern metalcore/djent package. It’s just sad that we don’t get any more out of this band as they were trending majorly upwards over their last few releases.
 
 
 
8 ) downy - dai roku sakuhinshū 『mudai』

 
I flat out did not like this album the first time around. Something about it just felt off and it took me a couple tries to completely make it through the album. Perhaps my brain just couldn’t comprehend the complexity of these tracks on the first time around. While there are still some parts that feel a bit off, and I find the nasally tone of the vocalist to be slightly off putting, I couldn’t help but fall in love with this albums odd blend of atmosphere and rhythms.
 
 
 
7) GoGo Penguin - Man Made Object

 
GoGo Penguin feels like it might be a sister band to Mouse on the Keys, with their exceedingly beautiful fusion of downbeat classical and jazz. The piano, bass, and drums seems to flutter across the album, landing gently and quickly at times just to quickly fly away again. It all just feels so light and airy...and just damn pretty.
 
 
 
6) Emma Ruth Rundle - Marked for Death

 
I find it hard to label the music on Marked for Death. It is like some amalgamation of post and gothic rock, with a hint of southern added for flavor. What I do know is that Emma has crafted a powerful album of mourning that managed to feel both sad and uplifting at the same time. Its been a long while since I felt like an album has served up a complete story that was worth telling, but Emma’s presentation of a doomed relationship feels relatable and heavy. Her voice brings nuances to the story, whether she is letting the words just lightly escaping from between her lips or soaring above. The wonderful production does the final piece in wrapping a bow around this solo album.
 
 
 
5) the god and death stars - after the addle apple

 
In 2011 the god and death stars put out their first release, addle apple, and with that fully solidified in my mind that aie was a master of his craft. Fast forward 5 years and we have the band's attempt to 'remake' that wonderful mini-album. While the song names are the same, sonically this transformation like that of when a caterpillar builds a cocoon and comes out of it a whole different creature. When you listen closely, you can pick out some of the riffs, textures, and lyrical homages to the original work, but other than those small bits this mini is something completely new. There is an air of complexity to the band's flavor of Nagoya Kei that gives me that same feeling of freshness that addle apple originally brought. It's a bold claim to say that this is the band's best release, as I feel that the god and death stars haven't ever put out any weak material, but I think that it might just edge out its way to the top of their discography.
 
 
4) Oathbreaker - Rheia

 
I don’t know that last time a song by a band I had never heard before has left such a striking impression on me. The way the chilling opening of the album falls away into a pit of rage left me stunned. This hardcore/black metal group balances that line of beautiful and brutal much in the same way as Deafheaven, though perhaps in a way that makes the lighter bits feel more haunting than gorgeous. The album is a ride and I often find myself feeling a little bit emotionally exhausted at its conclusion.
 
 
 
3) Russian Circles - Guidance

 
I am convinced that Russian Circles can do no wrong. Guidance is probably one of their worst albums, but here it is sitting near the top of my list. The band are masters of the instrumental metal genre, managing to evoke feelings in their tracks in ways that bands with vocals can only hope to do. Emotion is weaved through, spanning from mourning tinged in anger to reserved hope. I can’t help but feel like this feels just right to have been released in 2016.
 
 
 
2) Obscure Sphinx - Epitaphs

 
The middle ground between too disparate sounds and moods, that wonderful juxtaposition, brings some of the greatest joys music has to offer. The atmosphere of Epitaphs is downright crushing with how heavy it is, but yet the album is full of such beauty. The female fronted mashup of doom and post metal that is Obscure Sphinx seemingly came out of nowhere just to punch me in the gut.
 
 
 
1) Alcest - Kodama

 
The ethereal sound that Alcest has honed is down right breathtaking. I’ve always been a fan of the band, but I have never been as blown away by their work as I was with Kodama. Their black metal and shoegaze style manages to take some of the best elements of both and create a sound that just feels heavenly. Somehow the songs manage to feel both sad and hopeful at the same time - perhaps it's this duality that aids to the otherworldly feel of the album. All I can say is that Kodama is downright gorgeous.
 
 
 
 
 
Runner Ups
This is the stuff that just missed the cut
 
TAMTAM - NEWPOESY
The band feels like it has landed on the perfect combination of its jpop and dub stylings.
 
