beni

Greetings, monochromians and netizens at large! I'm a bit late, but here are my top 20 Favorite Albums (and mini-albums) of 2016. In this list, I've made no distinction between Japanese and International releases, since I enjoyed much fewer non-Japanese albums in 2016 than usual. I usually never bother ranking my AOTY lists, but I wanted to give it a shot this year for fun. I do think the rankings reflect my general sentiments in a way, but...don't read too much into them lol. XD
 
Lastly, Please note that this list isn't meant to be some kind of objective statement on the music released last year - this is simply a recollection of the albums I enjoyed most in 2016. So have a look around, and if you have any thoughts to share, please feel free! (I also made some short audio samples for each track, for those who might be curious!)
 
Let's get into it!  
 
20

The Heart Speaks In Whispers by Corinne Bailey Rae
  While this album didn't entirely live up to the lofty expectations set by 2010's The Sea, there was still a lot here for me to enjoy! Corinne dabbled in her usual pop fare, but it was the strong, classic r&b and soul influences throughout the record that truly struck a chord. I adore her usually refined and elegant approach to songwriting, but it was great to hear her stretch those fantastic vocal chords and really go for it at times too.
19

SECRETS by Deep Sea Diver
  At the risk of sounding like a complete and utter weeb, I must admit that's it's been incredibly difficult for me to find American indie-rock bands that cater to my taste. There are, of course, some that I enjoy, but on the whole, few seem to possess the kind of rhythmic and melodic sensibilities that I go for. Seattle's Deep Sea Diver are an exception, though. They're certainly not innovators by any means, but they do have an understated quirkiness that I find extremely charming!
18

TAXIS by koh nakashima
  I'm a bit surprised that there's not much mention of this guy in the Western Jpop sphere. For me, he's been one of the most impressive and promising newcomers to hit the scene. He seemingly came out of nowhere, dropping two EPs - RAFT and TAXIS - just a few months apart. I found TAXIS especially appealing for its nostalgic, yet refreshing blend of house, city-pop, uk garage, and pop. This also gets extra points for being one of the few releases where me and @beni's taste actually converge! 
17

NIPPONNO ONNAWO UTAU BEST by NakamuraEmi
  Speaking of nostalgia - NakamuraEmi also won me over with an acoustic-pop style that hearkens back to early 00's jpop. Though, like Koh Nakashima, she brings a hip flair to her music and even skillfully incorporates a rap flow at times; which is something of a normal occurrence in Jpop these days thanks to acts like daoko and suiyoubi no campanella. Funnily enough, "NIPPONNO ONNAWO UTAU BEST" is simultaneously Nakamura's major debut while also serving as a best-of album for her indie material. This was my first experience with her (as it probably was for most people), and I'm nothing short of impressed. She already has a well established sound, honed from years of toiling away in obscurity, and I can't wait to hear what's next for her.
 
 
16
 

Word in the Petals by CHERRYBOY FUNCTION
  Unless you're some kind of Japanese club music aficionado, then chances are you probably haven't heard of CHERRYBOY FUNCTION. Hell, even if you're just a casual fan of electronica, coming across him or his music is unlikely given his sufficiently weak social network game and scanty remix work. Yet despite this, he's been quietly cranking out his bleeps & bloops via the small record label ExT Recordings for about a decade now, and also plays alongside more prominent electronic acts like DE DE MOUSE and TOFUBEATS. Word in the Petals is just another great dose of his colorful techno and house grooves.
15

THE NEWEST JOKE by VELTPUNCH
  Despite their prominence as one of the western fanbase's treasured indie bands of the 00's, I was never much of a VELTPUNCH fan. Even when I first listened to this album, I wrote it off as being decent, but nothing more. Yet for reasons unknown to me, I gave it another try and it actually began to click, growing on me with each repeat listen. With a whopping fourteen tracks, clocking in at over an hour, the album does drag on for a bit too long. I might have placed this higher in the list if the pleasant-but-forgettable tracks were omitted in favor of the stronger moments, but there's still more than enough raucous indie-rock fun here to keep me coming back! 
14

LAST WALTZ by world's end girlfriend
  This was actually my first time listening to a WEG record, and to be honest, it just barely made my list. Not because I didn't enjoy it, but because it's simply a massive record and I felt I hadn't properly digested it yet. Though the fact that I still included it is a testament to the impression that's it's left on me. LAST WALTZ is an expansive amalgam of beautiful, cinematic landscapes, twisted distortion, and gritty electronics - right up my alley. I'll definitely enjoy continuing to digest this one in the year ahead.
13

freeform jazz by uyama hiroto
  Uyama Hiroto will probably be viewed as the spiritual successor to his peer and collaborator, the late Nujabes. However, with all due respect, I would say that this album has propelled him into a league of his own. While not technically "free-jazz", it certainly feels less bound than his previous works. It's a more musical effort overall, and the drumwork is especially more organic than before, as opposed to the straightforward boom-bap approach that similar artists take. In fact, you can hardly categorize this as just "jazzy hip-hop" anymore. Hell, the entire album only has one actual rap feature (and thankfully so, because I can't stomach cheesy backpacker rap!). It's an exquisite listen with fantastic vibes.
12

remix04 rem by Chouchou
  I've followed Chouchou casually for years now, but this album has completely cemented me as a fan. It's a self-remix album in the which duo have reworked their songs completely into ambient piano pieces, and it's astoundingly gorgeous! It's so well done that this albums feels like a new, cohesive work of its own, as opposed to an assortment of previously released tracks. I'd love for them to continue along this style.
11

