indigo

Greetings, MH! The ORZ team just recruited new members, so we are back stronger than ever with our latest batch of recommended tracks!  Check them out and let us know what you think!
 
(We apologize if some videos aren't available due to region restrictions!)

@-NOVA-'s Pick
 "Reason for being" by NIL UNDER RAIN

NIL UNDER RAIN is a new band fronted by Vo. Kyoma (ex-RevleZ) and backed up by ex- Xepher members and its bringing a lot of HEAT!!! "Reason for being" is packed with solid riffs, breakdowns (3 of them to be exact), and an amazing solo. The song alters from two distinct styles, slow and soft to fast and heavy. As the song approaches its peak the band begins a breakdown sequence and builds up the beat by playing faster. While all this happening, Kyoma adds a couple growls and Kaana takes the beat away with a very unique solo. It's been 2 years since RevleZ disbanded but to my  surprise Kyoma's singing style hasn't changed. His growls may not be as strong and powerful in this single, but hopefully they will be in later releases. It's clear these guys have worked hard on making a strong first impression since there are no signs of 'cheap-kei' here. This song is a great start to what may soon become an amazing band and maybe surpass RevleZ and Xepher's level of success. I think the fact that all these guys aren't new to the scene really helps them. Also their previous bands have made names for themselves. Hopefully this band can go far.

@The Reverend's Picks
"働かずに食う [IA Ver.]" by KOHH
"I Don't Work [IA Ver.]" by KOHH

You know that slightly anxious moment when you’re talking about music with a new-ish acquaintance and start to say 'This sounds nerdy, but I really like this Japanese…'? This song and video are exactly what that other person is thinking as soon as you drop the J word. "I Don’t Work [IA Version]" is a chiptune (hell, part of it is literally a chopped-and-screwed version of some music from the original Super Mario Bros.) remix of KOHH’s original "I Don’t Work" with the vocals completely replaced by vocaloid singer IA. What was originally a lackluster not-single-worthy-even-though-it-was-one (KOHH sounded bored on it, he doesn’t even shout out Oji once!) mid-tempo hip hop track is transformed into something bright and addictive and maybe a bit subversive when filtered through the trippy lens of pink-haired IA and the accompanying ‘90s CGI reel of a video.

"Melon Soda" by tricot

The crown princesses of poppy math rock are back with their third album 3. "Melon Soda" is the second single from the new album and one of their most accessible songs to date. It starts with the bassist showing off her chops and follows with a mostly mellow, pretty song. My fave part is actually the second guitarist interrupting the sweet song with some purposeful background feedback at :54. Tricot, as usual, have a great combination of female vocal melodies and non-traditional indie rock. The video doesn’t really have a story, as much as a central conceit. Basically everything is moving backwards (except for the vocalists lips!)... which is done very artfully, but it seems like most of the girls’ actions are not things they’d normally be doing as much as they are things that beat you over the head that they're backwards (ripping paper, pouring things out, putting a newton’s cradle in some coffee what??)

@plastic_rainbow's Picks
"Grateful Dead" by MINAKEKKE

A new female singer-songwriter enters the scene with her debut album called TINGLES. Before you think that MINAKEKKE is some generic pop singer, let me tell you that she's like no other. Instead of singing cheap love songs, she mixes genres like folk, shoegaze, new wave, and goth together into one album full of a haunting sweetness. One highlight of the album is the song "Grateful Dead", which takes you to a realm of 80s gothic horror with a roar of a thunder at the beginning. Some drum machines, gloomy guitars, and tambourines creep in and you've got everything laid out. MINAKEKKE's lovely and swaying vocals; however, soften the threatening mood and carry you gently through the horrific ordeal. If you like uplifting acoustic guitars and folk drums, or dreamy synth melodies, to haunting organs and creepy guitar noises, be sure to check out the rest of the album. With MINAKEKKE's mesmerizing vocals, you will surely be swept away into her dreary, yet peaceful, world of darkness and dreams.
 