DEZERT - Saikou no Shokutaku
A throwback to the numetal phase of visual kei which feels equal parts fresh as it does historic.
 
Silence - psycho:lens.
This album would have made it if gibkiy hadn’t edged it out on the emotional Nagoya Kei front.
 
Saor - Guardians
Beautiful Celtic infused black metal. The only downfall is that it feels a little “same-y” over its hour long run time.
 
kokomo - Monochrome Noise
Emotional instrumental post metal - great stuff but it’s damn hard when you are going up against the masters of this genre in Russian Circles
 
M-Koda - Workings
If it weren’t for a few outlying tracks that feel a bit out of place, this ambient electronic album would have likely made its way on to the list. Easily my favorite album of the year to chill out to.
 
Boris - Pink
Since half of this album is a re-release, it felt like cheating to give it a full spot. That said, this is still one of Boris’ finest releases, and the new material doesn’t feel lacking at all
 
XAA-XAA - chuudoku shoujou
This band is carrying the mantle for modern visual kei. The album feels like a bit of a mixed bag, but it’s easy to see the promise they hold.
 
Siraph - siraph
This band picks up where School Food Punishment left off. The vocalist is the only factor holding them back.
 
JYOCHO - inori de wa todokanai kyori
Jpop fused with math rock and it’s glorious. I was sad to see Uchuu Konbini go, but now I am not so sure that was a bad thing.

Hello all!
 
I've known about this website for a while now, I've just never gotten around to making a account because I'm lazy XD I am a fan of Nightmare, The Gazette, Sendai Kamotsu, Kuroyume, Avanchick (minus Noah, the drama behind Noah is too much), I like what Luinspear released back in the late 90's/early 00's, I'm looking forward to seeing what MIZTAVLA bring to us too. I've been a fan of Visual Kei since around 2013/14 and I'm looking to expand my tastes in bands, and there's no better place to do that than here!

Also, besides being a fan of Nightmare, there is a certain rant that I have about them, and I'd love to be able to share my thoughts with you all at some point!
 
Anyways, I look forward to being a part of the community!  

Welcome, welcome~ Great introduction, it was a lovely read! Always cool to see someone with more of a mixed bag of music taste. I instantly spotted T.M Revolution, Alice Nine, and GUILD, ehe. Great stuff. Now I do hope you're able to look around the forums and enjoy yourself. For any help whatsoever, feel free to send a message to members with a blue/red name!

First of all, I want to say that I'm very happy to find out about this forum. Finally, a place where I can actually see any posts (at all) related to my fav band. 
I've been following the j-entertainment scene (music, drama, movies, tokusatsu, anime, etc) since 2006, so it has been about 10 years now. The first time I came to know about the term "visual-kei" was back in 2007, thanks to Death Note. (LOL that's right, I love some of Nightmare's songs!)
 
I've been part of many fandoms. From idols to tokusatsu, actors, actresses, etc. The only fandom that I've never been in (and wouldn't ever touch) is KPOP. While I'm very open to any kind of entertainment, songs by KPOP artists aren't my cup of tea at all (mostly)D: I don't dislike people easily though, especially musicians who I personally don't know. It's a matter of whether the music is my cup of tea or not. I don't know whether a song is "good" or "bad" If the songs give me eargasm, then they're good for me Oh and I don't play any instruments. I enjoy listening to music yet I'm not really interested in learning it. 
 
That being said, I have been following Golden Bomber for quite some time now (started in 2015). Late, I know. I saw them for the first time when I watched either Arashi ni Shiyagare or Domoto Kyoudai. Kinda hate myself for not getting into them at that time. Been buying & collecting their stuff (CDs, DVDs, tour goods, etc) since 2015 and I'm just. so. into. them. that I don't know what to do with myself sometimes -.-"
 
Contrary to popular belief, they actually do play their instruments during lives (sometimes). They just say that they don't when they appear on TV/in public because it's part of their joke: we're musicians who suck at what we're doing, so much that you either hate or love us this way! They love to appear as big losers in general public's eyes. Though lately they've started to reveal some truth (LOL the fact that the guitarist does know how to play guitar & does play his guitar live sometimes). I found myself crying at the 'revelation' because fans knew it already LOL . They did perform as "Golden Boys" and shit during lives XD The guitarist plays for real when he doesn't do his 'thing' like getting drown in a bathtub and such XD Those who bother to look beyond 'Memeshikute' knew that they don't suck as much as their 'images' suggest  
 
