The J-Music Advance Party (June 2025)
Kicking off the summer with some fresh drops!
Hey guys! Glad you could make it! And welcome to this month’s J-Music Advance Party! I already see some familiar faces queueing up 😉 You regular Party-goers go ahead and grab your usual spot. I’ll be right with you.
I think I spot a couple of new faces too, so if this happens to be your first time joining us, no worries! I’ll walk you through what this whole thing’s about in just a sec, so feel free to hang tight!
What is The J-Music Advance Party?
The J-Music Advance Party is a monthly publication where I quite simply talk about bands and artists that I personally plan on listening to this month (and subsequently recommend that you too as well) in advance of their upcoming albums and releases in the style of a an album “pre”-launch party of sorts.
These could be bands who have an album coming out that I’m excited for, or they could also be an artist whose discography I feel warrants further exploring starting with their new EP.
Whatever the case may be, these are releases that I’m both looking forward to and that I hope to put on your guys’ radar if they weren’t there already.
Make sure to subscribe to the newsletter if you haven’t yet by hitting the button underneath and secure your invite!
We just set a new record for the highest number of new Party-goers after last month’s issue! Huge thanks for spreading the word to those that did!
▸ CLAN QUEEN
Kicking things off for us this evening, please welcome the fast-rising CLAN QUEEN!
The first time we had the self-styled “Creative Neo Rock” trio here at the Party was for their debut album VeiL back in April of last year. Since then, the band followed it up with an EP (TOYS) in October, and later capped off 2024 with a string of sold-out shows under the tour banner “Parade of Toys”. Taken at face value, it might seem like VeiL and TOYS propelled the band to new heights. But if I’m being honest, I don’t think either release quite hit that mark. VeiL, for one, didn’t offer much in the way of surprise, as all but two of the songs had already been put out ahead of time. TOYS, meanwhile, flew largely under the radar, having gotten very little in the way of build-up or promotion, only really catching attention once the band announced the accompanying tour. In reality, a huge part of CLAN QUEEN’s momentum has come from the fiercely loyal fanbase they’ve built over a relatively short span, arguably one of the most fervent followings in the indie scene right now.
That said, all of that might be about to change with the release of their second full album.
Specifically, I wouldn’t be surprised if CLAN QUEEN ends up signing with a major label, or at the very least lands some career-defining tie-ups after hearing what they put together for NEBULA. The band’s second full-length album dropped earlier this week, and after giving it a few spins, I can safely say it’s a clear step up from anything they’ve done before. Now, while the album does still lean on previously released tracks, this time around we actually get double the amount of album-original songs (four in total) as last time. Not only that, but they avoided committing the sin of including tracks from their last EP into the album. Love to see it (lol). Without spoiling too much (because honestly, this is a release best experienced with fresh ears), one thing I’ll say is that CLAN QUEEN explores some new territory here, namely something I’ve personally been hoping they’d try for a while now: giving guitarist AOi more vocal parts. It adds a whole new dynamic to their sound and speaks to the band’s growing confidence in trying new things. There’s a real sense of exploration all throughout NEBULA, and it makes for a genuinely rewarding listen.
As I mentioned, NEBULA dropped on June 4, 2025, and is now available on Spotify, Apple Music, and other platforms! Highly recommend checking it out.
▸ muque
Up next, please give a round of applause for the one and only; muque!
On the subject of career-defining tie-ups, the pop rock four-piece from Fukuouka are fresh off the heels from their biggest one to date in the form of their anison debut, having now performed an ending theme for the highly acclaimed One Piece. I have no doubt in my mind that their listenership is only going to continue to grow even further now that they’ve breached mainstream consciousness, with more fans being introduced to the addictive quality of their sound. Of course, that’s not to say that muque wasn’t already on track to doing exactly that just off of pure momentum, after having what was one of if not the best year that a band could conceivably have last year, going from being a promising upstart firing on all cylinders to being one of Japan’s biggest breakout acts in that time. In the Party where I talked about the band’s debut album (and really anywhere I get the chance to talk about them in general), I’ve expressed how much I’ve personally become a fan of theirs, coming across their music just as they were beginning to take of, getting to witness their rise in popularity first hand.
In as much as 2024 was undoubtedly muque’s year, 2025, at least on the release side of things, has been on the tamer side in comparison.