"Saddest Song" by 北出菜奈
"Saddest Song" by Nana Kitade

Feeling sour about Nana Kitade's new music direction ever since her comeback, I was pleasantly surprised to see that there were 1-2 enjoyable tracks from her new album VIOLET BLAZE. In her previous solo work, she donned a charismatic gothic lolita rock star appearance, but this time around she disrobes her old rock style and takes on a new electronic pop star approach. Even for someone who doesn't often listen to such kind of music, I was quite impressed by Nana's beautifully strained vocals in "Saddest Song". The track opens with a tune that oddly reminds me of the "Intro" by The xx (excuse me if I butcher this comparison), but with added-in dubstep breakdowns, serene droning, and of course, Nana's feminine vocals. The other highlight of the album is "Borrowed Time" and I highly recommend her new album to all Jpop listeners.
 

"Unfading Scent" by Shelling

 
I recently found out about this shoegaze/dream pop band hailing from Tokyo that has been around since 2007. Despite being around for that long, they've only released a total of three albums, with their newest one being Waiting For Mint Shower!! . Shelling consists of two members: female on guitar/vocals and male on guitars, who like to call their music 'sherbet pop'. Quite fitting for any shoegaze/dream pop band. Their music touches on the roots of shoegaze and creates a heavy wall of noise that is layered by creamy ethereal vocals, as done with the track "Unfading Scent". If you’re looking for some of that My Bloody Valentine or Slowdive distortion, Shelling is the way to go.

@qotka's Picks
“N.G.Y” by 麗麗-reirei-

It's camp time! These indie kids are back with their first single since reforming, paying tribute to their hometown of Nagoya. Usually I'd write this kinda thing off as a graceless attempt at taking a karaoke in-joke gag and trying to make it happen -- and let's face it, things that are never going to happen are rife in indie vkeiland. But reirei's self-appointed Nagoya ambassadorship reads as sweet and genuine, loaded with heaps of self-deprecating humor both Nagoyites and outsiders can relate to.  Traditional-sounding synths, a copy-paste shamisen sample layering the back of the mix and full Nagoya-inspired frocks - "N.G.Y" is a low budget production but hardly a half-assed one. If you're going to let everyone in on your private joke you have to make it as elaborate as possible, and there's nothing more elaborate than Nagoya Castle shoulder pads. The result is so clumsy it's endearing; makes you wanna attend their live and rock out to this with their fans. All three of them. Hell, the chances of me visiting Nagoya this year have tripled since this was released.

"トイレでGO!" by cali≠gari
"toire de GO!" by cali≠gari

Moving on from thrift-shop drag to a cult classic. cali≠gari are back at it, promoting their latest release 13 with a fun track that may not be the strongest one on the album but does a great job at showcasing the band’s signature grotesque tongue-in-cheek vibe and dark humor. They accomplish this by giving a taste of their more mischievous punk-rock side - strong but measured thick bass slapping, rushed percussion and The Other Shuuji’s playful vocals/storytelling. Coupled with a morbid PV featuring a housewife snapped and gone murderous, "toire de GO!" is what cali≠gari are all about: shock value that always seems to border on some sort of a social or political saying without ever explicitly going there. In this case, it could be the story of a woman getting her revenge at an abusive partner, or just another one of those 'murder mysteries' that get on the news every once in a while - 'man cooked and flushed down the toilet by ex girlfriend' sounds like great click-bait. Either way it's a well-told, engaging story that'll have you hooked start to finish. And if for some reason you haven't had the chance to check out this band yet and you have a taste for everything dark, twisted and queer, this could be your gateway. Just sayin'! 
 