By the way, I've noticed that they don't have many international fans? Either we're really quiet people on the internet or there really are not many of us. This is amusing because they're totally mainstream in Japan. I think that the language barrier is one of the reasons why non-japanese people find it hard to stan them. They have tons of skits and such, and you won't find their skits to be funny (or sweet, even O.O ) if you don't understand japanese.  I'm just a bit lucky because I can understand basic japanese.
 
Okay, enough about Golden Bomber.
So GB is the only band that I'm following now, but I do listen to other bands/groups at the same time. My music taste ranges from tokusatsu to idols to bands like back number, GReeeeN, UVERworld, T.M Revolution, abingdon boys school, Maximum the Hormone and the like, and if it's visual style bands, they're Nightmare, Gazetto (Filth in the Beauty and Silly God Disco are my style), Alice Nine (Q, Tsubasa, Shunkashuuto, Ruri no Ame) and I think GUILD has some catchy songs
 
I can't say that I'm a huge fan of visual-kei in general, because I'm obviously not familiar with tons of vk bands out there (just a casual listener mostly, except for GB), but still, let's get along well ne  
 
Thanks for reading!!!
 

 
 
 
 
 

Alola~ 
 
I fell into visual kei again 4 years ago thanks to a friend  who dragged me to the traditional new year's concert at takadanobaba area. I will never thank him enough, because I just discovered so many great bands. Even if most of them disbanded, I'm still a big fan of V-kei.
 
i love many actual band like Razor, morrigan, lynch, Devize, Jilluka, Dispina, Dezert, but many  bands who disbanded like -OZ-, Sadie, rentrer en soi, D'espairsray, caldia, mekakushi and so many that i forgot to write down.
 
Thanks to the fabulous people who created this site and the members it's easy to stay aware of what's happening ,when are the new releases , the concerts .~
 
so thanks a lot for all your hard work ~
  you're  all wonderful !

Well, I've been lurking Monochrome Heaven for some time, and I decided to open an account here. Really impressed by the high activity rate here. It's great to always find another music forum dedicated to Japan or even any other part of Asia, as that part of the world tends to go ignored by the masses.
 
I'm really into a lot of the old school bands, such as Anthem, Terra Rosa, Sabbrabells, Concerto Moon, Sabbat, Bowwow, Sacrifice, Rosenfeld, Abigail, and so on. My tastes in metal are quite diverse, although I don't really listen to genres outside of metal.
 
One of my friends on here helps run a forum dedicated to Japanese metal and the like. It's doing quite well. I hope a few of you guys would check it out and let us know what you think. I just really enjoy talking about Japanese metal with my friends.

Ahoy there!
I was observing this forum since... Yea, let's say: long time. I used to be interested in J-rock and visual scene. It was couple of years ago, but I'm still listening sometimes Schwarz Stein, Kaya, Versailles or Moi Dix Mois. And, of course, tried to be up-to-date with the news from J-scene.
I registered here obviously to meet some new interesting people and to master my English. It would be awesome to discuss with those, who also like meritoric chats and aren't sexual deviants and are interested only in certain parts of human's body 
So... Hi!

I think it's been a good 10 years since I last posted on a BBS, but I've been looking for a J-rock/V-kei community for a while now and I was glad to find this one (figured that if I can't shut up about the music I love listening to I should probably join!).
 
I'm really into MUCC these days (can't wait for their new album! Just a couple more days!), and really love the big classic geezers (X Japan, Luna Sea, Buck-Tick, Kuroyume). I also love going to gigs and finding new bands to listen to. Thought the scene was dead until a year ago, but nope, still alive and kicking. DEZERT are currently my favorite fairly-new v-kei act. They're unpolished (sometimes in a good way) but give good vibes and have an interesting interaction with their audience.
 
I'm here to learn (so many bands I've never heard of just from skimming through the site, yay!) and meet new people. So, um, hi!

