The annual Japanese music festival Fuji Rock was cancelled last year. And in the midst of a 5th wave surge in Covid-19 cases, this year seemed precarious as well. But the festival pressed on over the weekend with domestic acts only, limited capacity, YouTube livestreams and other precautionary measures. One of the stand-out acts for us was the 23-year old hyperpop artist 4s4ki (pronounced ‘Asaki’).
One of the last tracks from her Fuji Rock set was OBON, a timely and upbeat song that encapsulates her genre-bending style. 4s4ki writes, composes and arranges all of her own music and OBON is her own interpretation of the mid-August custom of honoring one’s ancestors. It’s a track that’s sure to get your week started on a high note.
Like what you hear? You can find more of 4s4ki’s music on Youtube. She is also on Instagram and Twitter. And be sure to check out our other Music Monday picks.
August 24, 2021 at 11:53 pm
This reminds me quite a lot of Perfume.
August 27, 2021 at 1:09 pm
hey, good choice. I’ve been following 4s4ki since the early lockdowns, when her song ‘NEXUS’ popped up with its serendipitously perfect “you wanna see your friends, I wanna see my friends” line. She’s released tracks of powerful originality, including lots of collaborations which are still unmistakeably her musical vision. Good lyrics, too, like these from ‘Your Dreamland’ (one of her mellower tunes):
I see the light. Invisible to you.
Wish me luck yeh Have a nice life！
For the future you will never see again,
raise your middle finger and turn your back.
…… as a suggestion, have you heard what Kuroki Nagisa is up to these days? In the 3 or 4 years since coming back from a bout of vocal dysphonia, she’s been magnificent, and more experimental than ever. Her December single, ‘Da capo,’is utterly brilliant.