medorē #32 – Q2 Standouts
featuring Julia Takada, DayRe:, Utada Hikaru (and more!)
Hey there, and welcome to yet another edition of the medorē!
For those who are new around here: this is an occasional thing I do on omunibasu where I take a bunch of JP songs that I’ve been enjoying lately and talk about them in detail; think of it as any old track roundup segment. I may not post these too often but I truly do have a great amount of appreciation for the music I frequently stumble upon, and I hope that I can put you on a new song and/or artist by organizing these roundups.
And yes, as promised, I am continuing the proposition I made back in April where I’d be doing ‘quarterly roundups’ from here on out. Essentially, I showcase a few of the songs I liked throughout each three-month segment, both as a opportunity for me to talk about more music as the year goes on and to give props to some tracks that may not take a spot on my final favorites list in December. We’re focusing on Q2 now—that is, this past April, May and June—and boy, were there some darn good releases. It was difficult to narrow it all down to eight total songs, but somehow, I painfully managed to cut some from my final lineup.
Alright, enough talking, let’s jump right in!
♫ 「Can we do it again?」 Julia Takada
Released: 2025.06.04
For those who have followed the blog for a while, w.a.u is a name you may recognize, especially if you’re dialed in to the J-Music Exchange/Rate project I do with my good friend Leap. A small, Tokyo-based creative collective consisting of various singers, producers and musicians, I do not think it’s at all far-fetched to say that they’ve put out A LOT of the music I’ve enjoyed these past couple years. I’ve discovered many fantastic R&B/rap artists—VivaOla, Salasa, Sagiri Sól, Lil Summer, to name a few—through their collaborations with w.a.u, and as implied earlier, they were heavily involved with producing my past two choices for AOTY (Wez Atlas’ This Too Shall Pass in 2023 & reina’s A Million More in 2024).
The reason I bring this up is because this first song we’re featuring today, “Can we do it again?” by Japanese-American singer/songwriter Julia Takada, is- yes, another w.a.u production.
Going off the stuff I’ve heard from those aforementioned artists, I’ll admit that it was a bit surprising to hear that this kind of song was made under the very same label. It’s far from the usual R&B/hip-hop/dance music I’m much more used to, but don’t let that deceive you: I came to absolutely love this track.
Alongside producer Ryuju Tanoue (w.a.u co-founder and member of Fried Banana Shop), Julia Takada presents to us a really pleasant, low-key, cute bedroom/pop tune about someone falling head over heels for a person and hoping to one day relive the special moment they had with them that one night. Other than it randomly reminding me of “When Can I See You Again?” by Owl City (gah-lee, am I dating myself right now?), I just really enjoyed the comforting and almost bittersweet tone this song gives off through the simple-yet-warm nature of the keyboard playing and percussion.
It feels very 2000s/2010s American indie pop-coded, and that’s probably why I got a great sense of nostalgia while listening to this song; mainly since Takada’s vocals here felt reminiscent of the female SSWs I grew up listening to such as Ingrid Michaelson, Colbie Caillat and Kina Grannis (another thing to note is that, in an interview with Tokyo ON, Takada mentioned Taylor Swift and Christina Aguilera as two of her main creative muses, and while I was never really one to listen to them in particular, I’m sure some can notice some inspiration in this track).
Overall, really solid release and I’ve become a fan of Julia Takada now, for sure. And dare I ask myself a similar question of ‘can we listen to this song again for the fortieth-something time?’, to which I will reply, ‘yes. yes, we can’.
♫ 「Mine or Yours」 Utada Hikaru
Released: 2025.05.02
Back in May, Japanese music/pop icon Utada Hikaru graced us with their first song of 2025, titled “Mine or Yours”. Apart from it being used in a commercial for a green tea brand, I think this definitely reinforced my preference for Utada’s ‘newer era’ of music. Granted, BAD Mode was my first real foray into their stuff, and in no way am I implying that I don’t like their older songs or anything. But in terms of my own personal taste in music, I just find myself gravitating more towards this recent shift in Utada’s songwriting.
