Despite the ease of access that streaming has brought to the distribution of music, the volume that's released can make it a daunting task to find unique new stuff every week. In this recurring weekly feature we put together a short list of new songs that stand out amongst all the noise and deserve a spot in your rotation.
All songs featured in this recurring series can be found in our scrmbl selection 2025 playlist on Spotify or Apple Music.
Dos Monos — "Pearl"
On last year's exhilarating Dos Atomos, Tokyo trio Dos Monos came out swinging with a chaotic set of songs merging rock, rap and experimental flourishes animating a sweeping critique of modern Japanese society. That same force comes across on new single "Pearl," with slightly more build up. Opening with a clattle of marimba samples, the song offers space for the members to gradually fill up, all while the music itself warps and their own voices become distorted by digital touches. It's disorienting, "Pearl" mutating in multiple ways at once but with Dos Monos keeping it together even as it seemingly takes on a rave-out form midway through. It's a reminder that the group continues to be one of the capital's boldest groups going. Listen above.
Kenshiro Sekiya — "Unzip Dream"
The leadoff track from Kenshiro Sekiya's hazy Love.zip balances between vulnerability and escapism. His rap-sing delivery, featuring a light digital smear to it, is pure emotional confession in content and delivery, yet the music around bops and pops off, pushing "Unzip Dream" towards club catharsis. Taken together it's a woozy listen, apt for the EP that follows. Listen above.
Linda Yamamoto - "Komacchau na"
"Komacchau na" was Linda Yamamoto's debut single back in 1966, selling over 700,000 units and solidifying her position as a pop idol. Fast forward nearly 60 years to 2024 where producers MATZ & Ninni made an updated version of the song featuring Miyu Kaneko on vocal duties, with a much more cute result. The track didn't exactly make waves but was an interesting re-imagining. Now almost a year later and 74 year old Yamamoto has released her own take on MATZ & Ninni's version with a newly recorded vocal track, and it just feels so right with her more sexy, playful, and attitude driven delivery coupled with the modern sound. The outcome is something truly distinct from the original, a perfect case of old meets new and a prime example of how to update a classic track for modern times.
miida - "YOU/ME/ME"
Mizuki Masuda's genre agnostic music project miida is one that often mixes hip-hop beats, mellow easy listening, or minimal styles to great effect. The latest single from the project takes things a much more groovy direction with a more feel-good sound. Mizuki's vocals are definitely the star of the show, but we also have to give it up to guitarist Gen Hokosaka's guitar solo at the halfway point.
yama - "Haru wo Tsugeru (☆Taku Takahashi Remix)"
Another debut single being re-imagined this week to great effect, yama's "Haru wo Tsugeru" was a viral hit when it first dropped in 2020 and gets a fresh coat of paint courtesy of a remix from m-flo's ☆Taku Takahashi. The original, produced by Kujira, was a much more pop oriented affair, while this remix brings the track a bit more into the club. The track has many of Taku's fan favorite trademarks such as a perfectly fitting breakbeat, vocal chopping, and familiar instrumental flourishes. It sounds wildly different from the original, but that's also what makes it so great. It's a remix that stands on its own, and shines a different light on yama's vocal performance by giving it a new backdrop.
ZUTOMAYO — "Warmthaholic"
A heartracing ode to sweet memories, galloping at a speed like the song itself is trying to keep up with the fleeting nature of it all. ZUTOMAYO helped build the foundation of J-pop's more gloomy attitude in the 2020s, yet on "Warmthaholic" they plunge straight ahead towards warm feelings behind swift melodies accented by harp notes that give the rush a sun soaked glow. There's a bit of melancholy lurking within — flashbacks to melted cotton candy and school festival planning — but here fading moments become celebrations while still charging forward. Listen above.