DEEPER by HITORIE
  Wowaka's musical mind never ceases to amaze me. As a former vocaloid producer, he brings to HITORIE all of the colorful melodies and infectious riffs that I love, while thankfully leaving the actual vocaloid at home. If it weren't for the tail end of the album, DEEPER would have been much higher in rank, but the first half is so strong and has received SO MUCH playtime from me that it warrants a place on this list!
10

"inori de wa todokanai kyori" by JYOCHO
  The spirit of uchuu combini being resurrected in the form of JYOCHO was no doubt the biggest year-end surprise for me. For the most part, JYOCHO picks up exactly where the band left off, except this time adding a flutist into the arrangement. Even the new vocalist Rionos is barely distinguishable from uchuu's Emichoco. All in all, It's a lovely dose of math-pop, and just what I needed in my musical diet last year.
09

DISTORTION by THIS IS JAPAN
  These 4-piece alt. rockers appeared with yet another awesome debut EP last year. Citing influences such as Fugazi and Japanese indie legends NUMBER GIRL and Bloodthirsty Butchers, these guys play a style of rock that smashes together fun and catchy melodies with pure, spastic rawness! At a time where the smooth grooves of city-pop and the chilled sounds of western indie are trending in the J-indie world, THIS IS JAPAN is a breath of fresh air!
08

Floa by Mammal Hands
  With the emergence of acts like mouse on the keys and fox capture plan, bands fusing post-rock with piano-based jazz seem to be appearing more these days. Mammal Hands was my latest discovery in this style, and unlike their labelmates GoGo Penguin (who also released a solid album in 2016), this trio are a bit more loyal to their jazz influences. They have a pretty awesome saxophonist, which definitely supplements their jazzy predilections and gives them a more notable edge over similar bands. I like to imagine that Floa is what Uyama Hiroto would sound like if he went in a more jazzy and cinematic direction.
07

Flames & Figures by The Seshen
  The Seshen was another serendipitous new discovery for me last year. I stumbled across them while perusing one of my favorite UK music labels, Tru Thoughts, and I was enamored immediately. They make the kind of forward-thinking soul music that I love, with hints of electronica, synth-pop, and psychedelia all bundled into one, crisp, enthralling package. I've seen them described as "Little Dragon meets Erykah Badu", which is brilliant since I love those two. Apparently, they've also supported acts like Thundercat and Hiatus Kaiyote (who I also love!).
06

IKI by HITORIE
  No, you're not going crazy. This is, indeed, another HITORIE album on my list lol. They released two last year, and as you can see, I'm smitten with them both! IKI, however, is the second one to be released and also the better of the two. It doesn't have the powerhouse singles that DEEPER did, but it's the more cohesive and balanced work. Whereas DEEPER fizzles out towards the end, IKI is thoroughly engaging throughout. The amount of quality music that HITORIE released last year is just baffling!
05

A Moon Shaped Pool by Radiohead
  I'm most likely a fan of any Japanese band that you can describe as sounding Radiohead-esque - sleepy.ab, downy, trico, wooderd chiarie, ar - so it only makes sense that I'd be a fan of the masters themselves. I can't even tell you why I like them so much, but I guess their sound just speaks to my heart on a visceral level. This album is like the soundtrack to a dream of infinitely unravelling splendor. The arrangements are gorgeous and the production is as pristine and masterful as it gets. Amazing!
 
04

Ugly Slave Children by No Party for Cao Dong
  These Taiwanese rockers completely swept me off my feet after seeing what I'd easily consider my favorite music video of 2016. Admittedly, the album took a while to grow on me, with its unexpectedly danceable nature, but I've really come to love its uniquely passionate blend of grooves, mathy passages, and emo outbursts. 
03

SONASILE by Shohei Amimori
  I was beginning to lose faith in PROGRESSIVE FOrM, my favorite Japanese electronic label, as the quality of their releases have been shoddy over past few years, but Shohei Amimori has completely dispelled my growing stigma with this album! SONASILE is an absolutely incredible sonic feast of colorful IDM and sunny glitch-pop. There are also hints of modern classical and jazz piano strewn throughout, and even some very strong Shibuya-Kei influences. I'm surprised that the western fandom seems to have overlooked this one!
02

dai roku sakuhin-shu "mudai" by downy
  As expected, downy's 6th untitled album is absolutely singular! It's much different from their previous album, yet just as good. Robin Aoki's vocals are more prominent than they've ever been, and the production seems a bit more earthy and natural, as if the album was produced specifically with live performances in mind. It's brought out a new kind of warmth to their otherwise stark and cold, dystopian sound. The general soundscape of the album isn't as varied as their previous releases, but it works in downy's favor here. Instead of going for an outwardly expansive sound, the album plays out like the band exploring their own inner workings, and it's a whole new world unto itself. I'm not sure how these guys do it, but they keep evolving while remaining a uniquely potent force.
01

