HIRAIDAI releases lyric video for ‘HONEY&MOON’, from his latest EP!

‘SURF & TURF’ Digial Jacket cover

Popular Singer-songwriter HIRAIDAI has released a lyric video for his song ‘HONEY&MOON’, which was published on August 30 as a YouTube Premiere release. The song is featured on ‘SURF & TURF (Deluxe Edition)’, which was released on August 27 as an expanded version of his ‘SURF & TURF’ EP, originally released digitally on June 25. 

Perfect for summer, the song is filled with romance, sung by HIRAIDAI over a lovers’ rock-style reggae band sound. The song was performed during a special concert for 6,000 attendees at Enoshima Higashihama Beach in Japan on August 28, receiving a red-hot reaction from fans.

The lyric video is perfectly suited to a song about the moon. This mellow video shows the cute silhouette of a rabbit against a lunar background that gradually changes from pink to orange. The video is out now, so check it out!

The EP ‘SURF & TURF (Deluxe Edition)’ is a special package that includes five songs from the ‘SURF & TURF’ EP, which was originally produced in conjunction with HIRAIDAI’s own music festival titled HIRAIDAI presents THE BEACH TRIP 2023. In addition to the five songs from the original EP, it also features two new songs (‘HONEY&MOON’ and ‘Jinsei Note’), along with live recordings of five songs performed at the THE BEACH TRIP 2023 at ZOZO Marine Stadium, which drew some 30,000 fans.

A playlist that collect HIRAIDAI’s must-hear summer songs has also been released on various streaming platforms – a perfect soundtrack for the last days of summer which can be located here!

HIRAIDAI「SURF & TURF」

01. HONEY&MOON

02. Jinsei Note

03. Lovely Day, Lovely Place.

04. Wonderful Life

05. Surf ’n Turf

06. Kakegae no nai Mono

07. Endless Summer

08. Lovely Day, Lovely Place. (live at THE BEACH TRIP 2023)

09. Wonderful Life (live at THE BEACH TRIP 2023)

10. Surf ’n Turf (live at THE BEACH TRIP 2023)

11. Kakegae no nai Mono (live at THE BEACH TRIP 2023)

12. Endless Summer (live at THE BEACH TRIP 2023)

Luna's Ongaku Go for August 2023!

As the hot summer months of August pass us by, that means it’s 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!

---

“TURN IT UP” feat. Candee & ZOT on the WAVE by LANA

LANA originally caught my ear with her track L7 Blues. With the release of her debut EP, 19, “TURN IT UP” became a favorite listen for August. Not to mention, LANA’s appearance at Summer Sonic 2023 added to my addiction. “TURN IT UP” is a heavy hip-hop/R&B track that features a mixture of LANA’s vocals and rap, plus two featured guests, Candee & ZOT on the WAVE, who add the cherry on top for this hot song. The composition fits with LANA’s style and also has that modern sound, plus both the chorus and verses are catchy. My only issue with this is the use of auto-tune by LANA, which isn’t needed, as she has powerful vocal skills.

Check out “TURN IT UP” feat. Candee & ZOT on the WAVE by LANA here and the music video below!

---

“Summer Dive” by FAKY

Summer is my favorite time of year due to all the fresh sounds that come out and FAKY’s “Summer Dive” is just what I needed in time for it to get sizzling. “Summer Dive” starts out with piano followed by FAKY’s vocals chiming in, giving this track a refreshing feeling for those hot days. The first verse is a little slow but once you get to the chorus, the beat picks up along with the girls’ harmonies. From there, it keeps a consistent upbeat feeling. “Summer Dive” is a track you can dance to, relax in the pool to, karaoke to, or just enjoy as it has a fun, playful vibe that puts you in a good mood. The composition can be odd at certain points in the song, but FAKY knows how to make it work to their benefit so you don’t get taken out of the song. Having Taku Takahashi of m-flo as the producer on this track explains why this song is such a banger.

Check out “Summer Dive” by FAKY here and the music video below!

---

“BLACK WINGS” by Koda Kumi

It’s obvious that “BLACK WINGS” would make my OG, given Koda Kumi is my Kuu-een, plus this track is absolutely fire. Koda Kumi is in her element with the hip-pop style. “BLACK WINGS” gives off a modern dance vibe with its composition. Koda Kumi combines her vocals with a little bit of light rap mixed in, giving it that hip-hop flare, but with a more pop sound. Both the verses and choruses have a catchiness that pulls you in, although it can be a bit repetitive at times. “BLACK WINGS” feels like a perfect follow-up to Koda Kumi’s mini album WINGS, released in January of this year.