That said, the wait is almost over. muque is finally back with their upcoming EP DOPE!, set to drop in just a couple of days. On the surface, it might not be the most thrilling release for some, especially after a quick glance at the tracklist reveals that we’re essentially only getting one brand new song alongside a remix of an existing one. But there’s actually something a bit more curious about this release that I think makes it worth paying closer attention to. In the lead-up to DOPE!, the band dropped Carnival, and to put it bluntly, it’s probably the most risk-averse muque has ever sounded. That’s not to say it’s a bad song by any means, but it noticeably lacks the zaniness that is in my opinion the hallmark of muque’s music. Which is why I think this EP might actually be more significant than it initially appears, as it could end up signaling a shift in their musical direction. The tone of the entire release might very well hinge on this one remaining unreleased track. Based on what we’ve heard so far (and the aforementioned remix being a “rock” version of their song “Later”), there’s a chance muque could be pivoting toward a more band-oriented approach.
What that ultimately means for the band moving forward remains to be seen, but we won’t have to wait long to find out. DOPE! releases on June 11, 2025.
▸ ちゃくら (chakura)
We’re just getting started. Please give a warm welcome to four-piece girls rock band from Shimokitazawa, Chakura!
There was a time where I truly believed Chakura could be the next torchbearers of Japanese girls rock. That might sound like I’ve since walked that back, but honestly, I still think the door’s very much open for them. If anything, it’s precisely because there aren’t a ton of bands currently in position to carry that particular torch that I think they still have a shot. And to be clear, I don’t mean that in the sense of being an all-female band, since there’s no shortage of those in the scene right now. I’m talking specifically about girls rock as a genre, which, in my eyes at least, is something a bit more distinct. Over the years, I’ve come to understand girls rock as less about who’s playing and more about a very particular sound: bright, punchy, emotional, and leaning into pop in a way that feels unabashedly earnest. Think SCANDAL at their peak; arguably the blueprint for the genre and still one of its last standing pillars. Other bands that come to mind in that vein include Silent Siren and, going a bit further back, Stereopony. That sort of sound hasn’t really been in the forefront recently, despite the wave of fantastic all-female bands like komsume, Saba Sister, and 7thVega that have been making moves over the past year. As much as I love all three, I wouldn’t really call what they do to be girls rock, at least not in the same sense.
Which brings me back to Chakura, because if there’s anyone left that I think could take up that mantle, it’s them.
What I didn’t quite take into account back when I pegged Chakura as the future of girls rock was just how young they were, both in terms of age and experience. These were teens when they debuted, after all, and they’d only just started their musical journey a couple of years prior. In hindsight, it makes perfect sense that they weren’t going to hit their full stride right out the gate. There’s been a lot of room for growth since then, and I think we’re finally starting to hear that growth take shape in their recent work. It’s not even about them “getting better” per se, since they’ve always had a solid technical foundation, that was one of the things that caught my attention about them in the first place. But with a track like Ibitsu na ai desu ga (which also happens to be the title track of their upcoming debut full-length), there’s a noticeable sense of maturation in their sound that feels like a missing piece finally clicking into place. There’s a level of emotional weight and polish here that wasn’t as present before, like they’re now starting to fully come into their own.
Perhaps the future is now, and maybe it’s finally Chakura’s time to shine. Let’s find out together when いびつな恋ですが (ibitsu na koi desu ga) drops on June 18, 2025.
▸ iVy
You’re not gonna wanna miss this one; please welcome up to the stage, iVy!
If her voice sounds a bit familiar to you, that’s because you might be remembering vocalist/guitarist fuki back from when we featured her band cephalo on the December 2024 issue of the Advance Party in anticipation of their album Fluorite code (which I highly recommend you guys go check out when you get the chance). As it turns out, and as you see here, fuki’s also been involved in a parallel project: iVy, a collaboration with keyboardist/vocalist pupu. If you’d recall, in my write up I talk about how not a whole lot is known (or if there even is something to know) about cephalo’s inception. In comparison, we get a fair amount of insight as to how iVy came about through an interview with AVYSS magazine. In it, we find out that fuki and popo first met through SNS, specifically after the former found out that the latter was attending her alma matter. The two would later meet in person for the first time at a cafe, where pupu showed fuki some of her artwork, in particular ones that drew inspiration from mangaka Murata Range. In fact, one of those illustrations would go on to become the basis for a character named “iVy,” the namesake of their eventual duo.