siraph by siraph
  You know those "create your dream band" topics? Well, I've ruminated on those kinds of subjects quite a bit and never in a million years would I have thought to create a band as perfect as siraph. These guys are literally a dream come true - mostly due in part to the god-tier combination of haisuinonasa's Yoshimasa Terui and school food punishment's Masayuki Hasuo. Terui was the driving force behind haisinonasa and Hasuo was responsible for school food punishment's best material. With both bands in the throes of oblivion (the former appears to be on hiatus and the latter has been disbanded for years), their unique sounds seemed at danger of being lost to time. Thankfully, siraph has appeared with this godsend of a debut to save the day! The EP combines Terui's offbeat, math rock-sensibilities and Hasuo's eccentric synth grooves to brilliant effect. Both composers wrote three tracks each, and while their individual styles are obvious, they couldn't be any more complimentary as a unit. Singer Annabel completes the circle, bringing with her an anison charm that completely invigorates Hasuo and Terui's already imaginative compositions. With this EP, in addition to their demos and recent single, siraph has single-handedly made my 2016!

fitear1590's Musical CliffNotes to This Dumpster Fire of a Year (2016)
From disgraceful political developments to an endless stream of unexpected celebrity deaths (including Mariah Carey's career on New Year's Eve), a lot of people are deeming 2016 to be one of the worst years yet. Will we look back and see it as exaggeration? Who knows. In any case, other media like music and film can usually be beacons of hope, but unfortunately for me, 2016 has been one of the most ho-hum years in music since I've started doing these more in-depth end-of-the-year lists. I had to start streamlining the format of my list last year to account for the fact that I was working with a small amount of EOTY-worthy releases. However, 2015 was different, because I was dealing with a series of disappointments from some of my faves, which isn't so much the case this time around.  Looks like I'm going back to the drawing board this year, so let's try a format highlighting 16 different artists/works (you know, for 2016? Get it???). While it's been the second disheartening musical year in a row for me,  I want to be fair to the few releases that nonetheless shined! In order to ensure the most breadth and variety, I made sure that there were no repeat selections throughout the various sections.

I hope you'll find this guide helpful and I look forward to seeing your feedback!

Table of Contents

-Surprising Releases-
I. 「むくあ」("mukua") by PIGLOW in GLOOMY
II. Chapters by Yuna
III. YAMINABE by そこに鳴る (sokoninaru)

-Unforgettable Music Videos-
IV. "Everybody Wants To Love You" by Japanese Breakfast
V. "Dove" by Pillar Point
VI. "Happy" by Mitski

-Outstanding Tracks-
VII. "Room 314 feat. Mark Redito" by Neon Bunny 야광토끼
VIII. "She'll Never Forgive To Be Insulted." by a crowd of rebellion
IX. "さようなら僕だけの人 (sayounara boku dake no hito)" by ベル (belle)
X. "煌々と輝く (koukou to kagayaku)" by 神はサイコロを振らない (kami wa saikoro wo furanai)

-Runner-Up International Releases-
XI. Ópalo Negro by PAPA TOPO
XII. Waste by Ulzzang Pistol
XIII. Under the Influence by Steady Holiday
XIV. House of Souls by Tele Novella

-International Release of the Year-
XV. All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend by AURORA

-Japanese Artist of the Year-
XVI. クウチュウ戦 (koochewsen)

-Bonus-
"欲望の歌 (yokubou no uta)" by ゴールデンボンバー (Golden Bomber)

I don't have time to write fully detailed reviews, so I'm just going to share with you my favorite releases and songs from 2016 with short blurbs. Also, these aren't best to least best, they're all equal to me and it'd be pretty hard to choose one over the others so they're not in any specific order except maybe alphabetically. Enjoy and thanks for reading!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
・FAVORITE RELEASES・
 
甘い暴力 - 嘘キス

Honestly, fucking phenomenal. 10/10.
This is the new unit that was formed after the disbandment of 黒姫の夢遊病 and 白日ノ夢.
I can't wait for them to release more music in 2017 because this song is lit.
-----
 
AmyDolly - creation

Literally disgusted at myself for liking this.
There's something super addictive about it even though it sounds atrocious. I just can't get enough.
Both songs are cringeworthy yet bangers at the same time???
-----
 
アンフィル - アクア

This is probably my favorite Anfiel song EVER.
Shogo's voice is so smooth and sexy like milk and it just flows nicely throughout the entire song.
-----
 
Axkey - アイシア/DAHLIA

Both songs are super catchy and the vocals suit the music perfectly.
Pretty perfect release to me <3
-----
 
BLESSCODE - Imperial City

I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT WAS POSSIBLE TO MAKE A SONG LIKE THIS.
FROM THE CHORUS TO THE SOLO, EVERYTHING IS PERFECT. 
I THINK THIS WAS THE SINGLE OF THE YEAR THAT I WAS MOST HYPED FOR EVER SINCE I HEARD THE PREVIEWS
EVEN NOW WHEN I LISTEN TO IT, I'M STILL LIKE "OH FUCK"
The 2 other tracks on this release compliment the single exceptionally. 
This release is just so well-rounded and hot like fuck omg
-----
 