And “Mine or Yours” certainly scratches that itch for me. I absolutely adore the familiar, relaxed nature of this song and the instrument composition here (especially with the acoustic guitar and violin performances) just help exert that chill vibe very well. On top of that, the lyrics are quite intriguing to point out; as explained by Utada on an episode of Zane Lowe’s podcast, they give their take on the idea of ‘paradoxes’ and the struggles of decision making. They stress the opinion that life—whether it deals with love, relationships, societal norms or just pure existence—doesn’t always need to have explicit ‘right or wrong’ choices and by accepting that two things can be true and can exist amongst one another, it can help you realize/experience a sense of freedom. Additionally, the way Utada provides examples of this throughout the track, ranging from a simple ‘you can have coffee, I’ll have green tea’ dynamic or even a commentary on Japan’s continued resistance against allowing married couples to have different last names (the term being ‘fufu-bessei’)… while the latter may be a controversial topic within Japan’s society, I just thought the lyrics Utada provided were thought-provoking, relatable, and made the song even better than it was.
Also, this track has one of the nuttiest music videos I’ve seen in a while (lol). Other than seeing Utada climb into that washing machine at the end, I was genuinely curious how they filmed certain parts of it, like the clear underground POV shot or how the ceiling started to descend onto Utada. Based on the behind-the-scenes video I saw, it was a combination of CG and clever production/set design, which I found to be super cool.
♫ 「Café Rakuen」 ≠ME
Released: 2025.04.30
Sashihara Rino-produced idol unit ≠ME released their tenth single this past April, and while its title tracks are both great in their own right, Noimii has proven once again that they can make some absolute banger B-sides.
This song actually doesn’t include all twelve of the Noimii ladies, as it instead features a separate unit consisting of Tomita Nanaka, Kanisawa Moeko, and Nagata Shiori serving as the track’s center. In what some are dubbing as the ‘Chi-okomonaka’ trio—an amalgamation of one of Nagata’s known nicknames (‘Chiitan’) and the existing alias of the Tomita/Kanisawa duo (‘Choco-monaka’)—I actually think SasshiP hit it out of the park with this specific unit composition. Obviously you got the cool-natured & ‘Ikaringu’-equivalent duo with Nankachan & Moeko, and adding Shiorin in the mix who gives off a more mature personality herself… these three feel absolutely perfect for a chic song like “Café Rakuen”.
I was quickly taken aback when I first heard the funky, retro, soulful atmosphere, and as it went on and added an even more prominent jazzy tone with those brass horns, I legitimately could not take this off repeat. This is such a brand new style that someone like Noimii is taking on, and at this point, that’s kind of become the norm when it comes to IKONOIJOY and their music. While they do put out their fair share of ‘kawaii-style’ pop, it’s easy to tell that SasshiP has been more than willing to try out new music styles, and to see that Noimii or Ikorabu truly embrace it to the fullest and have the ability to perform a wide range of genres and personas is nothing short of impressive. It’s gotten to the point where fans are now putting the ‘genre-less’ label on them, and I would honestly do the same.
Now it makes me wonder which assortment of =LOVE and/or ≒JOY members will cover this at their annual summer live later this month…
♫ 「Tooku he Ikitai」 Skirt
Released: 2025.05.13
Every now and then, YouTube throws a random song suggestion on my home page and I end up taking a peek at it out of curiosity. This time around, they gave me “Special”, a song from pop artist Skirt off their recent album of the same name.
When I first listened to said track, I immediately went, ‘hmm, I feel like I know this voice’. And whaddya know, the guy singing, Sawabe Wataru, happened to be the same dude from the 2021 viral hit that is “ODDTAXI” (aka, the opening theme to the anime ODDTAXI). Never watched that show but I did really enjoy the song when it was making the rounds, especially with the cool, groovy vibes it gave off and I’ve always thought Sawabe’s vocals were one of the more unique ones amongst all the male artists I’ve listened to.
After listening to “Special” (the song), I decided to try out the rest of the album, in which I ended up finding it to be an unexpected favorite of mine of the year so far. While it seemingly is a celebration of Skirt’s 15 years as an artist/band and an album that I’m sure long-time fans can really connect with, it still was fun to get a better glimpse of his music here. One song in particular, “Tooku he Ikitai”, caught my eye; thanks to the heavy ‘70s tone it gives off through the funky wah-wah guitars and vintage-sounding electro piano. If you’ve ever listened to artists like Shin Rizumu, KIRINJI, and even early Ohashi Trio, this feels very much in the same vein as those guys and being someone who adores feel-good pop, it’s no surprise that I mess with this one.
