Ken's Ongaku Go For January 2022

Springboarding into 2022, it’s that time of the month: January’s Ongaku Go! We at OTY would like our readers to know what was filling our ears the past month. Each track is available across all digital music streaming platforms, with Apple Music featured on this site.

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“PAINT” by I Don’t Like Mondays.

I haven’t been keeping in touch with IDLM as much I have wanted to, so to my surprise I was really thrown aback when “PAINT” came out. The funny thing that I absolutely love about this work is how un-IDLM it is; it doesn’t really have a hook, so to speak, which they usually do. But I found myself going back to it throughout the month since it came out. Its earwormability either due to the fact that Yu’s vocals really don’t overextend the composition, or Choji’s guitar work throughout, “PAINT” became that nice rock tune I needed this month. 

Be sure to check out the music video for “PAINT” below, along with the song here!

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“unitbath (Jazz Version)” by showmore

Honestly, this group is one the ones that I will always keep championing till their disbandment. This new mood they have adopted throughout 2021 and now 2022, of updating what it means to be a neo-jazz singer, has really captured me. Nothing really exemplifies this like their new Jazz Attitude series, and they came out swinging with Vol. 1 velvet, which was released in December. While I think the release as a whole is absolutely solid, “unitbath” really takes the cake. While it might be a tad on the long side, as a whole it absolutely works and cannot wait for the next volume of this new series.

Be sure to check out the track here!

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“Good bye Claire” by Kaho Nakamura

Honestly, Kaho Nakamura was one of the surprises I found this month, and a vocalist who isn’t afraid of breaking the boundaries to explore something new. The electronica synth throughout this number is fresh and I absolutely love it; alongside Nakamura’s vocals, it just works. After listening to just this one slice of her discography I can’t wait to explore the rest of her work and do a deep dive eventually.

Be sure to check out the lyric video below, along with the track here!

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“Life still goes on” by Awesome City Club

While people might have “Wasurena” hangover from Awesome City Club, I love the new direction they’ve gone and how they’ve stuck to their morals to not follow a same style or feeling as their previous hit. While I do think it’s not entirely rewriting anything about their style, “Life still goes on” still really flaunts how solid they are as a band. I can’t wait to see what 2022 has in store for them and I hope they’ll have more solid releases just like this one.

Check out the lyric video for “Life still goes on” below, along with the song here!

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“You Raise Me Up” by EXILE ATSUSHI

Originally sung by Josh Groban back in 2003, “You Raise Me Up” was again given a new spin, this time by EXILE ATSUSHI. With this work, ASTUSHI goes above and beyond what he’s typically been doing with his solo covers. It woulda been simple to just do an English cover of this, but, like with his previous covers, he translates it into Japanese and adds his own flare to make it his own. This is something I absolutely love. I honestly cannot wait for the full release of his solo best-of album which will drop later in the year. 

Be sure to check out the music video for “You Raise Me Up” below, along with the track here!

EXILE ATSUSHI Treats Fans On His Birthday With Two Releases!

On the heels of his single, “You Raise Me Up”, industry legend EXILE ATSUSHI announced that not only will he be releasing a brand new original album, but he will also be dropping a solo best-of album on his birthday, April 30, as well. This comes as the dovetail of both his 20th year anniversary of his EXILE debut and the 10th year of his solo debut last year. The original album will include his first solo song after his retirement from EXILE in 2020, “KAZE”, along with his cover of the hymn “Amazing Grace”. The solo best-of tracks will be decided by fan voting, with other details surrounding it to be announced in early February. 

As we look forward to the upcoming releases, be sure to check out the music video for “You Raise Me Up” below!

EXILE ATSUSHI Announces Graduation with EXILE!

Vocalist EXILE ATSUSHI announced that he will be graduating from EXILE on November 2nd and will be fully focusing on only solo projects from here on out. EXILE ATSUSHI made his debut as a vocalist of EXILE in September 2001 with the single "Your eyes only ~ 曖昧なぼくの輪郭~". With EXILE, he sang about 200 songs, produced 11 original albums, and performed 15 live tours. With the ongoing pandemic, EXILE ATSUSHI faced himself, thought about the future, and became more motivated to challenge himself with a new dream as a solo artist. EXILE ATSUSHI wrote “Taking this opportunity, I decided to leave EXILE” in his upcoming book Sign which will be published on November 12th. What is written describes the feeling that he decided to graduate from the group before the 20th anniversary of EXILE's debut next year.

EXILE members, including EXILE ATSUSHI and EXILE HIRO, commented about the announcement through their official website. ATSUSHI said, "EXILE for me has been everything in my life since I made my debut at the age of 21." Looking back on his activities with EXILE, "20 years of experience and learning not just as an artist, but a little about society. I just started to understand and learned about this world that I live in. That's why I really think that this is the beginning of my true life. I would like to continue singing in the hope that my songs can benefit someone, so I would be grateful if you could continue listening to both EXILE and EXILE ATSUSHI in the future."

We like to thank EXILE ATSUSHI for his services with EXILE and look forward to his upcoming solo projects!

EXILE ATSUSHI Turns New Chapter At Forty With New Album

Singer and performer EXILE ATSUSHI revealed he will be dropping his fourth album, titled 40 ~forty~, which is set to drop November 4. This will be ATSUSHI’s first album in six years; his last album, Love Ballade, was released in 2014. The new album is a “breakaway from the past” with ATSUSHI’s fortieth birthday—this past April 30—being a turning point. 