Mum is strictly into Kate Bush. Nothing else matters. She only likes a few tracks on mainstream music TV, but that's it. It's hilarious trying to show her anything else because she instantly says it's bad and doesn't give it a chance.
 
Nan is into the old classics like Elvis, her favourite. She's a lot more open to music but that's because she's way too sweet and doesn't mind listening to even Vocaloid and DEATHGAZE. Rock on, nanny~

I've been lurking off and on around here for a while now, and I figured I might as well finally make an account and at least post a little bit.
 
In a nutshell, I'm primarily a fan of metal and rock and in the past few years I've gradually shifted over towards Japanese music as I've personally felt modern western bands were just not quite up to par. I wouldn't say I'm specifically a fan of VK, but there are plenty of VK bands that I love (Kuroyume obviously would be one of them). Anyways, hi everyone!

Hi everyone. I say "thanks for existing" because it's really neat for me to see so many people together who share my interests. It's totally out of my comfort zone to go about and do this as I am a "suffer in silence" type, but I thought it was about time I try to reach out and get more involved in this music scene, maybe make a friend or two with similar interests. But if not it's okay, I just like reading what you all have to say anyway. I am from a tiny town in the South of the US, so I haven't gotten the chance to see  many bands live or meet people who even like this kind of music. I've been listening for about 10 years, though I stopped a few years ago after Vidoll disbanded (my favorite band back in 2011, though now I see it was just because my teen self was infatuated with Jui, lol.  still am tho)  and I have been listening again since last April when I saw The GazettE live. I've never tried to socialize online with other VK fans until now, I don't really know why. But here I am! I like everything from oldies like Luna Sea, Buck-Tick, Malice Mizer, Aliene Ma'riage, Baiser, to bands like DaizyStripper, Matnerou Opera, etc!  ! Ive recently gotten back into the scene and I'm discovering the potential of newer bands like Arlequin, xaa-xaa, Jiluka, HOLLOWGRAM, and beyond. If you have any recommendations I'd love them as well. Well thanks for reading and I'll try to make my voice heard here! Nice to meet you all. 

Scrolling through Tumblr and literally stared for 10 minute at just his smile. Such a genuine smile and laugh, wonder what he saw.

Too damn precious.

Hi there~ ^^
So I found this forum some time ago already and finally got the courage to make an account as well... haha.
I'm actually still kinda new to this whole visual kei / jrock thing, I only got properly into it like half a year ago or something, but I'm really glad I did. Some of my favorite bands are SuG, Mediena (though they sadly disbanded already T.T), Rides In Revellion, Damy, Dezert and Mejibray. I hope I can find many more awesome bands through these forums too, hehe ^^
Aside from jrock I'm also really into some metal bands like Amon Amarth, Powerwolf, Sabaton, Turisas, and even some kpop groups like Bangtan... ^^'
Anyway, I hope I'll have a good time here

Double-post and
 
 
@beni THIS IS BIZARRE WHAT THE FUCK LOL (generic chune though)

Greetings, monochromians and netizens at large! Here are my Top 30 Favorite Songs of 2016! Every year, there are tons of amazing songs released that, while not belonging to my fav. albums of the year, still heavily impact my musical experience. So for once, I wanted to highlight these songs! Unlike my AOTY list, every song here is Japanese. I also chose not to include songs by artists that made my AOTY list.
 
As I mentioned in my AOTY thread, I usually never bother ranking lists, but I wanted to give it a shot this year for fun. These rankings are super erroneous, though, as I could prefer any of these songs over another on any given day. XD So...yeah, don't read too much into the actual ranks, ahaha.
 
As always this, list isn't meant to be taken objectively. If you have any thoughts, please feel free to share! And if you're curious about any of the songs, please do check out the short sample clips I've created! 
 
Shall we begin? 
30

"UNDYING" by the GazettE
  the GazettE's 'Dark Age' has been...same-y to say the least, but "UNDYING" has stood out as one of my favorite songs from this era - probably because it sounds like a mess, with the band trying their hardest to be progressive. It's an enjoyable mess, though, and as usual, it never takes much for Ruki an co. to win me over.
29

"KEIREN" by qujaku
  THE NOVEMBERS have been on a mild decline since 2014's Rhapsody in Beauty, and qujaku are slowly creeping in to capitalize on all of that lost potential. the loud, pummeling art-punk of "KEIREN" is captivating, and I can't wait until this band releases a proper debut!
 