DECAYS - Baby who wanders

More like "Baby who fucks me up"
This was a nice surprise this year.
I normally wouldn't have given this a listen, but a lot of people were saying such good things about it and I can see why.
I can get down with any song that has a violin in it tbh.
-----
 
dexcore - The Dead Sea

This was probably right under Imperial City for single I was most hyped for.
I'm really not into harsh and brutal vocals, but when they're paired with hot, angelic clean vocals, then I'm into them.
The chorus in The Dead Sea is fucking phenomenal. It's also my ringtone.
Mistake and Hunger are fucking lit as well. 
I can't wait to hear more from these guys!
-----
 
FoLLoW - FoLLoW

If you haven't listened to FoLLoW yet, do yourself a favor and listen to this album.
I know the album art is atrocious but their music is SO GOOD.
Ever since hiroki showed me プラネタリウム, I've been hooked. 
It's a shame they decided to disband.
-----
 
白日ノ夢 - 白き記憶

I don't even know what to say other than THIS MINI ALBUM IS FUCKING AWESOME.
Kou is for sure one of my favorite vocalists and every release is phenomenal.
I can't think of one release that I didn't like between Shounenki, Hakujitsu, and Kurohime.
事例03 -策略- from this release is a fucking B A N G E R
-----
 
Kra - 宇宙トラベラー [CELL+CORE]

Another band that has yet to release something that I didn't like. 
While these are 2 separate mini albums, I'm counting them as a whole because they're equally brilliant.
Songs like Eclipse are highly reminiscent of Kra's earlier songs and I'm glad they revisit earlier sounds.
-----
 
黒姫の夢遊病 - リィザ

SLEEPING BEAUTY, NIGHTMARE KISS
PAINFUL PRINCESS RIZA
SLEEPLESS BEAUTY, FEAR, EVIL KISS
DARKNESS BEAUTY RIZA
RIZA
SAVE ME
RIZAAAAA
-----
 
凛 - 「the end of corruption world」

Kisaki pls come back
All my jams packed into one release
-----
 
MAN WITH A MISSION - The World's On Fire

Whoa... something that's not vk.
This is probably my favorite album by MWAM.
The first 3 tracks are so explosive that I couldn't help myself but to venture further into the album.
-----
 
ピノキオ - Melancholy box

Someone made a status about this album, so I decided to check it out and I was extremely pleased.
Pleasant album from start to finish with some really stand-out tracks!
-----
 
RAINDIA - トラッシュジュウス

Another release that surprised me this year.
I listened to this single on repeat for 4 hours while I was on a plane.
I can easily listen to 碧落ノ彼岸花 on repeat all day.
-----
 
RAZOR - RED INVISIBLE

After losing interest in BORN in 2012, my initial thought was: "I'm going to hate this."
Did I? Not at all. Surprise surprise. I literally found all 6 tracks enjoyable.
PRIMARY and RED ZONE are my favorites.
-----
 
SHIVA - 救世主-メシア－

UH........ RIDICULOUSLY GOOD. LIKE DAMN.
-----
 
少年記 - TIMELESS

 BANG ME one last time.
-----
 
vistlip - Snowman

I haven't enjoyed a vistlip single in its entirety since CHIMERA.
Either the singles weren't that great, or there was a B side I didn't care for.
With Snowman, I could get behind all 3 tracks which is the first since 2013 LOL
-----
 
パノラマ虚構ゼノン - XENON BEST SELECTION

YAAAAAAASSSSS SO MANY BANGERS
-----
 
-真天地開闢集団-ジグザグ - オキラ

Dude this release was crazy good especially 本当はね、私わるい子。
-----

indigo's unpopular favorites of 2016
It's a little after midnight here, so basically I missed the deadline, but it's still sunday somewhere! I'm not in it for the prize really, I just wanted to get this list out there for fun so I didn't really invest in creativity, it's just a simple list. I imagine these artists won't appear on many - if any - lists. It's good to have a bit of diversity too, right?
 
Some of these videos might be blocked for you, my apologies for that!
 
Here are the Japanese albums I enjoyed the most last year!
 
#1
 
ムニムニ (Munimuni) - A KILLS A
 
I feel like this album would be on a bunch of EOTY lists if it wasn't for the hmm... unique vocals. I have never been bothered by his voice, though. And he uses his lower register a lot more on this mini-album anyway. I must admit the vocal melodies and delivery can be for an acquired taste. Every time I hear someone say "I love the music but can't stand the vocals" about a band I enjoy, it makes me particularly happy for some weird reason. Few of us have been waiting for new Munimuni material for ages and finally we got a new mini-album! A KILLS A is only 17 and half minutes long but it's still something. And that something is 17 and half minutes of quality music: melancholic rock with fucking awesome atmospheric, wailing shoegazey guitar. Just listen to it on BIG MONEY or NEO SONG, for example. Third song &4 is the weakest point on the album but it's still good.
Sample song
 
