The spring days of March have arrived, which means it’s time for this months Ongaku Go! 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, along with our Spotify playlist here!

“Almost 20” by LANA

LANA dropped her 19.5 - EP on March 6th, which I had been anticipating for some time. It already included the hits “99” and “27/7 YOU”, and I fell in love with them instantly. “Almost 20” was a surprising treat as it is a different style than LANA’s usual songs with its dance vibe and obvious 80’s style composition. LANA also shows that she’s no one trick pony as you hear her vocal range more developed in this track versus’ her more hip-hop side. I love hearing “Almost 20” as it shows a different side of LANA that we haven’t quite heard yet.

Check out “Almost 20” by LANA here and the music video below!

“Picky” by CREAM

I wasn’t expecting CREAM to release another single so soon, “Picky” was a pleasant surprise. “Picky” was written by Minami of CREAM in relation to talking about being “Picky” when choosing her next boyfriend. “Picky” relies heavily on Minami’s vocals more than Staxx-T’s rap, which I love as it’s a personal track for her. Staxx-T’s rap is placed perfectly and gives me some VERBAL (m-flo) vibes with his cadence. The composition is upbeat where you can easily dance to it or just a type of song to enjoy and take in. I’m looking forward to what else CREAM has for us in 2024.

Check out “Picky” here and the music clip below!

“lonely girl’ by AYANE

AYANE has become a favorite since Ken introduced me to her track “Karappo” last year. AYANE has a smooth voice that fits in both the pop and R&B genres with ease. AYANE’s latest track “lonely girl” immediately caught up ears with its mixture of poppy beats but AYANE brings her sultry vocals that are more fitting to the R&B style. The chorus for “lonely girl” is catchy and addictive, leaving you wanting more. The only turn off is the little bit of auto tuning that is heard in the beginning of the track, however, it can easily be overlooked as it does help with the flow that eases you into this song.

Check out “lonely girl” here and the lyric video below!

“Reborn” by Nami Tamaki

Its obvious, I’m still on the Gundam SEED kick as Nami Tamai ended up on my OG this month. Nami Tamaki has been a staple in the Gundam SEED franchise with her tracks “Realize”, “Believe”, “Result”, and “Reason”. “Reborn” follows on this same path being used in conjunction with Gundam Freedom and it fits with her other tracks with ease. “Reborn” keeps a similiar composition to her previous tracks with the electronic futuristic style. This track has some See-Saw influence in it as well, whom has also been a staple with the franchise. I love how it feels like a throwback but “Reborn” adds new flavor, especially in the instrumental part of the track, bringing a different feel. Nami Tamaki also shows that her vocals have gained range and matured since her last Gundam SEED franchise songs, which I love hearing the evolution in her music.

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

“NODO” by Daichi Miura

Daichi Miura just released his newest studio album, titled OVER and first original album since ‘Sphere’ in 2018. “NODO” has released last year as a digital single but somehow I had overlooked it until OVER had released. “NODO” is a very different type of track, the composition is very odd - its hip-hop but has a trap influence. It feels more on the experiental side. Daichi also showcases his rap skills in here in brief instances. He knows how to combine hip-hop, R&B, and pop in his style, making for an interesting listen. “NODO” might be off putting to some as its not your usual type of music you would expect from Daichi, but that is what I personally love about it.

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

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