ARTISTS
Artists creating content together
荒谷翔大(あらたに しょうた)
作詞・作曲・編曲までを自身で手掛ける、福岡県出身のシンガーソングライター。2023年12月、ボーカルとほぼ全曲のソングライティングを手がけていたバンド・yonawoを脱退。2024年4月、ソロ活動スタート、同年8月にメジャーデビュー。鮮やかに色づく言葉たちと、メロウで芯柔な歌声で、聴く人の心に寄り添う音楽を届ける。その他、幅広いアーティストへの楽曲・詞曲提供、歌唱参加なども行う。
Yumi Kawai
Born in 2000 in Tokyo. In 2021, his performances in the films *Yuko’s Balance* and *Riding the Summer Film* were highly acclaimed, earning him Best Newcomer awards and other accolades. His recent credits include the TV dramas *That’s Way Too Inappropriate!* and *RoOT*, and the films *The Girl Who Never Graduates*, *About An*, *The Namibian Desert*, *I Still Can’t Say ‘Today’s Sky Is My Favorite’*, *Renoir*, and *Travel and Daily Life*.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
VIDEOTAPEMUSIC
ミュージシャンであり、映像作家。失われつつある映像メディアともいえるVHSテープを各地で収集し、それを素材にして音楽や映像の作品を作ることが多い。VHSの映像とピアニカを使ったライブパフォーマンスをするほか、映像ディレクターとしても数々のミュージシャンのMVやVJなども手掛ける。近年では日本国内の様々な土地でフィールドワークを行いながらの作品制作や、個人宅に眠るプライベートなホームビデオのみを用いたプロジェクト「湖底」名義でのパフォーマンスも行っている。2015年の2ndアルバム『世界各国の夜』以降はカクバリズムから音源作品リリースをするほか、国内外のレーベルからも多数の作品をリリースしている。日本各地で行ってきた滞在制作の記録をカセットテープと160Pの書籍にまとめたカセットブック作品『Revisit』を2024年6月にリリースした。
Hattori
Formed "Macaroni Empitsu" in 2012. He is the main songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist in the band. With her emotional voice, catchy melodies, and unique lyrics, she is popular among people of all ages and has sung theme songs for numerous commercials, movies, and TV dramas. He won the Best New Artist Award at the "Japan Record Awards," and the following year he won the Best Picture Award for the second year in a row! In addition to his band activities, he has participated as a narrator in NHK's program "Words of the Great Archived by NHK" and published his first lyrics collection "Kotoba no Tane" (Seeds of Words), which has become a topic of conversation.
Kanako Nishi
Born in Tehran, Iran in 1977 and raised in Cairo, Egypt and Osaka, Japan. Won the Sakunosuke Oda Award in 2007 for "Tsutenkaku", the Hayao Kawai Story Award in 2001 for "Fukurara", and the Naoki Award in 2003 for "Saraba! Naoki Prize in 2003 for "Saraba! His many books include "Sakura," "Round Table," "Fisherman's Port: The Meat Boy," "Furu," "Makuko," "i," and "Omajinai. His first nonfiction book, "Kumo wo Sasagasu," was published in April of this year.
Shin Kokawa
Born in Kyoto in 1984 and currently living in Kyoto, he started playing drums in junior high school and after working as a drummer for jizue, he is currently touring Southeast Asia alone as a solo artist, collaborating with domestic artists and producing and releasing his first solo album "ANIMA" with Shun Ishiwaka, Masanao Matsushita, Kei Yamamoto and others in 2020. From 2021, he has been active in a duo unit with didgeridoo player GOMA and kyoto experimental piano trio "kotto". In 2024, he released his second album, "touch the sub conscious", which featured a collection of renowned top players.
Yuna Takagi
Original story. After working as an assistant to Hajime Isayama, known for "Shinkage no Kyojin," he won an honorable mention in the "Weekly Shonen Magazine New Comic Award" with "Kega Shoujo A" (2012). In the same year, he made his debut in "Magazine Special. His first serialization in "Bessatsu Shonen Magazine" was "Immortal Lovers" (2013-14), which drew a great deal of attention for its depiction of a one-of-a-kind love story with overflowing passion and a fast-paced atmosphere. Dolmen X" (2015-17), serialized in "Hibana," was selected as a Jury Recommended Work in the Manga Division of the Japan Media Arts Festival.
Kitty Green
Born in 1984 in Melbourne, Australia, the filmmaker and screenwriter made her debut in 2013 with the documentary Ukraine Is Not a Brothel, focusing on the Ukrainian feminist protest group FEMEN. The film was screened at more than 50 festivals worldwide, including the 70th Venice International Film Festival; in 2015, her short documentary “The Face of Ukraine: Casting Oksana Baiul” won the Short Film Jury Prize at the 31st Sundance Film Festival; in 2017, Netflix original documentary, The Mystery of JonBenet's Murder, which won Best Feature Documentary at the 7th AACTA Awards. He made his first dramatic film with “The Assistant” (19), about harassment issues in the workplace. The Royal Hotel” was nominated for Best Film at the 71st San Sebastian International Film Festival.
benten-land
Formed in the summer of 2021 by Kei Satow (Vo/Gt), yukai the nippon (Gt/Cho), Charlie (Ba/Cho), and Shirokuma (Dr/Cho), the band is a “Japanese song rock band for all ages” that performs mainly in Tokyo. The band's lyrics are full of Satow's humanity, and the vivid band sound that colors the nostalgic melodies is ear-catching and has been gaining support. From Tokyo to the whole country, regardless of genre or scene, the band is expanding its activities by performing at “MURO FESTIVAL” and “SUMMER SONIC” in 2024.
nishina
nissina is a rising star who has emerged with her natural singing voice in the new era. Her voice is gentle, fragile, and addictive. A melody line that is nostalgic and comforting, as if you were sleeping. A sense of words spun delicately with innocent gaiety. Her music, which is gentle yet has a hint of madness lurking within, thoroughly captivates listeners. Her voice and music, which have been captivating listeners slowly and at her own pace, are now quietly and more actively moving out into the world in search of new encounters. The most important newcomer, a talent that encompasses “fragility and madness,” appears here.
Aki Yahata
Born in Tokyo in 1985 and currently lives in Kyoto. Graduated from Shiga University of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, after completing the M.F.A. and Ph.D. programs at Tokyo University of the Arts. He is a contemporary artist who creates interdisciplinary art works based on field research and interviews. His main media are video and installation. As part of his pursuit of the concept of “the (geographical/social/mental) frontier,” he has recently focused on “hand-crafted food” and “road movies. He is the director/editor of “Teishoku,” an online archive of hand-crafted food cultures from around the world.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
suzukimikikozu
Formed in 2012, the band has released three albums and two EPs on the independent market. The band's songs, produced by Mikiko Suzuki's heart-stirring vocals and Zu's emotional drumming, strike deep into the heart of the listener. The melodies are full of pop sensibility. In 2022, they performed at “ROOKIE A GO GO” of “FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL” and were selected as “RISING STAR” of “RISING SUN ROCK FESTIVAL”. In “Heart Noise”, he has performed with Takehara Pistol, Higuchi Ai, THA BLUE HERB, and others.
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NiEW Best Music is a playlist featuring artists leading the music scene and offering alternative styles in our rapidly evolving society. Hailing from Tokyo, the NiEW editorial team proudly curates outstanding music that transcends size, genre, and nationality.