"地獄のこども" by Luminous101
"Jigoku no kodomo" by Luminous101

Musashino city’s finest – Luminous101 may still be playing livehouses where most of their audience consists of the other five bands on the lineup, but they sound a lot bigger than that. "Jigoku no kodomo" may not be the most sophisticated track you’ll hear in 2017, but it has a beautiful, bright melody with clear Britpop influences and just the right gentle vocals to go with it. Only time will tell if this band will survive the cruel reality of Tokyo's indie music scene, but for now we have this sweet piece of pop candy that's guaranteed to put a smile on your face -- at the moment only available on YouTube.

@tetsu_sama69's Picks
 
"VENOM" by REIGN

So... this stuff right here. This song is just amazing. All of it sticks right into my vein and gives me tingles in a particular part of me that I want more of. Something about "VENOM" feels so much like And, yet REIGN adds a whole new spice that takes me back to why I like Ikuma so much as a musician. Its opener is a twisted rhythmical party which is only enhanced further by their new drummer Kazuharu. It tears into a mess of screams and heavy guitars that may have been a bit too much, if it weren't for the fact that the song takes quite a bit of turns that it sweeps you up into a sweet melodic tornado. REIGN has definitely discovered their own personality with "VENOM" and are stepping away from their more spooky-kei background into a force to be reckoned with.
 
"ボクノ悪イ癖" by ヴァージュ
"Boku no Warui Kuse" by Virge

First of all, everyone who whined about Ryo from Medina being the vocalist for this band needs to sit down and check themselves because they're obviously delirious and need to see a doctor to get their heads checked. Virge is 100% proof you should never judge a band by who the members are, but simply by what they put on the table. UTOPIA is a treasure trove of visual gold and it's refreshing to see that guitarist Sizuki and bassist Shin still possess the musical prowess that made MALISEND more than just a momentary blip on the radar. Virge has the spirit of older visual styling that is very evident in its composition, especially in "Boku no Warui Kuse". The screams and clean vocals are just the sprinkles for this musical cake that has been baked to perfection. Even the synths are nowhere near overdone and fit so perfectly that you can tell there was great effort put into the framework of the song and the mini-album as a whole.
 
"おしまい" by キズ
"Oshimai" by Kizu

No one expected a band like Kizu to turn out this way with lead singer LIME taking front, who previously sang for oshare kei band LEZARD. The supercharged opener takes over you in way that you just can't help but burst out in a fit of headbanging. Every single member of the band strikes a match that starts a musical firestorm. Despite the darker nature of the band, LIME's unique vocals fit perfectly with the heavier instrumentals and is well aware of his vocal boundaries. The whole song is perfectly executed and the psychological aesthetic fits so well with the band. I had "Oshimai" on repeat for almost a good hour at work when it popped up. The track is an instant infectious hit for anyone who likes a bit of dark drama in their visual kei bands without being overwhelmed by terrible synths and ugly vocals. It'll be interesting to hear the full release along with seeing what else Kizu will bring in the future.
 
"ゲシュタルト" by ピサロ
"Gestalt" by Pisarro

If you've been sleeping on Pisarro you're definitely missing out big time,  which could result in a possible negative judgement on you and your visual taste. Anyone should be familiar with their vocalist Kairi from SIVA/gaNesha who formed Pisarro in 2016; with experienced members from Cardinal, Varyl, and LucaRia. Pisarro has had a colorful discography so far, and with "Gestalt" they just keep on delivering. "Gestalt" is a wonderful treat for the ears with its solid melody and execution that doesn't turn into a stereotypical visual power ballad. The clean guitar solo from Kaede is a highlight as it's not drawn out and fits like a puzzle piece that was missing to complete the excellence that is "Gestalt". 
 