Highlights: BIG MONEY, NEO SONG, KOGEN
 
#2
 
Age Factory - LOVE
 
I'm not entirely sure, but I like to think that this album is about a summer, two teenagers and first love. As you know, everything feels 10 times worse when you're a teenager, especially a break up. This album has that whole bittersweet, exaggerated end of the world atmosphere. You could almost cut these feels with a knife. I simply adore the vocalist's voice, I just want to give him a man-hug and say "it's alright". It's near impossible to pick a favorite song, they're all my favorites. This album needs to be listened to from start to finish as one consistent piece of music. For me "LOVE" hit hard, one of my favorite rock albums in a long time. 
Sample song
 
Highlights: EVERYTHING, maybe with the exception of Veranda
 
 
#3

iri - Groove it
 
I stumbled upon iri's music randomly. I saw the cover art and was intrigued. A few youtube song samples later I was excited. After the full album I was hooked. The album is influenced by urban music; R&B, soul, funk, hip-hop. The production on the album is smooth and groovy. The list of producers include mabanua (ナイトグルーヴ), STUTS (Wandering) and Kenmochi Hidefumi (breaking dawn, フェイバリット女子) among others. iri's voice is soulful and despite her young age she sounds mature. There's even some parts where she is rapping but she is comfortable with it, it doesn't sound awkward or try-hard. Perfect music for a night drive in the city!
Sample song
 
Highlights: breaking dawn, Wandering
 
#4
 
友川カズキ (Kazuki Tomokawa) - 光るクレヨン (Gleaming Crayon)
 
Tomokawa has been around for a long time. He's been churning out albums regularly for 40 years and I think we're close to 30 studio albums by now. He's known for his avant-folk style of music and Gleaming Crayon continues on the same line. The most well-known characteristic of Tomokawa is his idiosyncratic voice, I'd describe his technique as "coughing-your-lungs-out". It's desperate, disgusting, intimidating. Most of the time his voice is accompanied by acoustic guitar. There's also some occasional instruments; distressing drums, scary strings, sporadic saxophone, you name it but which ever the instrument, it's always a harrowing feat.
Sample song
 
Highlights: つつじ, 愉楽
 
#5
 
SALU - Good Morning
 
I remember when I saw the PV of first single Tomorrowland and thought to myself "this is trash". Well, since then I have changed my opinion a bit, it's still my least favorite song though but the rest of the album makes up for it. The opener "All I Want feat. Salyu" is a strong one. It's nothing like "Tomorrowland". It's an emotional song, with a piano-based beat. The subdued "la la la's" which serve as a chorus are beautiful and last minute lets Salyu shine. The production on this album is great for the most part, it's soulful. There's jazzy horns, piano aaaaand I just noticed that I love to list instruments. SALU flows on these beats effortlessly and he got some good hooks. There's surprisingly lot of singing too, like on "How Beautiful" and "Lily". All featuring artists do a great job, there aren't any rappers but singers Salyu and Mika Nakashima and trumpeter Kuroda Takaya. Especially Salyu almost steals the show on her feature.
Sample song
 
Highlights: All I Want feat. Salyu, How Beautiful, タイムカプセル
 
#6
 
Yellow Studs - door
 
There are bands that I wish would evolve with every album, and then there's bands like Yellow Studs. They have basically been doing the same thing since forming - garage-ish rock with hints of jazz - never really changing their sound, and damn I'm glad they haven't! They have nice melodies, raspy vocals and great instrumentation with catchy guitars, cool upright bass and some lovely keyboard/piano. I've always enjoyed their faster tempo songs the most, and this album proves it true again. おはよう (Ohayo) is a great example, it might be one of the best songs they've done so far and it's one of my favorite songs of 2016! It's simply a fun album which never fails to lift my spirits. 
Sample song
 
Highlights: ガラクタ, おはよう

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.

He probably scares more people and probably would be described by some as cute rather than beautiful when he smiles, but I think the genuine emotions he shows when he's happy is beautiful. I adore his dimple smile!

Another one I'd love to add! Taroo~ This single gif cheers me right up!

.
 
Happy New Years, everyone! December was a super busy month for the ORZ crew, so we have a bite-sized selection of new tracks to recommend you guys this month, but rest assured, they're delectable as always!
 
Thanks to our guest contributors @Lestat and @Ada Suilen! As usual, we apologize if some videos aren't available due to region restrictions.
 
 
 
@CAT5's Picks
 
"紫光 (shikou)" by 八十八ヶ所巡礼 (88kasyo Junrei)