28

"matsuo basho" by suiyoubi no campanella
  suiyoubi gave me a scare with the release of UMA, wherein the group's characteristic sound was subverted by incorporating several different producers, but they quickly followed up with "matsuo basho", reviving my hopes in the process. As long as Hidefumi remains the sole producer, I doubt they can go wrong.
27

"2772" by ZA FEEDO
  Experimental pop outfit ZA FEEDO has a plethora of talent and potential, but unfortunately, they've yet to truly find their sound. The groovy and soulful "2772", however, is a fantastic indicator of where they should focus their efforts!
26

"gods" by mothercoat
  Sadly, mothercoat released only this single last year, but it's the band doing what they do best. Quirky, upbeat indie-rock that's both buoyant and super infectious!
25

"gourmet kikou" by fujin club
   Organic pop with bright melodies and crisp, colorful instrumentation = instant love from me! I like to imagine this song as the musical equivalent to a Ghibli movie. It's cozy, endearing, pure, and full of wonder!
24

"sayanora anata" by ayano kaneko
  Young indie singer-songwriter ayano kaneko made an instant fan out of me with this one. "sayonara anata" is the perfect blend of carefree indie-pop and adorably earnest folk-rock.
23

"LAST HERO" by BLUE ENCOUNT
  BLUE ENCOUNT are amongst the kind of major-label rock bands in Japan that I don't typically gravitate towards (stuff like ONE OK ROCK, KANA-BOON, KEYTALK), but I'd be damned if "LAST HERO" isn't one of the most catchy and fun tracks that I've heard in 2016. That and, I blame @benifor bringing my tastes full circle and getting me to appreciate the poppier side of life again.  
 
22

"Sunshine Freeway" by I love you Orchestra
  In spite of their brilliant line-up, I love you Orchestra has yet to truly strike a chord with me, as I found their work a bit too erratic and unfocused, but with "Sunshine Freeway", the band has found a great balance between their spastic tendencies and accessibility; making this a coherent and easily memorable track.
21

"wither mind" by girugamesh
  I'm only familiar with girugamesh's material from about 2013 and on (shout out to @togz for actually getting me to listen to them), so while I can't compare their early works to their recent stuff, I've come to enjoy the synth-laden alt. metal that seems to be characteristic of their final days. "wither mind" sums this sound up perfectly, and it was the highlight of their farewell mini-album for me.
20

"tabun, kaze." by sakanaction
  This is your average sakanaction song: danceable, synth-driven rock with big, sing-a-long choruses - and thankfully, 'average' for sakanacation means that's it's frikkin' great! It's been about 4 years since their last original album, and I'm practically salivating for more!
19

"short hope" by akai ko-en
  As bright and talented as the girls in akai ko-en are, their music has been hit-or-miss in my book - a sentiment that became especially true for me after they went from inventive indie-upstarts to a full blown Jpop band, seemingly overnight. They definitely get things right on "short hope", though, showcasing a kind of hip and smooth, r&b-esque side that I've yet to hear from them. Not to mention, I'm in love with Chiaki I'm in love with Chiaki's vocals! ^_^;;;
18

"voice" by SOSO BREAK THE WALL
  I'm still thanking @Hakoniwafor indirectly introducing me to this band, as I most certainly would not have heard it about them otherwise. "voice" is the kind of dark, mournful female-fronted alt-rock that I've been craving since me-al art's third album and the demise of REDЯUM. SOSO released a solid EP last year, but I need MORE!
 
