Picking up after Ken with another month down from 2021, we at OTY would like our readers to know what was filling our ears for the past month. Each track is available across all digital music streaming platforms, with Apple Music featured on this site.

“Bijin” by CHANMINA

With the release of CHANMINA’s latest single, “Bijin”, I fell in love with this track as soon as the music video was released. Not only is “Bijin” a catchy track as far as composition goes, but the lyrics are what pulled me in as it talks about the meaning of beauty. This song really hit home for me with it’s subject matter as it deals with many struggles that women go through. CHANMINA did a fantastic job putting the lyrics in “Bijin” and making it an upbeat track that also hits home and is easily relatable too.

Check out “Bijin” here and the music video below.

“Koko de Iki wo Shite” by eill

This is eill’s latest digital single and it is also being used as the ending theme song for the anime Tokyo Revengers. I was so hyped for “Koko de Iki wo Shite” and it did not let me down. This track encompasses the perfect flavor of jazz, rock, and pop all in one. The opening immediately grabs you with its jazzy feel and eill’s vocals fall right into it before the saxophone picks right up. “Koko de Iki wo Shite” flows so perfectly together in its composition between jazz and rock and eill’s vocal range shows.

Check out “Koko de Iki wo Shite” here and the music video below!

“Dance In The Rain” by Koda Kumi

With Koda Kumi’s release of MY NAME IS….20th Anniversary tour, I went back to her discography after watching her latest tour. “Dance In The Rain” became a top runner on my playlist as it is an absolutely gorgeous track. The opening with the piano is marvelous, the composition starts out slower and when it gets to the actual chorus, it picks up. I love how Koda Kumi’s deep vocals fit perfectly with the composition from deep and quiet then explodes in the chorus. “Dance In The Rain” is the perfect mid-tempo ballad.

Check out “Dance In The Rain” here and the music video below!

“Torches” by Aimer

With the release of Aimer’s album Walpurgis, I was brought back to her track “Torches”. I remember when this single was originally released in 2019 and I fell in love with it. Going back and re-listening to it on Walpurgis made me fall in love with it all over again. The composition is beautiful and Aimer’s soft yet powerful voice resonates with you along with the lyrics in “Torches” itself. The mixture of Japanese and English lyrics is incorporated so flawlessly as well. “Torches” has a relaxing and summer night feeling to it that it just can’t help but pull you in.

Check out “Torches” here and the music video below!

“Together When…” by Ayumi Hamasaki

As A BALLADS 2 just released this month, it has been a treat to go back and listen to Ayu’s ballads. “Together When…” is still one of the ballads that has me in tears and pulls at my heart strings each time. I love how it starts out slow, then in the chorus when Ayu starts singing “Aishiteru to”, the composition picks up along with her vocals. You can hear all the power and emotion put into this song and it gets to you. The music break in the middle has that orchestra feel that makes it feel like this song is coming to its climax and it does. You can feel every bit of emotion Ayu is portraying and it sticks with you.

Check out “Together When…” here and the music video below!