This Side of Japan's 60 Favorite Bandcamp Albums of 2024
Highlighting 60 great albums from Japan available on the music platform
Hi! Welcome to a special feature of This Side of Japan, a newsletter on Japanese music, new and old. We are currently prepping for our year-end coverage, but here’s a fun bonus while you wait. You can check out previous issues here.
Bandcamp continues to be a valuable platform to discover some of the best music from Japan, coming out from the richest of scenes, be it emo, hardcore, techno, metal, Vocaloid… I can go on. This Side of Japan don’t go all out with Best Albums lists like we do with our favorite songs, but you can consider this more or less our favorites of the year when it comes to albums. You might also find some familiar titles if you’ve read some of our issues this year. Here are our 60 favorite albums available on Bandcamp. Some of these are also available on DSPs, but to keep in spirit with Bandcamp Fridays, I recommend you click the links, preview the music and maybe even purchase these on the site instead.
7th Jet Balloon - 7th Jet Balloon | emo / indie rock
aus - Fluctor | chamber / electronic
BRAVE OUT - PROMO 2024 TAPE | hardcore punk
THE BREATH - Reasonless Hate | hardcore punk
burrrn - without you | post-punk / shoegaze
but i hate you - every dog has its day | post-hardcore
Cryptic Wraith - At the Ravaging Insurrection | death metal
CVN - Xeno | electronic
Dayzero - The Sixth Sense EP | post-dubstep
Endon - Fall of Spring | metal / noise
Envy - Eunoia | post-hardcore / skramz
Fellsius - Blue | post-dubstep / future bass
Ferri-Chrome - under this cherry tree | indie rock
Find Me Alone - To the Self, With Love | pop punk
Finger Runs - Finger Runs / Enola | idol / big beat
Forbear - 8songs | indie rock
Gensenkan - 7 Songs | post-hardcore
Hoach5000 - Pieces | alt rock
IkaP - Jisatsu Chokuzen Nikki | post-rock / Vocaloid
iVy - Yuuei Program | indie rock / dream pop
jak - jak | post-punk / post-hardcore
Kaoruko x Stones Taro - Y | R&B / UK garage
Kazumichi Komatsu - Computer Music | electronic
kinoue64 - After School for You | shoegaze / indie rock
KLONNS - Heaven | death metal / hardcore
Koutei Camera Girl Vier - Broken | rap / idol
KRUELTY - Profane Usurpation | death metal
Lil Hyvaa - Applied Science of Summer | electro-pop / Vocaloid
machina - Action | electro / techno
Magnolia Cacophony - (come in alone) with you | shoegaze / indie rock
marucoporoporo - Conceive the Sea | ambient
Mea Culpa - Is It Punk? | hardcore punk
Miraidempa - init | indie rock
Mogry Home - Beyond the Blue | post-hardcore / skramz
Natsu Summer - ORANGE AIRLINE | MOR / city pop
Negative Sun - MENTICIDE | powerviolence
pandagolff - Because of Love | post-punk
plant cell - Botanical | indie rock / shoegaze
ponderosa may bloom - Nagisa / After Pool | shoegaze / idol
pppppfffffuuuuuiiiii - Morphin’ | hyperpop
Rhucle & Asami Tono - Monochrome | ambient
Ringwanderung - aratoyo | math rock / idol
Risa Takeda - Parallel World | prog / art pop
RECLUSE - Spiritless | hardcore punk
rotpillar - not cult, but family | metal
Serotonin Mist - The Pack (2nd demo 2024) | metalcore
soccer. - Seasons Move Forward | post-hardcore / emo
SOM4LI - chachacha | post-punk / indie rock
Sonic Grandmother - Kaichuu Tunnel | emo / indie rock
SPOOL - Just a log tape | shoegaze / indie rock
Stones Taro - Dwellers of the Seabed | deep house / garage
TERMINATION - Control | hardcore / metal
that same street - mikramz | skramz / Vocaloid
Various artists / Focus Records - Feelin’Pop Vol. 1 | emo / punk
Various artists / MOTTO MUSIC - Bubble. | electro-pop
Various artists / RAVE RACERS - ENGINE BLOW | dance / club
VIDEOTAPEMUSIC - Revisit | electronic / pop
VIEWMORE - VIEWMORE | punk
Yukiguni - pothos | indie rock
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Next issue of This Side of Japan is out December. You can check out previous issues of the newsletter here.
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