 
17

"Talisman" by Boris
  Forbidden Songs, the 2nd disc from Boris's reissue of 2006's Pink, is comprised entirely of unreleased songs, and it could have easily been released as a brand new album on its own. The songs are just that good. "Talisman" is an absolutely crushing stoner-doom number that harkens back to 2002's Heavy Rocks, but is equally apt as an extension of Pink.
16

"The UNreal" by Silhouette from the Skylit
  I've been casually following this band for a few years now, and while they're consistently solid, every now and then, they put out a song that really sticks with me. "The UNreal" is a charging tune done in their usual electro alt-rock fashion, and it's both funky and commanding.
15

"yotaka" by kiryu
  I'm super new to Kiryu, as I've only heard their material from 2015 and on, but they've been one of my favorite VK discoveries of recent times. Admittedly, I wasn't too impressed by their full length last year, but I loved the entire single for "irodori". "yotaka" was the first b-side for this single and its frantic, cacophonous mix of metal, traditional Japanese motifs, and VK melodrama is everything I've come to love about Kiryu!
14

"kami-iro awase" by binaria
  2016 has been a busy year for Annabel. Not only has she continually wowed me with her work in siraph, but she also released a solo EP in addition to cranking out both a single and an album with binaria. I actually consider binaria to be somewhat of an anison supergroup, with both Annabel and the renown Nagi Yanagi on vocals. I like to imagine that they're this generation's Maaya Sakamoto and Akino Arai, respectively. "kami-iro awase" serves as the OP for an anime called "Danganronpa 3", and it's a brilliantly penned track with subtly ingenious instrumentation - very similar to some of school food punishment's material.
13

"EDGE" by nowisee
  Speaking of anison, nowisee (pronounced "noise") is a rather enigmatic audio-visual project that specializes in creating songs with their own, unique animations, so it surprises me that they've yet to actually do a song for anime. They've been highly prolific over the past 2 years, but the recently released "EDGE" has become favorite track from their rapidly expanding catalog. It's an electronically infused pop-rock power-ballad, with graceful verses and a monumental chorus. And yes, I fully accept my inner-weeb. ; )
12

"Shandy" by TK from ling tosite sigure
  TK has been a flat-out disappointment these past few years, so it should come as no surprise that the best song he released last year is actually a re-recording of a classic ling tosite sigure song from 2010 - back when he was at the top of his game. Surprisingly, TK hasn't altered the original too much, and he hasn't watered it down either. Instead, it's a more organic version that faithfully captures the same epic intensity of the original. Hopefully, TK will begin to take a few more cues from his past.
11

"Mother Fucker" by Limited Express (has gone?)
  It's so refreshing to hear these veterans of the Japanese underground still kicking ass after nearly 20 years in the game. Their latest album All Ages was a wild, alt-punk ride that showed the band is still as vital and crazy as ever. "Mother Fucker" stuck with me in particular, but it's emblematic of the entire album:  turbulent drums, chaotic sax, groovy post-punk basslines, erratic riffs, and YUKARI’s ear-piercing vocals!  It’s noisy, it’s bonkers, and it’s a hell of lot of fun!
10

"F.A.K.E." by lynch.
  "Listening to a Lynch album all the way through is like the musical equivalent of living on macaroni for an entire week." said one @Disposable some time ago, ahaha. I'll never forget that line. I agree with him, but I do enjoy lynch. quite a bit. I think it's due to their creative stagnation that I've come to expect at least one major jam from them with each new album. In 2015, it was "EVOKE", and last year gave me "F.A.K.E.". I also have to thank @Flame-Xfor making this song infinitely cooler by using it in his awesome AMV for Gundam IBO. Now I inadvertently associate it as the actual opening theme for that anime, and it's glorious.
09

"lost/stand/alone" by cinema staff
  2016 was a great year to be a cinema staff fan. They released a super solid album and an excellent single/EP, both of which showcased their range and continued viability in being both talented rockers and compelling pop songwriters. I thought "lost/stand/alone" was the perfect example of this duality, with its catchy emo riffs, coercive drumming, and Mizuki's bright, soaring vocals. I've yet to hear anyone I've liked better doing this style.
08

"Youth" by Young Juvenile Youth
  Young Juvenile Youth, consisting of vocalist Yuki and producer/beatmaker Jemapur, are fairly new, but they already stand out within the greater Jpop landscape. Not exactly trip-hop, and not exactly electro-pop either, "Youth" sports a sound that I can name no contemporaries for in Japan. It's the kind of sleek, minimal electronic music that you'd sooner expect to hear out of London than Tokyo. The synths in "Youth" are meticulously layered and arranged, and the beat is just chill enough to garner a contemplative head-nod. It's also accessible, but not overtly poppy. This duo definitely has my attention, and I'm curious to see where they go in 2017.
07

