Gray Ongaku Go For February 2024

February is already behind us and we here at OTY would like our readers to know what has been filling our ears for the past month. Each track is available across all digital music streaming platforms, with Apple Music featured on this site, along with our Spotify playlist here!

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“SPECIALZ” by King Gnu

So I know this is a bit of an older track but as of late, I’ve had it on repeat due to it being the second opening to Jujutsu Kaisen season 2. When ‘SPECIALZ’ originally came out, I didn’t care for it and put it aside. Giving it a another chance, as it is very befitting to Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 and it has grown on me quite a bit. 

Check out “SPECIALZ” here and in the video below!

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“Monopoly” by Nogizaka46

Originally on the show, I was indifferent toward ‘Monopoly’ as I wasn’t sure on if this is a track, I’d go back and listen to multiple times. Surpringly though, it has ended up in my rotation quite a bit while I’ve been working. I think “Monopoly” is one of the strongest releases Nogizaka46 has had in a while but I’m not certain how much this trend will continue. 

Check out “Monopoly” here and in the video below!

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“N.E.X.T.” by BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE Tribe

BALLISTIK BOYZ have released their latest album, which I’ve been enjoying it quite a bit but I want to specifically highlight their song “N.E.X.T.” This track is the last song on the album but it is a wonderful ballad that shows off what makes these guys so great. I missed this release when it originally dropped but I’m glad I got the opportunity to finally check it out as its a track that needs some showcasing.

Check out “N.E.X.T.” here and in the video below!

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“Good Girl” by Sincere 

This release completely took me by surprise. I already have been enjoying Sincere’s music quite a bit, but I didn’t expect ‘Good Girl’ to be this good. I love the fun catchy beat that this song has and Sincere’s vocals are amazing. However, this number does have me wondering one question, “Who hurt Sincere?” 

Check out “Good Girl” here and in the video below!

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“Snowin’” by DXTEEN

I can already hear everyone rolling their eyes on this but what can I say I’ve been enjoying “Snowin’”. I think this is a great release by DXTEEN, as “Snowin’” is a fun catchy number that gets caught in the listener’s head. 

Check out “Snowin’” here and in the video below!

Luna's Ongaku Go For February 2024!

The snow days of February have passed us by, that means it’s time for this months Ongaku Go! We at OTY would like our readers to know what was filling our ears for the past month. Each track is available across all digital music streaming platforms with Apple Music featured on this site, along with our Spotify playlist here!

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“That Girl” by Crystal Kay

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

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

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“Kono sekai no achikochi ni” by Angela Aki

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

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

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“Sarigiwa no Romantics” by See-Saw

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

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

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“Good Girl” by Sincere

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

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

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

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

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

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Ken's Ongaku Go For February 2024!

While the snowy days of February are behind us that means it’s time for this months Ongaku Go! We at OTY would like our readers to know what was filling our ears for the past month. Each track is available across all digital music streaming platforms, with Apple Music featured on this site, along with our Spotify playlist here!

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‘Why’ by Gen Hoshino

Lately, I’ve been tied to Hoshino’s style more and more and with the release of his new EP, I was extremely excited to put that in my rotation. While both of the headline tracks of Why/Life are great, ‘Why’ had slightly edged it out for me. It’s contains a more of a simplistic style and is something that I love the most which is the of the many reasons why I love his style. Usually, Hoshino’s more bombastic style is what draws fans to him, but for me, its his strong vocal style.
Be sure to check out the music video for ‘Why’ below, along with the track here!

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‘Saint’ by haruno

haruno is a vocalist that I’ve been following for a while and has been doing some amazing releases over the past year. ‘Saint’ encompasses a lot what makes him very interesting. While not the most flashiest vocalist I’ve heard, haruno displays a vocal style that just lingers and can’t help but draw in more listeners. While I don’t know much about what’s in store for him in the future, I am looking forward to hearing what he will do in the future.

Check out the lyric video for ‘Saint’ below. along with the song here!

