medorē #26 – Favorites of 2023
omunibasu's end-of-the-year j-song roundup!
Ending off the year with an annual tradition!
Hello and welcome to another installment of medorē! In case you’re not familiar with what this is (technically this IS the first time I’m doing one of these on Substack), don’t worry, it’s simple: it’s a segment I do where I gather up a bunch of Japanese songs that I’ve been listening to/enjoying and give my thoughts on them. That’s the gist of it.
It’s a good way for me to both show off some of the stuff I’m into, as well as to spread the word of these fantastic tracks and artists. Just like everyone else, a lot of my discoveries stem from me browsing Apple Music or even social media sites like TikTok, so I just want to share my appreciation for the artists I happened to come across. And hopefully this’ll also help you find some new stuff to check out!
And as always in the month of December, I do a song roundup that revolves around my favorite tracks from the past year. 2023 was pretty insane in terms of music releases, and if I’m being honest, this might’ve been the most diverse year for my personal exploration within the Japanese scene. According to my Apple Music Replay, apparently I listened to 632 different artists throughout the year, which even I still think is BS (lol). But if that actually is the case, then I’m honestly proud of myself for branching out and being more willing to check out new music. I, for sure, ended up with some great discoveries, as a result.
But despite the 600+ artists and 2,164 total songs I listened to in 2023, I had the tough challenge of narrowing my list of favorites to only ten songs. Somehow someway I managed to do that, so this is what this roundup will be about.
But first, some notes and a quick rundown of a few stipulations that I gave myself this time around:
all songs must be released in the year 2023 – unlike previous years, I decided to only include tracks that were released within this year. As much as I wanted to do the opposite (since a handful of the best songs I listened to this year were not released in 2023), I figured that I’d give myself an even harder challenge by limiting my choices. Plus, it’s more fitting, given that this is a celebration of the stuff that came out in the past 12 months
no songs from the Exchange/Rate – similar to last year, I didn’t want to add any tracks from the albums that my friend Leap250 gave to me for the J-Music Exchange/Rate segment. This is for a couple reasons: one, if I included some of them, it would take up a good chunk of this already short list; and two, I wanted to stick to stuff that I personally discovered this year. So as much as I really really wanted to include reina’s “Can’t Be Here”… I had an impressive amount of restraint (lol). But not to worry: if you’d like to see what my favorite songs were from this year’s Exchange/Rate albums, click here for a fun thread I made on Twitter/X!
no specific order – as always, these songs are not ordered or ranked in any particular way… other than the final track
All that being said, let’s jump right in!
♫ 「Itsumo Endless」 OKAMOTO’S
Released: 2023.01.24
Funny enough, prior to me discovering this album (which I can’t exactly remember how I did), I only knew one single thing about OKAMOTO’S: one of its members, Hama Okamoto (or his real life alias, Hamada Ikumi), has been frequently featured on many of Hoshino Gen’s tracks. He actually provided the bass parts for a ton of iconic HG songs such as “Crazy Crazy”, “SUN” and even that one incredibly popular hit in “Koi”.
So basing my knowledge of OKAMOTO’S on that one fact, it was neat to see the kind of stuff Hama and his own band usually put out, at least when compared to his previous endeavors. And I think their January release in Flowers was a good starting point with this band’s music. Other than the fact that “Odorobo” reminded me a lot of a certain Talking Heads song, “Itsumo Endless” was a track that I really enjoyed when I first heard it. You immediately get to hear Hama’s superb and funky bass playing, and the way the song kinda builds up to include more and more instruments in the mix such as the neat synths, the subtle-yet-effective guitar riffs and especially that sweet piano… it’s got a lot going on, yet it all comes together to create a cool and easy track to listen to. Also enjoyed hearing the dual vocals of Hama and Shō Okamoto; their voices worked pretty well together here.
♫ 「Old Clothes」 MALIYA
Released: 2023.05.30
A frequent thing that you’ll see throughout this roundup is the theme of ‘multicultural/multilingual artists’. I’m sure I ended up listening to many artists who fall into that specific category, due to me getting into a ton of Japanese R&B/hip-hop, but it really is neat to see a handful of singers/musicians express and include a different perspective in their music. Whether it’s including another language in their lyrics such as Korean and especially English, or exposing the Japanese audience to a certain style/genre of music that’s more popular in the West; as someone who is not Japanese yet primarily listens to Japanese music, it’s been fascinating to see more foreign musical genres and ideas being injected into the J-music environment.
And one of the many examples we’ll be talking about today is this awesome song from R&B singer MALIYA, titled “Old Clothes”. I actually featured MALIYA in the previous medorē roundup I did back in September, but as I dove a bit deeper into her discography, I ended up finding another gem.