"shirobara no lullaby" by aoi teshima
  Aoi Teshima's image has always been a direct reflection of her music. Her songs exude the same level of elegance, class, and modest beauty that she does, and as such, her most recent album Blue library was expectedly lovely. "shirobara no lullaby" was particularly extravagant. It's a stunningly somber, psych-folk song that harkens back to 70's kayōkyoku ballads and even reminds me a bit of Douji Morita. Exquisite!
06

"I Love You" by Chocolat & Akito
  I feel like Chocolat & Akito have gone grossly underrated by the western Jpop fanbase. While most overseas Jpop fans were praising Seiko Oomori for including hints of Shibuya-Kei on her latest album as if she single-handedly revived the genre, Chocolat & Akito -actual vets of the movement- were busy releasing quality music as usual. The married couple's latest venture saw them team up with Californian surf jazz twins The Mattson 2 and the results were lovely. "I love you" was an instant favorite for me, as Chocolat & Akito did a fantastic job of merging their beautiful vocal melodies and their sunny, shibuya-kei flavors with the jazzy psychedelia of The Mattsons.
05

"Nightseeing" by Klan Aileen
  I was instantly mesmerized upon watching the original video for this song, and sold even more on this band after hearing the re-recorded version. They left such a big impression that I'd automatically shoehorned them into a spot on my AOTY list without even hearing the album yet. Sadly, the it didn't turn out the way I'd hoped, but "Nightseeing" has a permanent spot on my playlist. It's a riveting, noisy psychedelic-rock track with killer riffs. Hopefully they do more of this style in the future.
04

"M.U.T.E" by PELICAN FANCLUB
  According to some fans, OK BALLADE wasn't PELICAN FANCLUB's strongest release, but it was the first one in which any of their songs were able to leave a significant impact on me. "M.U.T.E" has this surprisingly smooth and groovy, western-indie feel to it. I can't really explain why, but it just feels "right", aha. I may not be as devout a fan of these guys as @fitear1590or @seurong, but "M.U.T.E" has provided me with a fantastic incentive to sign up to the "FANCLUB".
03

"Tokyo" by ame no parade
  ame no parade has been...highly conflicting for me. Kohei has quickly become one of my favorite vocalists, and I enjoy the band's general sound and aesthetic, but my gosh, their songwriting has been incredibly stagnant - especially after going major in 2016. "Tokyo", however, is one of the best songs they've ever written. It takes on their usual format of minimalistic verses, and big pop choruses, but actually manages to be engaging in the process. Not only that, but the song just has a really amazing vibe to it. I think the PV, where Kohei is openly singing and dancing through the streets of Tokyo on what seems to be a beautiful evening, perfectly sums up how this song feels.
02

"blues" by Galileo Galilei
  Galileo Galilei called it quits last year, as they left us with their final album Sea of Darkness. The album wasn't as gloomy as its title suggests, though. In fact, it was full of the light and airy pop-rock that their career was known for. However, the aptly titled "blues" was the most emotionally poignant moment on the album for me. It's an enthralling track with amped-up instrumentation and a passionate vocal performance from Yuuki Ozaki. In a farewell message from the band, they expressed that they put all of their last thoughts into this album, and in this track, you can literally feel the heartache and sorrow that they've experienced on their road to the end. 
01

"us" by Aimer
  Annnd finally, my number one track! If you've bothered reading this far, then bless you!  
 
I love Aimer's powerful croon, but she's the type of artist whose music quality depends on who she works with. Her vocals are like a hollow reed through which the intent of the producer flows. She's released some amazing tracks alongside the likes of Yoko Kanno, Hiroyuki Sawano, Androp, and Taka from ONE OK ROCK, but her most stellar work comes from a collaboration with none other than TK from ling tosite - which is ironic considering how I just ragged on him for the declining quality of his own music. In "us", TK employs all of his signature touches, but with Aimer at the helm, his songwriting feels fresh and new, as if the two of them have unlocked an entirely new dimension to their respective sounds. "us" is a beautifully haunting and epic pop-rock song. I can only hope that these two will continue to collab in the future!