♫ 「DeaRy Days!」 DayRe:
Released: 2025.05.07
In 2005, SME Japan subsidiary & talent agency Music Ray’n held an audition for a new group consisting of voice acting & singing talents. Four ladies passed—Takagaki Ayahi, Tomatsu Haruka, Kotobuki Minako & Toyosaki Aki—and later had the opportunity to debut as the voice actor unit Sphere, helping them kick off their renowned careers.
In 2011, Music Ray’n held a second audition for a brand new group to accompany Sphere. Three ladies passed—Natsukawa Shiina, Asakura Momo & Amamiya Sora—and later debuted as TrySail, helping them kick off their own acting/singing careers.
In 2017, once again, Music Ray’n held an audition for their third generation seiyuu artist unit, where five newcomers in Tachibana Mirai, Aikawa Kanata, Miyazawa Koharu, Hinata Moka & Natsume Kokona were chosen as its finalists. The quintet eventually debuted in 2021 as part of the main cast of the IDOLY PRIDE multimedia franchise, as well as them making up the entirety of the ‘Tsuki no Tempest’ subunit.
The reason why I’m taking this much space and time to introduce this song & group is because I have been **WAITING** for this moment for four years. Having been a huge fan of AiPura, I was impressed with the talents of these five ladies; whether it was through their individual character portrayals or how legitimately good their vocals sound in many of Tsuki no Tempest’s songs. And with the obvious connection to their predecessors in Sphere and TrySail, it was only a matter of time until they themselves got the chance to debut as a standalone seiyuu music unit.
This past May saw it come to reality when they announced their official name of ‘DayRe:’ and the release of their debut single, titled “DeaRy Days!”. Other than the fact that they strayed away from the geometric theme with their alias, you can easily tell that their overall sound and vibe is MUCH different compared to the darker, grittier tone of their AiPura counterparts. And it *is* a cool breath of fresh air, not gonna lie. The bright nature of it feels perfect, in terms of this group’s new beginnings and the optimism/excitement surrounding their new endeavor; and on top of that, the light-hearted melodies intertwine with everyone’s solo vocal parts and harmonies really nicely. What surprised me even more is that they chose a seemingly newbie composer to work on this song, Nawata Hiroyuki, and for a compositional debut… it’s pretty darn good.
It may have taken them longer than expected to become DayRe:, but you know what, it’s fine. This is only the beginning of what I hope to be an illustrious voice acting and music career for these five, and based on the past four years of being a fan of theirs, I have the utmost confidence that Mirai, Kanata, Koharu, Moka and Kokona can live up to the expectations. Really looking forward to what the future holds for them, 100%.
♫ 「Weekend Roll」 halca
Released: 2025.05.21
Honestly by pure coincidence, but here’s another Music Ray’n talent!
This past anime season saw some really nice slice-of-life anime, whether it’s a show about five girls making the most of their time in university by creating a club centered around food appreciation, or even a staff of robot employees continuing operations on a Ginza-located hotel thousands of years after humanity left Earth. But probably the most standout SoL show that many people were looking forward to was, of course, mono. When the author of a series like Yuru Camp is involved, you know it’s probably gonna be fun.
And that’s pretty much what I thought about mono: it was an amusing CGDCT-type of show that has its familiar comedic moments, and watching the Cinephoto club appreciate the local sights and delicacies within the Yamanashi Prefecture was something I definitely looked forward to every Saturday. Sure, it may have deviated a bit from its initial premise (it turned into more of a food/travel show than a photography one) but overall, it was an entertaining watch.
mono also featured, probably, my favorite ending theme of the season; it being “Weekend Roll” by frequent anison artist halca.