Check out “BLACK WINGS” here and the music video below!

---

“Summer Ghost” by I Don’t Like Mondays.

“Summer Ghost” came out in July 2023 as a digital single, the perfect time for this summer and it does not disappoint. Despite the lyrics for “Summer Ghost” being a little on the depressing side, I love it as it is so relatable. IDLM knows how to play with your emotions, as this track feels very personal and pulls you in both lyrically and composition-wise. I enjoy the combination of English and Japanese in “Summer Ghost” and how well the band blended it together; it feels like a story despite being a bilingual song, the band executes it perfectly. Upon hearing and constantly listening to “Summer Ghost”, I am even more excited for IDLM’s upcoming album RUNWAY which releases on September 6th.

Check out “Summer Ghost” here and the lyric video below!

---

“Rendezvous” by Nissy

“Rendezvous” came out in early July, however, it has slid its way into my August playlist. Nissy’s smooth vocals, cute lyrics, and poppy composition made their way into my heart with this track. Nissy knows how to put out songs that make girls swoon and “Rendezvous” is just that. What I love about listening to this is it could easily be danced to with its poppy composition, but it can also be sat and listened to, as I cannot get enough of his sultry voice. Despite this not sounding summery at all, it is just what my playlist this month needed to stand out from just explicitly being summer tunes.

Check out “Rendezvous” by Nissy here and the music video below!

---

BACK-ON Trigger Big Reaction with KAMEN RIDER GOTCHARD Opening Theme ‘CHEMY×STORY’

‘CHEMY×STORY’ Digial Jacket Cover

Pop-rockers BACK-ON prove once again they are ones to keep an ion as new single ‘CHEMY×STORY’ (pronounced like ‘Chemistry’) causes a big reaction in Japan.

When news broke that ‘CHEMY×STORY’ would feature as the official opening theme to KAMEN RIDER GOTCHARD, the latest series of Japan’s pop-culture phenomenon KAMEN RIDER, the hashtag #BACKONtrended across their home country as fans took to social media to share the big announcement. The band also became the number one trending topic on Yahoo! News, and a tweet about the track from KAMEN RIDER’s music manager received almost one million views. The TV cut of the track is available to download and stream this week, as KAMEN RIDER GOTCHARD’s first episode airs.

BACK-ON are no strangers to catchy opening theme songs. In a career spanning nearly two decades, they’ve handled songs for some of Japan’s most loved anime franchises, including GUNDAM, Initial D and Fairy Tail. It’s no surprise that music and TV lovers alike are making a big deal about BACK-ON making the leap from the world of anime into the explosive realms of Japanese live-action superhero TV shows (tokusatsu), not least because of the amount of effort and energy they put into each song, making sure the music and lyrics hit the mark with the core audience of each show, while also keeping BACK-ON’s distinctive sound and style.

Previously BACK-ON’s high-energy single ‘Chair’ secured the pair’s debut to the KAMEN RIDER universe when it featured as an insert song in last season’s KAMEN RIDER GEATS. ‘Chair’’s lyrics, composition and cover art all referencing parts of the show. New single ‘CHEMY×STORY’ follows suit by including elements of KAMEN RIDER GOTCHARD within the release, from the series protagonist featuring on the single’s cover art, to his catchphrase “Gotcha!” appearing within the lyrics, plus clever wordplay that incorporates themes from the story within the lyrics. The song title ‘CHEMY×STORY’ itself being a play on words, sounding like the English word ‘chemistry’ while referencing the KAMEN RIDER GOTCHARD’s plot, a “STORY” which revolves around the “CHEMY”, an artificial lifeform that has been unleashed and must be recaptured. Perhaps this word play goes much deeper than it first seems? Fans will have to watch the series to see if the mystery is revealed.

KENJI03, BACK-ON’s guitarist and writer for the track comments, “We finally got to do a theme song for KAMEN RIDER!”. Bandmate and rapper TEEDA adds, “I’m honoured to sing the theme song of KAMEN RIDER, which I have loved since I was a child. We hope you like it and we’re looking forward to play ‘CHEMY×STORY’ in front of you guys soon!”

‘CHEMY×STORY’ by BACK-ON is available to download and stream now!

Ken's Ongaku Go for August 2023!

As the hot summer months of August pass us by, that means it’s 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!

