the natsuyasumi band are a four-piece pop rock band that got their start back in 2008 and, harkening to their name, they hope to bring the energy of summer vacation everyday as well as becoming a band that listeners can escape from reality with their music. They bring that by having a warm and soft style of vocals that is mixed with sentimental and emotional lyrics and melodies that can bring nostalgic feelings to listeners.

Vocalist Risa Nakagawa’s calming vocals combined with the band’s usage of piano, bass, drums, steel pan and trumpet, while might be weird on paper, in practice they are able to produce a sound that can’t be replicated. True to their theme, I find myself just engulfed in their music and trying to soak up every little bit of it. None can be truer to that effect than songs like “echo” and “Kuroiinu” and I do believe it’s because of their steel pan and trumpet player MC.sirafu. “Kuroiinu” in particular just takes you on a ride that lets you forget everyone around you. While many of their tunes are of a slow-tempo and might be difficult to initial get into, songs like “Trinos” which tries to shake up the formula to a mid-tempo style track help show their range. However, tempo criticisms, aside I do not think that you will find a band with this flair and style like the natsuyasumi band does. 

Currently the natsuyasumi band has five albums; one from their Indies days in 2012 and four with major label SPEEDSTAR RECORDS starting from 2015 with Parade, with the latest, Neo Park, that dropped in August of 2021. They also have serval singles under their belt, two of which are available digitally, along with several collaboration works with NHK and other projects.

Be sure to check out their official website as well as their Twitter and watch their latest music video, “Trinos,” below!

the natsuyasumi band stars:

Jun Takaki: Bass

Mizuki Murano: Drums

MC.sirafu: Steel pan and Trumpet

Risa Nakagawa: Vocals and Piano