88kasyo Junrei have released an album every year, without fail, from 2009 all the way up through 2015, usually within the month of August. Having taken their prolificness for granted, most of us had assumed that a 2016 release would be given. Sadly, that wasn't the case, but Margaret and the crew must have sensed our yearnings, as they dropped this PV out of the blue shortly into December. And while no new album has been announced yet, what they've served us here is certainly appeasing! "shikou" is somewhat different for 88kasyo. These guys don't usually make a habit of restraining themselves - often taking every opportunity to noodle our faces off and pummel us with their cacophonous insanity - so it was a bit of a shock to hear how subdued this track was at first. But it came as an even bigger surprise that this track still manages to fucking rock! It's a slower tune for them, sure, but the band's musical acumen hasn't been diminished one bit because of it. Margaret employs a squeaky, rap-like flow while providing one of the band's most memorable basslines, Kenzoooooo's drumming is as coercive as ever, and Katzuya sprinkles just enough of his psychedelic guitar work in the mix to be potent. What I thought at first was 'restraint', was actually just the band exercising their instincts with a newfound control. "shikou" isn't just the 88kasyo taking it easy, it shows a mature step forward in the band's songwriting. I can't wait for what's next!
  "さよーならあなた (Sayounara Anata)" by カネコアヤノ (Kaneko Ayano) The Japanese Folk/Singer-Songwriter realm has been pretty uneventful for me this year. My personally appointed 'Celestial Goddess' of modern J-folk Ichiko Aoba proved to be mundane after all, with her humdrum follow-up to 2013's masterpiece 0. And the much less renown, but equally dear to me, mmm/me-my-mo made a brief appearance early in the year with her band Maria Hato, releasing a single titled "C.P.U" (that I wrote about in February's edition of RT), which was brilliant, but only managed to whet my appetite. Enter Kaneko Ayano. While not as quirky as mmm, and certainly nowhere near Aoba's ethereal genius, Kaneko's straightforward and simple sound has been a refreshing serving of the folky tunes I've been craving from 2016. She's released two EPs this year - hug back in April, and Sayounara Anata just recently. The title track diverges from her usual, barebones acoustic approach and includes a full band backing that really vitalizes her already emotive sound. It almost sounds like risette and ミラーボールズ (mirrorballs) were smoothly merged together - the end result is the perfect blend of carefree indie-pop and adorably earnest folk-rock.
 
"Youth" by Young Juvenile Youth

Young Juvenile Youth, YJY for short, consists of vocalist Yuki and producer/beatmaker Jemapur. Having formed in 2012 and only having released their debut EP in 2015, they're relatively new to the scene,  but have already carved out a bit of a niche for themselves. Their latest single "YOUTH" is a beacon of this musical alcove that they've built: sleek, minimal electronic music that you'd sooner hear out of London than Tokyo. Not exactly trip-hop, but certainly not electro-pop either, "Youth" sports a sound that would be difficult to find contemporaries for in Japan. The synths are meticulously layered and arranged, and the beat is just chill enough to garner a contemplative head-nod. There's also a certain accessibility to Yuki's vocals, but the songwriting feels really subtle in its pop aspects. "Youth" shows a lot of promise, and while YJY may not be topping the Oricon charts anytime soon, they do have the potential to expand on an international scale, while also being a singular force within Japan.
 
 
@beni's Pick

"The Lights" by FABLED NUMBER

Another month, another random gem found. This time it's FABLED NUMBER. The little known rock band reminds me of SILHOUETTE FROM THE SKYLIGHT, but with a pop/electronic edge. This makes for a very accessible sound, and the song's energy does not let up at any point. You'll want to continuously repeat the track in no time! They instantly caught my attention with this tune, and hopefully that's the same case for others. It's a real shame that these guys are so unknown compared to other, similar bands, as they show great potential in this latest single of theirs. Here's to hoping you also check out their debut album coming out in early February entitled ILLUMINATE!
 
 
@togz's Pick
 
"埋葬 (maisou)" by RAZOR 

I was a little worried as to where RAZOR's line-up would take them.  After their mini-album RED INVISIBLE dropped, all my worries went away. The release is a solid listen as a whole, which you can learn more about in @Zeus' review of it here. The track that really made me move was "埋葬 (maisou)".  It's upbeat from the start, but fairly heavy for a visual kei composition. Ryoga's fast paced speaking along with the guitars builds into a really fun environment when the instrumentals and vocals come together. The phrasing is predictable, but that makes it easier to anticipate where the song is going and, in my opinion, makes for a damn good live song. Nothing is more satisfying than seeing a band and hearing them for the first time while not having to worry about whether you can follow the crowd or not. It's a song you can simply feel and really rock out to. 
  @Zeus' Pick
 
"drifting litter" by DECAYS  

It's no secret DECAYS has redeemed themselves with their transformation, and I've extolled the virtues of Baby who wanders enough in my review. What I didn't mention in the review was my favorite track on the album, and that would be "drifting litter". This hypnotic, hazy ballad is at odds with the overall direction of the album, adopting a thick, dark tone. The melody is anchored in place by the thick bass and guitar and Nakamura commands the chorus completely. The pure rock guitar solo in the middle skyrockets the song to eleven. If Baby who wanders wasn't dark or heavy enough for you, then this is what you are looking for.
 