“Old Clothes” is a terrific song. I am ALWAYS a sucker for songs that are more on the chill side of things, and thanks to MALIYA’s great sense of R&B-style music, she does a fantastic job making something that’s funky, groovy and worthy of putting on to just vibe with. I love the overall mellow atmosphere that’s shown within this song, and MALIYA’s deeper and smooth vocals (as well as the tasteful inclusion of English throughout) just add a whole other layer of enjoyment to this tight track.
♫ 「Hearth (feat. YonYon & Sagiri Sól)」 Sam is Ohm
Released: 2023.05.09
One of my favorite things that I ended up stumbling upon this year was a particular group of indie artists, rappers and music producers that all had some sort of connection to each other. I told Leap about this but seeing artists like VivaOla, voquote/Kota Matsukawa, reina, salasa, Sagiri Sól, 01sail, Sakepnk, Sam is Ohm and Wez Atlas all collaborate with each other in one way or another was actually pretty tight. And sure, the most probable reason for all of this is that the majority of the people I just mentioned are either signed under or have worked on something with the w.a.u creative label (with the aforementioned Kota Matsukawa also being the mastermind/founder behind it) but in any case… seeing this pack of talented singers, songwriters and producers just hop on another person’s track for a sweet feature or a handful of them perform within the same EP was incredibly cool to see.
A favorite example of mine has to be “Hearth” from DJ/producer Sam is Ohm, which also featured YonYon and Sagiri Sól on vocals. Again, the multicultural factor is most definitely in play here (Sagiri Sól is Icelandic-Japanese and usually sings in English; YonYon is originally from Korea and also sprinkles in some Korean throughout the track) but this is a bop through and through. Sam is Ohm brings a really vibey and upbeat production here, with its atmospheric nature and the sweet combo of beats and bass. And the vocal performances just bring it all together, as I absolutely LOVED the contrast between Sagiri Sól’s stronger voice and YonYon’s softer tone; and when they both collide towards the end, it just makes for a really good final stretch for a really good song.
♫ 「Tenshi wa Doko e」 ≠ME
Released: 2023.04.11
For those who have followed the blog for the past year or so, or even the people who follow my social media accounts where I’ve constantly gushed about these idol groups, this choice may come as a surprise. I say that because it does feel like I’ve talked about ≠ME’s sister/senpai group in =LOVE a lot more than Noimii themselves. Considering that Ikorabu’s “Kono Sora ga Trigger” was what finally peaked my interest in that idol group and the fact that I wrote an entire post about one of their recent B-sides (“Heroines”)… you’d probably expect me to feature either of those songs, both of which are very good in their own right.
However… I really do think this ≠ME track was my favorite one in the bunch when it comes to this past year’s releases from the Sashihara Rino-produced idol groups (and I’m even somewhat surprised that I took this over “Omowase Burikko” lol).
As I’ve said before when this song initially came out, “Tenshi wa Doko e” is some actual heat. If I’m remembering correctly, this might’ve been my first, true foray into ≠ME and their music, and they certainly made a great impression on me. This fast-paced, high-energy and EDM-based track is just a banger the whole way through, and I think compared to a lot other idol songs I’ve listened to, I just appreciated how different it felt in terms of style. It’s such a fun sound to hear from an idol group of all things and they totally nailed it here, especially when paired with their exceptional dance abilities, as shown in the song’s music video. Also, I feel like I have to say that Nanaka does a very good job being a center here.
♫ 「Kakumei no Jyoou」 TAKANE NO NADESHIKO
Released: 2023.04.03
Ohhhh boy…
As much as I loved learning more about =LOVE and ≠ME this past year, I think it’s pretty easy for me to say that my absolute favorite idol-related discovery from 2023 had to be TAKANE NO NADESHIKO. Ever since I found out about them back in January, I’ve really, really, REALLY come to love these ten ladies and the stuff they’ve come out with so far. They’re a talented bunch that I truly believe are on the come-up, and while my appreciation for them has been a tad bit complicated at times, no doubt have I become a full-fledged fan of theirs.
And out of the handful of original and cover songs that Takaneko put out this past year, “Kakumei no Jyoou” ended up being my favorite. While I’ve enjoyed their covers of various and sometimes ultra popular HoneyWorks tracks, I’ve always expressed the importance for TAKANE NO NADESHIKO to release more original music (one reason being so that they don’t end up having to rely on doing covers instead of showing off what they themselves can put out) and this song is another great one from them.