@emmny's Picks
 
"昨日の怖い夢。" by 黒百合と影
"Kinou no kowai yume" by Kuroyuri to kage

FULL DISCLOSURE: I was held against my will for 30 minutes by KTK stans in exchange for this review after calling the song a flop upon first listen. I would like to officially recant my statement calling "Kinou no kowai yume" a 'flop' and formally change the legal status of the track to a 'bop'. KTK have been a bit controversial for me within the past year or so, as they have taken a major stylistic detour post-member departures. While I've gotten used to their new style, I can't fully shake what could have been from their first album. One day I was walking back alone from a night of rowdy drinking and gossiping from a bar and I decided to play this track again, turning it up a little bit more than usual. I didn't pick up on any of the following before that listen, and it is imperative for anyone to play this song as loud as you can possibly tolerate. The track opens with the biggest riff Kuro's put to record and K's pummeling, clanky bass work not far behind; the bass and guitar are mixed in a way that sounds like a sandwich to my ears at full blast; guitar occupies mid while bass takes sub/bass and treble. The end effect is maddening and I'd liken it to deep frying my ears. Mei's vocals bring in the first verse, and he kills it with the wobbly, atmospheric vocals that are now his trademark while K's minor scale riff weaves in and out of his voice before launching into grunts. Chorus comes, rinse and repeat. If you'd like to have a pleasant little goth nu-metal audio experience, go ahead and play it at normal volumes. If you want to feel the claustrophobic, nauseating intensity that Kuroyuri to kage are known for...heed my recommendation.
 
"「哀しい日はいつも雨」" by シェルミィ
"Kanashii hi wa itsumo ame" by Shellmy

Shellmy are coming for world domination and you heard it here FIRST...although you might not be able to tell based on this song. PV spot on Danger Crue aside, it's a totally unflashy or "major" sounding ballad; the band eschew their bittersweet sound for Plastic Tree melancholy, with Hyo's usually unaffected vocals turning into a tastefully emotive vessel for the delicate lyrics. It's not so much lyrical melodrama as it is a simpler, more honest look at a breakup told through our beloved 'sadness=rain' trope...literally. Hyo's gotten a following through being relatable to fans; talking about suicide, bullying, depression and the like with candor and "Kanashii hi wa itsumo ame" continues with that very personal, detailed, storytelling/writing style that is otherwise missing from the scene. Shellmy gave us the ballad we wanted but didn't think we deserved in 2017 and at this rate their upcoming full-length will be the album of 2017--this time we deserve it though, the year's been dry for visual kei. Here's to hoping Shellmy will save the day.
 

@Original Saku's Pick
 
"メロス" by 水曜日のカンパネラ
"Melos" by Suiyoubi no Campanella

Coming off of the successful album SUPERMAN from earlier this year, we have a new single from dance electro-pop juggernaut Suiyoubi no Campanella. "Melos" makes for a nice track showcasing some more of that EDM sound that has been ever-present in the SUPERMAN material,  but with some good variations that shows it can stand on its own. The chorus has a catchy hook that draws you in with a mesmerizing vocal assault from KOMUAI combined with the electronic beats that really rock your core. While not a complete departure from the album singles we've heard previously,  "Melos" does tread more into the EDM realm previously mentioned and makes for a great album follow up. It also sounds excellent on my AVR speaker setup; the production is polished and mixing is clear as water.

@fitear1590's Picks
"Afterglow" by The fin.

It's been over a year since we last heard from The fin. with their disappointing Through the Deep EP. Although they have downsized to being a trio now, their sound is slowly returning to form. The billowing keys and powerful drumming in "Afterglow" recall some of the band's signature work from their gorgeous debut album Days with Uncertainty from late 2014. Adding to the mix is a simple, but deliciously fuzzy bassline that lends the song a slight post-punk edge underneath all the fluffiness. Admittedly, "Afterglow" does come off a bit interlude-y; I hope we'll be treated to a full album sometime later this year, so the song can display more synergy with surrounding tracks.


"深呼吸" by PELICAN FANCLUB
"shinkokyuu" by PELICAN FANCLUB

2015 was the year of PELICAN FANCLUB, hands down. With two glorious mini albums, these giant-T-shirt-wearing newcomers won me over. They were poised to become my favorite J-indie band, but their next release OK BALLADE, although solid, just plateaued my appreciation for the band. Overall, I'm afraid their recent debut album Home Electronics is continuing that trend rather than raising the bar set by their excellent early releases. Having said that, there are some highlights planted throughout the album, one of which is the opening gambit "shinkokyuu". Endou's effervescent voice and the blissful riffs set an uplifting tone. Hopefully, Home Electronics will prove to be a grower over the course of the year, but for now I'm content with cherry picking individual tracks like this one.