40 ~forty~ is being released in five editions total including a standard CD-only edition, a CD plus DVD edition, a CD plus Blu-ray edition, a two-CD plus four-DVD edition, and a two-CD plus four-Blu-ray edition. The standard CD will feature a total of ten tracks while the DVD and Blu-rays will feature music videos. The second CD is an acoustic album which will contain a total of six tracks while the second, third, and fourth DVDs and Blu-ray will feature a live show and a documentary about ATSUSHI. Two of the songs on the base CD, "Rinne" and "Osaka Tokyo", were made in collaboration with megastar artist Koda Kumi.  Pre-orders are up and posted below along with the complete track listing for all editions. Lastly, be sure to check out his song “More…” which you’ll find on the upcoming album.

Standard Edition

CD Plus DVD Edition

CD Plus Blu-ray Edition

2 CD Plus 4 DVD Edition

2 CD Plus 4 Blu-ray Edition

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EXILE ATSUSHI「40 ～forty～」

CD 1

・Be Brave / EXILE ATSUSHI + AI

・No more / EXILE ATSUSHI + AI

・Beautiful Gorgeous Love

・人間の証明 / EXILE ATSUSHI & Char

・Just The Way You Are

・Suddenly

・With you ～Luv merry X'mas～

・BOUNCE ON IT!!

・オーサカトーキョー / EXILE ATSUSHI×倖田來未

・輪廻

ほか

CD2

・響 ～HIBIKI～ -Acoustic Ver.-

・So Special -Acoustic Ver.-

・MELROSE ～愛さない約束～ -Acoustic Ver.-

・Be brave -Acoustic Ver.-

・HIKARI -Acoustic Ver.-

・愛のために -Solo Ver.-

DVD and Blu-ray 1

・Be Brave / EXILE ATSUSHI + AI

・No more / EXILE ATSUSHI + AI

・Beautiful Gorgeous Love

・人間の証明 / EXILE ATSUSHI & Char

・Just The Way You Are

・I think of you

・More...

・Do You Remember

・Suddenly

・With you ～Luv merry X'mas～

・BOUNCE ON IT!! -Live Ver.-

ほか

DVD and Blu-ray 2

・EXILE ATSUSHI SPECIAL NIGHT IN OKINAWA（Live & Document Part.1）

DVD and Blu-ray 3

・EXILE ATSUSHI SPECIAL NIGHT IN OKINAWA（Live & Document Part.2）

DVD and Blu-ray 4

・EXILE ATSUSHI 40歳記念フィルム「真実」

Ken’s Ongaku Go for July 2020

As we pass the first half of a rather depressing 2020, the rise of digital releases and artists make this year an unforgettable one for the music industry. We at Ongaku to You would like our readers know what was filling our ears for the past month. Each track is available across all digital music streaming platforms with Apple Music being featured on this site. 

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“Fire Bird” by Roselia 

With the release of Roselia’s second album ‘Wahl’, one the best songs of 2019 for me has been creeping back up again. The high energy drum compositions and overall theme of the song is arguably the best that the band has ever produced, and shows that Roselia will still be the main pillar in the BanG Dream!! franchise. While buying the collector’s edition for the album helps push the urge on being in my heavy rotation, it’s hard to argue that Roseila will fall anytime soon. 

Be sure to check out “Fire Bird” here

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“Float Away” by I Saw You Yesterday

When I had initially reported on this track, I was awestruck by how different this band was compared to the recent bands we covered for Music Corner. With its mesmerizing rhythm that draws you into vocalist’s unforgettable style, “Float Away” is one of those tracks that even if you listen to other great songs done by the band you’ll always be drawn back to it. 

Check out “Float Away” here

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“HOPELESS ROMANTIC” by SIRUP

This was a highly anticipated release by an artist that I absolutely love, and for me this song was an absolute daily listen for me throughout the month. The lyrics and composition just spoke to me and stopped my hands from pushing pause. “HOPELESS ROMANTIC” shows just how talented SIRUP really is, and while other tracks on the list I might listen to once or twice throughout the day, “HOPELESS ROMANTIC” always kept me going back every single time. 

Be sure to check out “HOPELESS ROMANTIC” here along with the music video below!

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“Precious Love” by EXILE ATSUSHI

This was actually a late edition throughout the month as I had covered an article about ATSUSHI, and as I was writing that article my absolute favorite song by him popped into my head and drew me to play it over and over again. ATSUSHI’s vocals and composition are picture perfect and delivers everything I would want in a ballad. While EXILE might be famous for the impressive dance choreography and high energy compositions, their ballads are what I look forward to the most by them. 

Check out “Precious Love” here along with the music video below!

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“On My Way” by in-d

While looking forward to his newest EP Outdoors, in-d was a pleasant surprise to be introduced to this past month. One of the stand out hits came from his last EP Indoors “On My Way”, which when I had first heard it, absolutely fell in love with. A lot of that love came from the simple yet enticing composition produced by VaVa that just brings you in and makes the listener forget about everything except the beat. While still young in his career, in-d is an artist that will only get better with his craft and rise to the top of the charts soon enough. 

Check out “On My Way” here along with the music video below!