---

Dreamin’ by YonYon, SUMIN, and Taku Takahashi

This wonderful electronica pop mix has been my jam as of late as I try to make the balance between J-pop and K-pop. One of the things that makes it stand out is the song's blend of electronic and acoustic elements, which, coupled with enchanting vocals, create an immersive experience. While Taku Takahashi showing up in a featured credit is a rarity, to say the least, it is a surprising one and still proves that he is an amazing composer for our generation. While I do think this team-up is a one-time deal, I can’t wait to see what all three artists have for us in the future.

Be sure to check out the Lyric Video below along with the track here!

---

UNFORGIVEN Japanese version Feat. Nele Rodgers and Ado by LE SSERAFIM

Yes, this is my new obsession as of late, but I was very surprised by the turn that I did for this group since their Kohaku debut. While I didn’t care so much for their Japanese debut for ‘FEARLESS’, I was really captivated by ‘UNFORGIVEN’. What caught me off guard was the collaboration with Japanese up-and-comer Ado, who has amazing vocals in her own right. When I first heard about this, I was puzzled about how she was going to be interpreted. For the most part, she really sounded like a part of the group. While I’m looking forward to what Ado has for the future as she grows as an artist, whenever LE SSERAFIM’s first Japanese album comes out I’ll be sure to purchase that.

Check out the music video for the Japanese version of “UNFORGIVEN” below along with the track here!

---

“Do Not Touch” by MISAMO

Done by the Japanese members of the Korean group TWICE, ‘Do Not Touch’ has been a huge kick in my heavy rotation. You talk about having that fusion of Japanese and Korean style, MISAMO really does that very well. Hitting all the things that love, strong vocal range with a composition that absolutely matters and isn’t just a flash to have the popular trend. With a memorable chorus and lyrics that actually matter to the listener, I think that MISAMO will be a huge thing for the already huge juggernaut that is TWICE, I personally cannot wait to hear another release by this sub-group soon.

Be sure to check out the music video for “Do Not Touch” below along with the song here!

---

“Gold -Mata Au Hi Made-” by Hikaru Utada

A strong back-to-basic to Utada, with a strong vocal range that doesn’t really overbear itself with the composition. After the release of BAD MOOD, this first original track done by Utada was very needed to show why she was the queen of vocal-heavy songs. As this does not seem like a slowdown by her in any way, I’m looking forward to any new release from her in the future.

Check out the music video for “Gold -Mata Au Hi Made-” below along with the track here!

---

“Moon” by Perfume

It’s been a hot minute since our senpai Perfume’s release has been in my rotation. The main track of their latest EP really proves how special and unique Perfume is, as it perfectly blends that electronica style and flare that Perfume usually has with an amazing guitar composition that is rarely heard by the girls. The song clocks up to three minutes, but it just zooms and makes me want to listen again. While I’m not sure if this will be the only big release of the year for Perfume, I for sure am looking forward to their next album!

Check out the Dance Practice video for “Moon” below along with the song here!

BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBE Are Set to Capture the Hearts of Fans with GULF KANAWUT from Thailand With Latest Single ‘All I Ever Wanted’

Popular supergroup BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBE are back and ready to capture the hearts of their fans all around the world with their latest single, ‘All I Ever Wanted’. A collaborative effort between both the group and Thai affluential actor and artist, GULF KANAWUT, the single is available today on all major digital streaming platforms.

This brand new infectious single, ‘All I Ever Wanted’ revolves around BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBE’s heartfelt and deepest appreciation for their fans. With the belief that their ultimate goal would not hold any meaning if they did not have the constant support of their fans, the group compares it to love from a loved one, emphasizing the importance of companionship and support in achieving dreams.

The music video for the song perfectly complements its message. Building on the theme of their previous release and music video, ‘Drop Dead’, ‘All I Ever Wanted’ delves into a "Post-Apocalyptic" world that has partially recovered from destruction. In this world, BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBE portray their fun and playful side, showcasing that they can find joy even in challenging circumstances as long as they are together as a tight-knit group. GULF KANAWUT plays the role of a survivor in this post-apocalyptic world, serving as a symbol of hope and perseverance, much like BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBE themselves. The video echoes the song's essence, conveying the idea that true happiness lies in the company of loved ones, regardless of any situation. Additionally, the collaboration between the group and GULF KANAWUT further strengthens the connection between the song’s theme and the visual representation, making the overall experience more meaningful for viewers. 

Be sure to check out the music video for “All I Ever Wanted’ below along with the streaming link here!