 
@Original Saku's Pick
 
"人魚の檻 (ningyo no ori)"  by 陰陽座 (Onmyo-za)

Onmyo-za is a band that comes and goes for me. In that, I mean that they're a group who I enjoy a great deal when they release something, but I don't keep up with specifically, so more often than not it's like a nice little present that soon fades till the next one. "人魚の檻" from the band's newest effort Karyoubinga is just one of those aforementioned 'presents'. While being a whopping seven minutes six seconds long, it comes in as the longest song on the album and does not suffer for it. The track begins calm and serene then Kuroneko chimes in with her beautiful soft vocal technique that can only be described as 'heavenly'. It soon flows into the backing guitar riffs that thunder and transform the song into something more chaotic but, still beautiful. Shortly after the guitars kick in, Matatabi gets his turn with his trademark deep, powerful vocals that eventually lead into dual vocal excellence between the two. The track progresses into the instrumental bit where Maneki and Karukan show off their prowess and melt my face off in the process. The last minute and a half takes on a very 'haunting' aesthetic that slows down the tempo and closes out wonderfully.
  Guest Recommendations:
 
 
@Lestat's Picks
 
"輪舞曲 (rondo)" by 藍-AI-

I wonder if I have traversed in to the mysterious universe of Konami's Castlevania, as "輪舞曲" promptly astonishes me with an enigmatic alliance of both a devout organ and a set of dungeon-crawling synthesizers. Whoever praises the unnatural and the unknown realms will likely appreciate this on short notice, as it is fully enclosed by the strange and the dark. While an engaging bass performs its own black magic and whirs away, the track sneaks along this very murky line, slowly approaching an evanescent moment of clarity; fog clears, and for a brief moment you open a dark cellar's trapdoors toward a more flitting, yet vigilant chorus, one where the opaque and ambiguous vocals of ex-DEATHGAZE's 藍-AI- take on a transparency in the wee hour's quickly fading light. 
 
"-SHAMBARA-" by R指定 (R-Shitei)

All the while, R指定 have proven themselves multifaceted goliaths, able to mutate or evolve at will. The immensely popular band does not discriminate between dawn and dusk, and waltzes among both pop rock and heavy metal in swiftly taken steps. Give this ingenuous and tireless group a sound, concept or genre, and they will shape and form it into their very own inherent creation. One of those consistent transformations takes place in "-SHAMBARA-", wherein マモ (Mamo) and his gang do not shy away from channeling the obscure Dir en grey through otherworldly sonant assemblies and distressing squalls from the deep. This is where R指定 release their inner demons and convey their ghastly messages through tuned down equipment, a swarm of screams and breakdowns, and a lone guitar's eerie-sounding strum.
 
 
@Ada Suilen's Picks
 
"The Buddha" by LM.C

The most freaking and colorful J-rock duo of the moment achieves the important score of ten years in the music industry, and for this occasion, they decided to make this year pretty interesting; starting from the colorful rocking "MONROEwalk" and then the nostalgic and soft dyed "Rainmaker". They released their fifth album Veda this month, where they maintained and improved their eccentric and beating sound in all the shades they know best. In this track, the duo brought something mature and innovative to their sound, along with an electro-exotic vibe which never hurts, for this is one of their best tracks for sure.
 
"Ai to ai so nokosazu (Baby who wanders ver.)" by DECAYS

When this band debuted with the song "Secret Mode", they didn't convince me at all, despite of the presence of Dir En Grey's Die and the famous singer Yusuke Kobayashi, two sure winners of the genre. With the mini-album Red or Maryam, my interest for them grew more, even if I felt that something lacked. And how, with the addition of the violinist Ayasa and the pop singer Ataru Nakamura (a pleasant discovery for me), the band found out what was lacking and this new take of the song shows it, with its energy, grace and sensuality, all filtered inside a wonderful rock theme. It's a track everyone should listen to and that is quite hard to forget. 
 
Thanks for checking out our recommendations this month! If you have any thoughts on our list or recommendations of your own, please feel free to comment below! If you're interested in being a guest contributor, contact either @CAT5 or @doombox
 
 
See you all next month! ^_~

Dat 88kasyo's track was dope af.
Also liked Kaneko Ayano

I've now listened to both this and the track that was linked on the DECAYS review and I've liked them both despite my best efforts to not to. The impression left by SECRET MODE ( just the song, I listened 2 nuffin els' ) was of this slick pop rock both so inoffensive and meandering that one could hardly attribute a trait to its featureless mass, like musical teflon that'd eventually kill you by lethal poisoning should you indulge in it too much. 
 
Now first I've had that JUMPIN JACK FOEVAA chorus playing in my head ever since I heard it. You can tell that it's from the same band, but something has happened. It reminded me a lot of visual kei actually, and Drifting Litter has just fortified that impression. I'm getting strange Buck-tick vibes from it, though it could just be from the visuals — which I love, unlike the cool filters dime-a-dozen indie twat written all over the SECRET MODE PV.  Very surprised by this turn of events and I'll get the album forthwith. 

Some nice tracks on this list. I'll particularly second the 八十八ヶ所巡礼 track along with the two DECAYS ones. I'll add a couple of recommendations of my own too (maybe I should stop being a lazy shit and actually write a guest contribution sometime...)
 
dilitant by siraph
I'm sure that absolutely noone who knows my music taste will be surprised about this choice. siraph's latest single is basically confirmation that this band is the real deal and that their mini album from earlier in the year wasn't just some cool one-off before fading into obscurity. Yoshimasa Terui's sole composition on the single is a testament to how well he's been able to adapt his natural writing style to fit into siraph's school food punishment-esque soundscape. Given their output this year, I really can't wait to hear more from these guys in 2017.
 