Not only because it further shows off the more edgy and rebellious concept that they came in with when they first debuted with “Antifan”, but also the possibility that TAKANE NO NADESHIKO could very well continue to ride with this particular imagery. One of my biggest ‘issues’ about this group, as shown in the write-up I did about them back in April, was the fact that they seem still be juggling and experimenting with how they want to present themselves. Do they want to further explore that Keyakizaka46-esque ‘edgy idol’ idea or have a more approachable image by performing songs that are more on the easy-going/cutesy side of things (i.e. “Kawaikute Gomen”, “Hatsukoi no Hito”)? If I’m being completely honest, I’ll support them no matter what direction they wanna go towards, but I genuinely have enjoyed their darker and defiant side, and I think “Kakumei no Jyoou” was another well-executed example of that… although I can’t help but to point out that seeing Erisa put on a smirk throughout the music video was hilarious lol
♫ 「Seishun wo Kirisaku Hado」 ATARASHII GAKKO!
Released: 2023.04.11
I think it’s pretty outstanding to see that ATARASHII GAKKO has essentially become a household name at this point. Everything from their quirky/unique character, the ‘anti-idol’ label they’ve gained, to their massive viral hits have helped them gain a TON of popularity throughout Japan and even worldwide. Heck, they were even invited to perform on a popular late night television show here in the United States which… actually feels really ground-breaking for the overall Japanese music scene, in a way.
I first found out about them a few years ago when I heard one of their songs on TikTok, but 2023 was the year where I truly got to know about AG and the kind of music they put out. Their recent EP release ICHIJIKIKOKU was genuinely a potential candidate for my favorite album of the year, as it had some captivating tracks like the odd-but-fun nature within “Suki Lie” and the ever-so-popular “OTONABLUE”. However, I do feel like my favorite song off that EP has to be “Seishun wo Kirisaku Hado”.
Also being used as the theme song for the TV drama Young Ladies Don't Play Fighting Games, it’s pretty cool to hear a more rock-centered track from these four. It’s hype, the guitar riffs are incredibly memorable, the bass goes hard at times, and I honestly loved the contrast within their vocals where it goes from muffled to clear throughout. And while I do believe that this song further proves the fact that Suzuka is a phenomenal frontwoman/main vocalist (her part at 02:50 is just way too good), we still get some really great performances from Mizyu, Rin and Kanon, respectively.
♫ 「Kien Romance」 nanawoakari
Released: 2023.05.09
I actually talked about this song in a previous medorē installment, and while I will most likely repeat many of the things I said in that post, it really ended up being one of my top 5 favorite anime theme songs of the year.
Being someone who tends to watch comedy-based shows, I thoroughly enjoyed Edomae Elf back in the Spring anime season. While it wasn’t the best thing I watched in 2023, it was a slice-of-life that was both charming and fun, and that’s something that I do appreciate when done right. But other than the amusing shenanigans from Koito and Elda, its opening theme song, “Kien Romance” by pop singer nanawoakari, was a huge highlight of this show.
It’s a fantastic representation of what the Edomae Elf anime/story was about: a mixture of past and present. Not only in terms of the lyrics and what this song is conveying, but the way it combines wagakki like the shakuhachi and shamisen with more modern-sounding instruments and compositions… obviously this is nothing new and there have been other instances of this exact concept (i.e. BAND-MAID/MAIKO), but what nanawoakari put together here was yet another great execution of that idea. It’s catchy, the vocals are awesome (the ‘la-la-la’ parts are still super good to listen to) and “Kien Romance” just an all-around fun track.
♫ 「Sweet Sign」 Misaki Nako
Released: 2023.10.31
I feel like if I didn’t include a seiyuu on my ‘end-of-the-year roundup’, you’d think I’m crazy.
Even though I felt a bit ‘out-of-touch’ with the seiyuu music-sphere at times, there were a lot of solid releases this past year. That Aoyama Yoshino record was really nice, DIALOGUE+ had some cool tracks in their latest album, Aimin put out an absolute bop with “SOS_SOS”, and if I didn’t like the song we’re about to talk about so much, Tadokoro Azusa’s “Drum-shiki Tansaki” legitimately would’ve occupied this very spot in the roundup.
However, as an incredibly biased Love Live (and Arashi Chisato) fan… I had to give it to Nako. Just had to! :P
No but seriously, “Sweet Sign” is SUCH a good song. Putting aside the fact that I was not a fan of the anime of which this track was featured in, this was one heck of an anison debut for Misaki Nako. It’s a nice, light pop song that makes you feel so comfy and warm inside when you listen to it, and I’d say that a lot of it’s thanks to Nako’s fantastic vocal performance. It does seem like I take the vocalists of Liella (the school idol group from the Love Live Superstar series) for granted, since I was honestly blown away with how nice Nako’s voice sounds in this song. Not sure why I didn’t realize that sooner, considering that I’ve been a long-time listener of Liella/LL Superstar’s music, but to also finally hear what Nako sounds like/can do outside the Love Live ecosystem… it was special and I’m glad more people are getting to know about her through this superb anime tie-in.
