Monthly Listening: July 2023

This month's round-up of great new Japanese releases from Yurufuwa Gang, Oaktails, toiret status and more

Hi! This is July’s Monthly Listening list, a quick rundown of new Japanese albums I checked out this month that I enjoyed. You can browse past Monthly Listenings in the archives.

A couple months ago, I was introduced to Skip and Loafer as a high-school anime where nothing really happens, to which I said: that sounds like my kind of show. OK, to be accurate, here goes the actual recommendation: “nothing significant happens every episode, but it moves you emotionally each time.” And I loved the show’s mundane yet wholesome depiction of high-school life. Yes, it’s not that eventful in the grand scheme of things if you’ve seen shows of this genre—country girl is dazzled by Tokyo life, and the story arc predictably leads up to a bunkasai—but watching the characters build lasting friendships really make it a soothing watch.

I got no more time for new anime since new J-dramas have started for the summer. Meanwhile, listening for new music releases is going steady as usual. Here are records I enjoyed in July, and here is a top 40 Spotify playlist of singles I liked from the month.

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Computer Milk by cyber milk chan

electronic | ► “Condensed Milk (NGA Remix)”

Issues EP b CYBER RUI

rap | ► “MONOLOGUE”

What I Think / What I Love by Oaktails

screamo | ► “Utopia”

Moonsault by pavilion

indie rock | ► “Hit-or-Miss”

wolmhore by toiret status

IDM | ► “#0.281 (a-n-y)”

Blue Period EP by THE TREES

indie rock | ► “Mugibatake”

Journey by Yurufuwa Gang

rap | ► “Far Away”

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