Best Japanese Music of 2023 on Bandcamp
Ahead of the last Bandcamp Friday of 2023, here's the newsletter's favorite releases available on Bandcamp
Hi! Welcome to This Side of Japan, a newsletter on Japanese music, new and old. You can check out previous issues here.
From its new ownership and questionable layoffs, Bandcamp as a company hasn’t had the most positive impression this year. But great acts continue to share great releases on the site that’s available for purchase, some of them not on the big-box DSPs. As long as Japanese musicians put worthwhile stuff on there, I’m willing to spread the good word of their music, and there were plenty to find in 2023. Here’s This Side of Japan’s favorite albums and songs of 2023 available on Badcamp!
Albums
1000s of cats - Next of Cat | indie rock
7th Jet Balloon - “Pleasant, Sadness, And…” | emo
As a Sketch Pad - As a Sketch Pad | emo
BAILEFUNK KAKEKO - Cho CLIMAX | gabber
Barrier Reef - UNTIL THE CLOUDS APPEAR | math rock
CARTHIEFSCHOOL - backmyrage | post-hardcore
cero - e o |
cold winter - “Ningen To Ieba?” “Oroka!” “Desuga…” | post-hardcore
control / shipyards - Split | post-hardcore
Cruyff - lovefullstudentnerdthings | indie rock
DJ DISK - Creatures Trax #1 & #2 | house
DOWNED - Pure Hate Only | powerviolence
Emma Aibara - i don’t know who i am | dream pop
Fetus - Puddle EP | techno
Finger Runs - Escape!! | idol rave
FIXED - NUM | metalcore
Foodie - Lip | post-punk
full urchin - WALLY | emo
Grudge Ring - explicit darkside content | metallic hardcore
GUIDING - anger | hardcore punk
IJOU - Peeling Vol. 1 | hyperpop
Koh-Gaku - Opt.5: Mandark | R&B
KRUELTY - Untopia | death metal
LADY FLASH - Dokonimo Ikenai Door | indie rock
Lamp - Dusk to Dawn | indie rock
Metome - HORA | house
Moon in June - Romance and Soft Blue City | dream pop
Nagakumo - JUNE EP | indie rock
nagayama righteye - nagareyama EP | Vocaloid emo
novena - novena | breakcore
NTsKi - Calla | art pop
Odoro - yumeyume | idol punk
Oyubi - ^fuun^ EP | techno
pandagolff - IT’S NOT FOOD!! | post-punk
Pasocom Music Club - DEPOT Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 | drum ‘n’ bass
PLAY DEAD SEASON - GOAT | post-hardcore
poetry of torch - monuments | emoviolence
POWER - CHIKARA | post punk
Rave Racers - Overtake. & Overtake. 2 | techno
RAY / DAI DAI DAI / CROSSNOESIS - ATMOSPHERE | indie rock idol
RYOKO2000 - Unknown Things | house
SARI - Ending | art pop
salsa - ANGLE | post punk
Sex Virgin Killer - DEVIL | goth punk
sik / mogro - Split | post-hardcore
Sinker - Gutless | emo
SNJO - care | synth pop
SonoSheet - Rainy Blue EP | pop punk
TEMPLIME & Hoshimiya Toto - POP-AID | electro-pop
tennis circle - tennis circle | emo
Texas 3000 - tx3k | indie rock
toiret status - wolmhore | IDM
Tokumei Kibou - Jyokikiryu Ni Baton Touch | post-punk
Weep - The Attack Before the First Light | skramz
What goes up… - Laws of Gravity | pop punk
Without Defeat - Absurd World | grindcore
Various artists / PAL.Sounds - PAL.Sounds2 | techno
yandere - y2k forever | breakcore
Yuka Nagase - OACL | electro pop
Songs
7th Jet Balloon - “MGDYRKRNI” | emo
Aiobahn ft. Yuka Nagase - “Chu De Oyasumi” | electro pop
Akihane Karo - “Stuck But Struggle Neoteny” | Vocaloid emo
BAILEFUNK KAKEKO ft. valknee - “VOLCANIC EMOTION” | gabber
BBBBBBB - “OH SAWAGI” | noise
Big Animal Theory - “You Are Loved” | post-dubstep
BRONxxx - “Still Can’t Ollie” | skate punk
Cryuff - “lovefullstudentnerdthings” | indie rock
CYBERHACKERSYSTEM - “T35T4R0554” | drum ‘n’ bass
DAIEI SPRAY - “Doubt Common Sense” | punk
Decoy Shop - “2P Color” | indie rock
Element 5 - “Here, asleep in your arms” | pop punk
Emma Aibara - “i don’t know who i am” | shoegaze breakcore
Fellsius - “Remember” | electronica
Ferri-Chrome - “Another Space-Time” | indie rock
FILMLETS - “vacant” | emo
Finger Runs - “Escape!!” | idol rave
full urchin - “sundown” | emo
futurina - “Always refreshing” | post-hardcore
gates of hopeless - “Burning Season” | powerviolence
Grudge Ring - “EYES WIDE SHUT” | metallic hardcore
Jiho - “Stony Field” | techno
KILLOUT - “Lexicon Devil” | hardcore punk
KRUELTY - “Burn the System” | death metal
ktskm - “Undertow” | jungle
LADY FLASH - “Dokonimo Ikenai Door” | indie rock
Left Hands - “No Man Cares for a Crying Man” | indie rock
Lomax - “Gangsta Acid House” | acid
Masayoshi Iimori & 4s4ki - “pure boi” | EDM
MEIAN - “Tozakaru” | screamo
moreru - “Jibakusatsurikushibuyakousaten” | noise
Oblongar - “SPEEDER” | garage
Odoro - “yurayura” | idol punk
Oll Korrect - “San Andreas” | rap
ONJUICY, Nakamura Minami, uyuni, SKOLOR, Masayoshii Iimori - “Ch-Chocolate drip v2” | rap
NEGATIVE SUN - “G.I.M.P.” | powerviolence
Pasocom Music Club - “COM_PLEX” | hardcore techno
Pharakami Sanders - “Lava Land” | juke
The Prims - “in the city” | indie rock
Ruby Nakamura - “At the Sanatorium House” | new wave
SARI - “Ai No Yurikago” | art pop
She’s Lost Control - “Ajisai Ga Saiteita” | indie rock
Starship - “Close Up” | emo
submerse - “You Don’t Win Friends With Salad” | atmospheric drum ‘n’ bass
Sugar - “Early Days” | powerviolence
SWALLOW THE SUN - “Aoshigure” | indie rock
SYCLES - “FLOATER” | garage house
Tokumei Kibou - “Daiikkan” | post-punk
White Label Lover - “Call Me By Your Name” | deep house
the yayako - “Hanakuso Mitaina Ai Wo” | post punk
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Wow such a comprehensive list!!