♫ 「It Is What It Is」 Wez Atlas
Released: 2023.01.31
Just like I mentioned in the blurb I provided for Leap’s review on Wez Atlas’ This Too Shall Pass (a.k.a. my personal AOTY), I don’t usually get the opportunity to actually relate to a lot of Japanese music. Obviously there’s a massive language barrier, which is no one’s fault necessarily, but I’m sure I would gain a better perspective and experience if I were to understand what some of these artists are singing about. However… by discovering the music of Japanese-born and American-raised Wez Atlas this past year, it felt like I finally got the opportunity to do so.
“It Is What It Is”. A saying that many people use when things just aren’t going your way and the only thing you can do is to accept it. No point in wallowing or thinking about what could’ve happened; it’s a reminder for us to just move on and take it for what it is. In the context of this song (and album), Wez puts life into perspective and applies that sort of thinking to his own experiences. Life isn’t always going to go to according to plan and there will be road bumps along the way. But the best way to deal with it is to accept the circumstances and tread forward.
And on top of that, he stresses the importance to not be so hard on yourself all the time, and to also enjoy life amidst trouble and chaos that it may throw you, which… I truly believe is a message that everyone would benefit from hearing. I myself have gone through some rough patches these past few years, and not only was able to relate to Wez’s words on a personal level, but I do feel like this song genuinely put my own viewpoint on life and growing up in a much better and healthier light.
♫ 「Request」 EARPHONES
Released: 2023.10.24
But if there was a song that really resonated with me more than the previous one… I’d say it would be this.
“Request”, by the seiyuu/idol unit EARPHONES, does feel like a fascinating reflection of fan culture. Ever since I first listened to this song, and especially read the lyrics (thanks to them providing an English translation), I couldn’t help but to closely relate to what ‘Nanashi’ was conveying in their letter. Like I mentioned in the last section, reality and stress can really get to you at times, and most people usually reach for something they enjoy doing as a way to escape those troubles. And similar to how Nanashi always tunes into their favorite radio show whenever they’re feeling down, indulging in seiyuu (and more recently, idol-related) content to get a bit of a pick-me-up has been something I’ve always done for the past seven years now. And because of that, I’ve always been grateful to these seiyuu/idols and how much joy they’ve given me for a good chunk of my life. But I do think that “Request” made me truly realize the great impact these VA/idol personalities have had on me, especially during some dark times.
To be honest, what I said in this section doesn’t fully convey my appreciation for this song; that’s why I’ll have to direct you to the write-up I did about it, which is MUCH more detailed. However, this really is a beautiful track from an EARPHONES unit that has, sort of, changed its identity over the years when it comes to their music and I think this was another fantastic release from the Rieri/Marinka/Gakkyu trio.
Honorable Mentions
There were a ton of many amazing songs from 2023 so here are a few more that didn’t quite make the list, but are absolutely still worth mentioning:
「Hoshi Coffee Shop」 kiki vivi lily
「Kono Sora ga Trigger」 =LOVE
「Chou Medetai Song -Konnani Shiawasede Iinokana?-」 FRUITS ZIPPER
「IDOL」 YOASOBI
「U THINK (feat. VivaOla)」 voquote & reina
「Drum-shiki Tansaki」 Tadokoro Azusa
Aaaaand that’s all I got for you today!
Also, I created a Spotify playlist that contains all of the songs mentioned in this roundup so feel free to check it out/listen to it:
That said, I hope you enjoyed this year’s roundup! Like I mentioned earlier, I feel like my music taste throughout 2023 was pretty diverse and hopefully I was able to show that off a bit with this post.
Lastly, I just want to take a moment to thank everyone for checking out the blog this year. I do wish that I posted a bit more but when it comes to the stuff I ended up writing, I had a lot of fun working on them. Whether it was about music or anime or live action media, I’m always down to talk about the stuff that interests me and I’m grateful to everyone who reads my thoughts. Also, if I’m being honest, the transition from my old blog on WordPress to Substack worried me a bit (for various reasons), and while I still have some learning/figuring out to do regarding this platform, I’m really happy to be here and I think this is a place that fits my current + personal blogging preferences.
So yeah! Again, thank you for all the fun this year and I’m looking forward to doing even better things in 2024. Hope you all have a happy new year!
Thanks for reading!! :D
-al
Itsumo Endless has a crazy funky bassline hook, thanks for putting me on