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‘Naniirodemonai Hana’ by Utada Hikaru

It was a pleasant surprise that Utada released a track this year and even more of a surprise is the fact that it was more of a slow tempo composition. After the bombastic nature of ‘Gold Mata Au Hi Made’, ‘Naniirodemonai Hana’ was a release that Utada needed to show that she could still do this type of song. Even though Utada’s new album Science Fiction is a compilation album (first greatest hits), I am looking forward to it as ‘Naniirodemonai Hana’ will be included on the release along with newly recorded songs.

Check out the music video for ‘Naniirodemonai Hana’ below, along with the track here!

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‘White Snow’ by MALIYA

MALIYA is an artist that I had just recently discovered with her song, ‘White Snow’ and I was extremely impressed by what I heard. While the sax was what really made this song for me, MALIYA’s vocals were so smooth and it drew me in. ‘White Snow’ takes you on a ride with the composition and showcases how amazing MALIYA is at crafting her vocals with it. While I do not hope that this isn’t a one hit wonder in terms of impressions, I can’t wait to hear more by her in the future.

Be sure to check out the music video for ‘White Snow’ below, with the song here!

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‘miss you’ by m-flo, melody., Ryohei Yamamoto

As a tradition for Valentine Day’s I usually go down a m-flo bender, and one of the major songs by them that I always have to listen to is ‘miss you’. It is one of my absolute favorite by them and was the first song that made me appreciate Japanese music. Everything just works in terms of composition, lyrics, vocals, and lyrical composition for the rap from Taku. While I know m-flo’s music releasing days are behind them, ‘miss you’ is still a pillar in terms of what I want in Japanese rap.

Check out the music video for ‘miss you’ below, along with the track here!

Gray's Ongaku Go For January 2024

January is already behind us and we here at OTY would like our readers to know what has been filling our ears for the past month. Each track is available across all digital music streaming platforms, with Apple Music featured on this site, along with our Spotify playlist here!

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“Your eyes, Your Voice”  by tonun

What a song tonun has dropped for January. Talk about starting the new year on the right foot. The composition is on the next level the way he layers in all the instruments is done to expert perfection. I’ve been listening to this amazing track on repeat and won’t stop for a while.

Check out “Your eyes, Your Voice” here and in the video below!

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“Raise Me Up” by lol

I've been enjoying lol’s new album since it dropped.“Raise Me Up” reminds me of that “Trigger” energy with this high electronic dance number. It’s nice to hear this from lol since 2023 was a quiet year for them. I’ll be listening to their new album for a while. 

Check out “Raise Me Up” here and in the video below!

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“Lemonade” by White Jam

“Lemonade” is a fun track that has me thinking of a warm summer day, and it’s been a really cold January. “Lemonade” is the second track on White Jam’s latest album, Hourglass, which just dropped. Per usual, White Jam is at the top of their game, and “Lemonade” is a great addition to their discography. 

Check out “Lemonade” here and in the video below!

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“Time Paradox” by VAUNDY

VAUNDY kicks off the year release “Time Paradox” which goes to show how much of a workhorse this man is. I was not expecting him to release anything for a while but to my surprise, this song dropped this past month and for someone who has so many releases it is amazing how he can maintain the quality that he does. 

Check out “Time Paradox” here and in the video below!

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“Aiai” by chilldspot

chilldspot is a new band I’ve been listening to recently, and this is off of their “Madaramoyo EP”. “Aiai”  has a nice quiet opening and stays that way until the mid-point of the song; then it begins to build up to this great explosion before dropping back down. Hiyune is the vocalist for the group and I really enjoy her performance in this song.

Check out “Aiai” here and in the video below!

Luna's Ongaku Go For January 2024!

As the cool Winter breeze of January has passed us by, that means it’s time for this months Ongaku Go! We at OTY would like our readers to know what was filling our ears for the past month. Each track is available across all digital music streaming platforms, with Apple Music featured on this site, along with our Spotify playlist here!

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“Yellow.” by 7co

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

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

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“puzzle” by NAQT VANE

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

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

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“Vroom” by Koda Kumi

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

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

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“Poison” by Miliyah, MUD, & Neetz

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

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

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“Together” by Sala & Shin Sakiura

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

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

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