Guest Recommendations:
@Ada Suilen's Picks
"バライロノセカイ-Le monde de la rose-" by D’ERLANGER

If you have a little knowledge of the visual kei scene, you cannot miss something of this incredible band, one of the few which continued their brilliant work despite the changing times and the coming of new and fresh contexts. With their last work dated on April 2015, it was great to see them in action once again with a new album; the lead-track incorporates all the elements which drive the release and in general D'Erlanger's music, with a warm melody, energetic rhythm, where the guitars have a relevant role and touching vocals by Kyo, surely one of the best singers of the scene. A must for J-rock amateurs.

"TRIGGER (feat. J)" by Lynch.

 
Lynch. is one of the bands which mostly represented my personal experience in the J-rock universe and they never disappointed in being powerful and great, even when they seemed repetitive in their own. With the arrest of Akinori occurred last year, there was fear that they would lose their appeal, as expected in situations like these. But they didn't give up and continued to play as a four-man band, with a new release coming. The lead-track of Sinners EP, made in collaboration with J (bassist of Luna Sea), maintained the energy seen in their music, but this time there's something new, represented by an articulate vocal interpretation by Hazuki and a stronger technique from the guitars, for an addictive metal theme.

Thanks for checking out our recommendations this month! And another big thanks to our guest contributor Ada Suilen! If you have any thoughts on the list, or if you have any recommendations of your own, we look forward to seeing your comments below!

THE NOVEMBERS will release their first best album titled "Before Today" on 2017/9/13. Some of the older songs will be rearranged with the band's current sound.
 

oh god nakao kentaro is a bass god

^ Great stuff!

Kaimy Plants - #45
 
 
I haven't listened to a thing like that for a while now, genre/style-wise... A very nice and fuzzy sound-wall, washed out vocals, reminds me a lot of early downy (especially the vocals). Pretty neat from the 2:40 mark on. Bonus point for the female drums.

New SuiseiNoboAz is dope. Looking forward to the album!
 
 

Made some upgrades to my PC: A full-modular 650W power supply, no trouble with that one.
 
And then a Phanteks CPU cooler to replace my stock cooler.  After installation I noticed that the cooler is being noisy. It should be around 600-1800 RPM and it's constantly going 1700 RPM.  I tried to change the settings in BIOS but no luck.
 

heaven in her arms will release their 3rd album on March 22nd, 2017.
 
 

heaven in her arms / 白暈
ヘヴン・イン・ハー・アームズ / ハクウン
レーベル：Daymare Recordings
CD: DYMC-278 税抜価格：\2,400+税
2017/3/22 on sale
tracklist:
1.光芒の明時
2.月虹と深潭
3.赦された投身
4.終焉の眩しさ
5.枷
6.円環を綯う
7.幻霧
 

 
 

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

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

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

I don't really care about the bands you shared. However a YEAH to another list of bands many people don't care about (^^)v

Yo this Age Factory album is amazing!!
 
Just some catchy, earnest rock-n-roll expertly performed! I've listened to 'Tours' four times already.
 
(kinda agree about Veranda though....)

Yay for MUNIMUNI! <3
 
Also daaaaamn, the new Kazuki Tomokawa album completely flew under my radar! Must...listen...nowww...

I've been hearing a lot about that iri album! I had no idea those producer credits, so I'm definitely gonna have to try it out now!
 
Thanks for sharing with us, indigo!

I will hear all them. I like your taste @indigo
 
if u like send me more stuff haha

Lol, I had the same thought about Tomorrowland the first time I heard it. It grew on me a lot after I saw a live version but yeah, part of me still thinks that video is awful.

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!

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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