It was upon seeing her work that fuki decided that she wanted to pursue a creative venture with popo, and is what ultimately led to the two coming together. Funnily enough, the two didn’t set out to be a musical act from the start, as it was pure coincidence that popo also happened to be a musician like fuki, having played the keyboard since kindergarten. The rest is, as they say, history.
One thing I really enjoyed learning from the interview was the kind of music that shaped the two growing up. fuki shared that she was really into Vocaloid during her younger years, naming sasakure.UK, Powapowa-P, and Fullkawa Honpo as some of her favorite producers. As she got older, her tastes shifted toward Sheena Ringo and DAOKO, eventually leading her to the band scene through tricot. popo, on the other hand, had a slightly different path, starting off as a fan of Tommy February6, then falling in love with Chatmonchy. With the help of friends, she got introduced to more bands, eventually stumbling upon Tokenai Namae, which served as her gateway into shoegaze. I found that bit especially fascinating, because with this context in mind, iVy's sound makes even more sense to me now. At first glance, they might come across as a dream pop counterpart to cephalo’s more traditional shoegaze leanings, but in truth, the duo doesn’t really see themselves as part of that scene entirely. Rather, iVy seems to be a project rooted in creative expression, one that pulls from both of their personal musical roots and sensibilities. And knowing now what those roots are? I’m even more intrigued by where they’ll take things next.
iVy’s debut full-length album 混乱するアパタイト (konransuru apatite) is set to release on June 18, 2025.
▸ Hammer Head Shark
Please put your hands together one final time for tonight’s last performing act, none other than Hammer Head Shark!
Speaking of the time I talked about cephalo, one thing I brought up then was the popularity of shoegaze, not just in Japan, but also outside of it, especially in the West. Some might find that a little ironic, considering shoegaze originally came from the West, but as I mentioned in that previous Party, Japanese shoegaze has since grown into its own distinct genre; one that goes beyond just the language difference and has become something uniquely beloved by people all over the world. Now, I wouldn’t go so far as to say this fascination is because of one single band, but if I had to point to one of the most important figures who definitely helped shape this growing interest in Japanese shoegaze from outside the country, it’d be none other than Kinoko Teikoku. For those of you who are only now getting to know me through the Party, this might not be something you’d know about me, but I credit a lot of my love for not just shoegaze, but Japanese music in general, to Kinoko Teikoku. It was through their music that I first realized I could fall in love with songs not sung in my native tongue; that music could move me deeply, even if I didn’t understand every word. Which is also why it hit me so hard when they eventually went on indefinite hiatus. Beyond just my own personal attachment to them, their absence left a noticeable hole in my listening, and I imagine that was the case for a lot of others too. There just weren’t many (if any) other bands at the time who could make you feel the way Kinoko Teikoku could with their music.
I bring all this up because, while there have definitely been bands that came after them who seemed like they might fit the bill, none have ever quite come as close to being a true successor, if you will, than Hammer Head Shark.
Of course, it helps that the members of Hammer Head Shark were fans of Kinoko Teikoku themselves, even starting out by covering their songs before eventually branching out with their own material. And once they did, that influence was unmistakable. If I had to describe their sound in that context, it’s as if the band is the personification of Uzu ni Naru, the way they embody that same sort of style. That said, Hammer Head Shark’s days as a Kinoko Teikoku copy band are well behind them. They’ve since carved out a sound and identity that is entirely their own. While they might not yet be at the same level as Kinoko Teikoku at their peak, they’ve begun to make a name for themselves in earnest. Which is why I think their upcoming debut album holds a certain weight, as it feels like the moment where fans, myself included, will really start to see the band for what they are and what they offer as opposed to always being thought of as a substitute. I have no doubt in my mind that after this release, the next time we talk about Hammer Head Shark, it won’t be in the context of who they remind us of, but rather what their brand of shoegaze sounds like.
Hammer Head Shark’s first full-length album 27°C is set to come out on June 25, 2025.
That’s gonna do it for the J-Music Advance Party for June!
Here’s a quick recap of all the releases featured for this month:
Which release are you most excited for this month? Likewise, which bands and artists are you looking to listen these next couple of weeks? Let me know all of that down in the comments!
Before I let you guys go, just a quick heads-up to those who didn’t know; I’m actually part of CD Japan’s affiliate program! So if you’re planning to purchase or pre-order a physical copy of any of these albums listed below, I’d really appreciate it if you used my CD Japan affiliate links 😉
The next Advance Party is gonna be on July 6, 2025 Are you looking forward to any releases next month? Check back here to see if they get featured!