Monthly Listening: November 2021
A rundown of non-2021 albums I enjoyed this month from Hachioji P, Plus-Tech Squeeze Box, SUGIZO and more
Hi! This is November’s Monthly Listening list, a quick rundown of Japanese albums I checked out this month that I enjoyed. You can browse past Monthly Listenings in the archives.
I’m going to be honest here, my readers: As we approach the end of the year, and as I steadily work on my year-end features, my motivation to still keep up with the new releases has drastically gone down. Not that I haven’t listened to any new drops at all. Age Factory’s Pure Blue, AprilBlue’s Sea of Time EP, and sunsetinfall’s PLACEBO are quite good if you’re looking for some recommendations. What I have been more inspired to dig into this month, meanwhile, is old Japanese music not from 2021, so this month’s Monthly Listening list is dedicated to the older albums that I checked out throughout November. If you’re also interested, I recently wrote about 6 more albums not from 2021 that I enjoyed for the first time this year.
Here’s the Monthly Listening list of non-2021 albums for November. But as usual, I have a Spotify playlist of new songs that didn’t make the cut for this month’s newsletter. Happy listening!
Team A 4th Stage: Tadaima Renaichuu by AKB48 | pop / idol, 2007
STILLING, STILL DREAMING by THA BLUE HERB | rap / hip hop, 1999
► “SHOCK-SHINE No Ran (1 PREMISE) - REMIX”
C.L.L. CRYSTAL LOVER LIGHT by Crystal Kay | R&B, 2000
► “TEENAGE UNIVERSE ~Chewing Gum Baby~”
EXILE ENTERTAINMENT by EXILE | R&B, 2003
► “Together”
ViViD WAVE by Hachioji P | EDM / pop, 2013
► “Fake Doll” ft. Hatsune Miku
Kimidori by Kimidori | rap / hip hop, 1993
► “Jikokeno”
LOVE TOGETHER by Kohmi Hirose | R&B / pop, 1995
► “Gelende Ga Tokeruhodo Koishitai”
CORKSCREW by Kuroyume | metal / punk, 1998
VISITORS by Motoharu Sano | city pop, 1984
► “VISITORS”
FAKEVOX by Plus-Tech Squeeze Box | pop / Shibuya-kei, 2000
► “rocket coaster”
Thanks Giving by RA MU | city pop, 1989
► “Rainy Night Lady”
EARTH BORN by SOFT BALLET | industrial / new wave, 1989
► “BODY TO BODY”
TRUTH? by SUGIZO | metal / experimental, 1997
► “LUCIFER”
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