太陽と暮らしてきた by JYOCHO
And while we're on the topic of new 2016 bands that are effectively spiritual successors of dearly missed dis-bands, 宇宙コンビニ's spiritual successor JYOCHO, lead by guitar prodigy Daijiro Nakagawa, dropped their brilliant debut mini album earlier this month and it's a real treat to listen to. 太陽と暮らしてきた serves as the mini's lead promotional track and it's not hard to understand why. All of 宇宙コンビニ's hallmarks are there, except now Daijiro is playing with people that are able to keep up with his technical wizardry and there's even a flute added in there for a nice bit of aural variety.

Yo so how about them demos? NieR Automata and Gravity Rush 2 demos in the same day! Talk about hype!
 
long story short both demos are just simply amazing, especially the NieR demo. I already knew GR2 was gonna be a great game, no doubt in my mind. NieR on the other hand I had my doubts, but platinum games has totally dispelled all of that with this demo.

Nothing to be nervous about! In fact, if you're worried about how to write your review, feel free to check out other people's pieces. Otherwise, there's never any need to panic, make it as casual as you'd like! Just keep having fun with the mix and your response(s). : 3

I recognize Sendai Kamotsu, SCAPEGOAT, Royz, Blu-BiLLioN, Kiryu/My Dragon, Hakujitsu no Yume, Anemone, ELYSION, Golden Bomber, Sick2, Versailles, FEST VAINQUEUR, Anfiel, Pentagon, the GazettE, the Raid, Sonic Death Monkey, Purple Stone, Smileberry, Arlequin, R-Shitei, DADAROMA, Vivarush, glamhaze, Balalaika, Labaiser, Shellmy, Marblehead, Ensoku, DIAURA, Rides in ReVellion, THE GALLO, Jack Caper, Akaku Somatta Kioku, Londboy, Irodori, Zin, Gossip, Chanty, Anli Pollicino, Unite, Grimoire, Neverland, Zonbi, 0.1g no Gosan, BLaive, GLAM GRAMM@R, DOGinThePWO, SCREW, Kameleo, Lack-co, Xaa-Xaa, Meary, Kurohime no Muyuubyou, Gigamous, Avanchick, RAZOR, CLOWD, Starku, Raindia, Devil Kitty, BABY I LOVE YOU, Chloroform, Lydiar, Grieva, D, HOLYCLOCK, REVINE, DIEALO, Sweet Home, THE DC, Misaruka, Develop One's Faculties, Tokinokito, Dispina, Fixer, Azero, KAVKA, umbrella, ATRUS, Otomekokka, DEVIZE, Marco, Killaneth, X JAPAN, Malice Mizer, VRZEL, THE SOUND BEE HD, BugLug, VAN9ISH, BUG scream, Amanjaku, Stigma, Shinotsuku Ame, DAMY, Reirei, Giza, ZON, Linaria, Twins, Pachipachi, Kaitou Shounen, Magistina Saga, VAMPIRE ROSE, Roub, The Thirteen, GOTCHAROCKA, Vexent, Belle, Dangan NO LIMIT, UNDER FALL JUSTICE, Meteoroid, Avantgarde, MIZTAVLA, Initial'L, THE BLACK SWAN, Masqued Liar, De:Vi6, Logic, Scarlet Valse, Durandal, Nollcrea, JILUKA, AIDE, Axkey, Anima, lynch., Lolita23q, Zigzag, ViV, Paranoid circuS, Ribelio, Samurai Crows, Inugami Circus-Dan, Kra, LEZARD, and BLESSCODE.
 
...I know too many bands, don't I?

currently working on my trade off review. i'm nervous because i've never properly reviewed before and this is my first trade off, but i'm actually enjoying myself ;o;

So since I already released the MH Discord server into the wild last night in this thread on a whim, I figured I might as well make an official thread for the thing.
 

 
What is Discord?
 
So basically it's a skype/teamspeak alternative, it includes both text and voice chat. Don't let the gaming eccentric vibe throw you off, since the tool has been proven to be great for communities like ours as well. You can join our server and create a discord account by clicking the banner above, from there you have several options on  how to access the room. You can use discord straight form your browser, download the desktop app (recommended), or you can download the official app on android and IOS.
 
If anyone has any questions or suggestions, please use this thread to discuss. I'm currently the owner of the server and am running it atm so any help is greatly appreciated.
 
 

I finally have control of my scheduling now for work so I should be able to attend dubs every sunday once again.  I'll catch ya all in there tomorrow!

hunter x hunter (1999)

Thanks for responding guys! <3
 
I'm fine with any day this coming week, feel free to post here what day is best for you and we can make it official once more. : D

I'm so sad I couldn't attend that latest themed session! Is anyone else up for doing that same theme (favourite songs from 2016) next week? ;;

I'm so sad I couldn't attend that latest themed session! Is anyone else up for doing that same theme (favourite songs from 2016) next week? ;;

We had talked about having a theme of your favorite songs from 2016 this coming sunday (the 18th) if peeps are down. 

I just started playing ranked for the first time.
 
lmao it was so awful. I've lost like 5 in a row and am rapidly slipping down the elo rabbit hole. I'll add you to my PS4 friend's list, but I seem to have a knack for getting put on teams who don't like to work together.