It’s February, and while winter still lingers, the first hints of spring are in the air. Fuji stands tall in its icy crown, and the season’s chill is met with fresh sounds from across Japan. Some Metropolis favorites like HOME and Sakoto Shibata make an appearance this month and new favorites PAS TASTA to keep the energy high as we edge closer to warmer days. Check out our new playlist and read up on some of our top picks below.

MISAMO – NEW LOOK

MiSaMo is a group made up of the Japanese members of the K-pop group Twice. Debuting in 2023 with the EP “Masterpiece,” their second release, “Haute “Couture” dropped earlier this month, featuring the single “New Look.” The track covers a 2008 single from retired “Queen of Japanese Pop,” Namie Amuro, originally released as a triple A-side single that experimented with 60s, 70s and 80s-style influences. The new cover maintains the 60s-style tone (and The Supremes sample)  of the original with some beefed-up production courtesy of producers T. Kura and Michico. With Namie Amuro’s songs largely missing from streaming services, MiSaMo’s new track is your best way to get your Japanese Queen of Pop fix on Spotify and Apple Music any time soon.

Miliyah x Sheena Ringo –  愛楽 (Aigyou)

Having recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of her debut, Miliyah teamed up with Sheena Ringo on her new single “愛楽” (Aigyou) late last month. A long-time fan — Miliyah covered Ringo’s “本能” (Honnou)  back in 2020 — it’s a fitting collaboration for the now 36-year-old artist and her second collaborative track in recent months after July’s “LONELY” with LANA. Composed by Chaki Zulu, T. Kura, and Miliyah, the track appropriately invokes early 00s R&B-style production and sets the stage for a potential full-length release in the near future.

PAS TASTA – My Mutant Ride (feat. Satoko Shibata, TAKU INOUE)

PAS TASTA is a six-person outfit featuring members all separately active as electronic producers. They released their debut album in 2023, earning performances at this year’s Fuji Rock and Summer Sonic festivals. The new album GRAND POP features collabs with other buzz-worthy artists such as Chelmico, LIL SOFT TENNIS and PinnochioP in a mix of frenzied and chaotic tracks set to “Expand J-pop.” “My Mutant Ride” was the last in a string of pre-album singles and sees Sakoto Shibata on vocal duties and Taku Inoue on guest production. Pas Tasta will perform at Spotify O-East in December. 

Bialystocks – 頬杖 (Houdzue)

頬杖 (Houdzue) is a track from Bialystocks’ latest album, Songs for the Cryptids. It’s the third album in almost as many years from the duo, which consists of film director Sora Hokimoto on vocals and pianist Go Kikuchi. Forming after a collaboration on Hokimoto’s film Haruneko, the duo has been incredibly active, with now nearly 20 releases under their belt since 2019. The new album features 10 tracks, ranging in style from upbeat alt-pop tunes to more contemplative folk tracks, many of which have earned spots on television shows and commercials. The duo is currently touring across the country, with shows already sold out in Fukuoka, Hokkaido and Tokyo. 

HOME – Memories 

HOME released their sophomore EP, HOME EP 2, last month. The Okinawa-based trio has steadily garnered attention since their December 2023 debut EP, performing at numerous Asian festivals, including Fuji Rock and Summer Sonic in 2024. The latest release, which includes the already popular release “Plastic Romance,” sees the band expand further beyond jangly guitar-oriented tracks, experimenting with more dance-focussed funk and electronic tracks. Lead vocalist Siegetsu teams up with guitarist Shun on autotuned vocals in “Memories,” a decidedly minimalist yet catchy and sardonic pop track.