What a gorgeous ED, first of all. Cheery, laid-back (heh), acoustic guitar-based songs feel ideal for an Afro adaptation and I think halca executed that phenomenally. But as much of a fuzzy track this is, for some reason, I couldn’t help but to tear up whenever I listened to it. I don’t know if it’s cause of a certain melody in the chorus, or because the show had recently ended, or maybe it’s just my weird tendencies to get emotional whenever I hear a really good vocal performance. But judging by other people’s thoughts, “Weekend Roll” has evoked a similar response, especially in the context of halca’s lyrics and what this show is about. To rephrase a comment I saw, it’s a song that reminds you to cherish the memories you make with others and while you may feel lonely at times, it can make the next time you go out and spend time with those you enjoy being around even more fulfilling. And I just think that’s a beautiful way of looking at this song, this anime, and life in general.
♫ 「Minami Shinmachi」 Haku.
Released: 2025.05.01
I was one of the millions of people who were introduced to indie rock band Haku through their viral covers/reels, and while I won’t go too deep into their path towards online & global popularity (as Goosebumps Radio has a great write-up about that on their Substack page), it is nice whenever I’m introduced to a new song or band through the means of TikTok, Instagram, etc.
And Haku is definitely one of the more recent instances of that, at least for me. Had their Catch EP on repeat back in May (am especially a fan of “Atama no Naka no Uchuu”, what a bop) and similar to how other J-Rock fans may feel, they just embody that adolescent energy shown in a lot of the all-female indie rock bands we’ve seen for many years now. I’d say their sound, chemistry and personality are all comparable to the likes of SHISHAMO or the peggies, and it’s always great to see another group of that kind sprout out of nowhere and try to make a name for themselves.
Another aspect I like about these girls’ rock bands is whenever they tone things down for a song or two and get a little sentimental, and Haku’s latest release in “Minami Shinmachi” does exactly that. As catchy & memorable of a chorus it has, the verses are really what shine to me with that beautiful layering of guitars and how vocalist Ai drags the last note of each line; the latter I found to be incredibly nice to listen to. It all just feels very fitting for a song that’s seemingly about past memories and friendships (especially based on its accompanying MV) and it’s another superb entry in Haku’s music output for the year so far.
♫ 「Tabibito to Muudo」 DADARAY
Released: 2025.06.06
Figured I’d end it off on a really nice one.
During the early days of when I was beginning to venture further into Japanese music (and when I usually let Spotify recommend me stuff at random), DADARAY instantly caught my attention when I first listened to “Basue”; whether it was because of REIS’ captivating vocals, the fascinating bass/keyboard instrument comp they were going for, or even the involvement that big-timer Kawatani Enon had with this group. DADASTATION still remains as one of my all-time favorite JP albums (and one that never gets old), and while I haven’t been following them that closely as of late, it’s always a treat whenever these three come out with some new music.
That is absolutely the case with this new release of theirs, Love 0517, that came out this past June. And while the A-side is wonderful, especially with that neat inclusion of horns, its accompanying song in “Tabibito to Muudo” is just… a phenomenal listen all around.
And I think why I say that is because DADARAY isn’t exactly known for somber, slower songs in general. There’s always been some sort of flashiness in the majority of their discography so for us to hear them perform with a much more raw & simple sound feels refreshing. The band has proven that they’re capable of exerting a calmer energy with their music, as seen with their gorgeous ‘unplugged’ renditions of “Utsukushii Shiuchi” (either the one they did on a radio show a ways back ago or the ‘at-home’ version that was recorded during the pandemic), and “Tabibito to Muudo” is yet another taste of that. The way it gradually builds things up and slowly adds more and more instruments, eventually resulting in this mesmerizing-yet-balanced mixture of sounds & melodies… it’s just very comfy to listen to, ‘hypnotic’ even. I do like how an acoustic guitar has a strong presence this time around, and of course, the melancholic singing from both REIS and Etsuko was wonderful in its own right.
Aaaaand that’s all I got for you today!
I really enjoyed putting this one together; this was a strong stretch of releases and I hope you all managed to find a good song or artist amongst the list. And as per usual, I organized a dedicated Spotify playlist that includes all the tracks mentioned today, feel free to save and/or browse it!
Lastly, let me know your thoughts in the comments! Whether it’s about one of the songs we discussed, or some of your own favorites from the past three months, I’m all ears. Definitely down to discover some new stuff.
Thanks for reading!! :D
-al