Five Japanese musicians to check out right now

"Music is global, there is no doubt about that," says Survive Said The Prophet vocalist Yoshi. The band are fresh from a pair of UK dates where they performed for audiences in both London and Manchester for the very first time, where their experiences proved something fundamental to them: that good music is a universal language, and one which bonds "all countries that just love to rock out".

With a sound that marries together pop, rock, electro and indie, it's little surprise Survive Said The Prophet are gathering fans across the globe. As well as the jam-packed touring schedule, the band have also had their recent single, MUKANJYO, picked up as the theme tune for new show Vinland Saga – an animated TV series based on the manga series written and drawn by Makoto Yukimura. All told, it's been a busy few months for the lads.

"We have seen and experienced the connection music can bring between cultures," Yoshi says. "We wanted [our tour] to bring our "Japanese" style all around the world, share our ideas and learn." 

In the spirit of bringing Japanese music to the rest of the world, here Yoshi assembles a list of five essential Japanese artists you need in your lives right now. 

Crystal Lake

"I’m pretty sure that my words can’t even begin to describe their brutality, so I recommend that you go watch them on their UK tour in November and let singer Ryo melt your face with his unbelievable demonic growls and screams. I’ve never seen an Asian man scream like that ever in my whole entire Asian life! Go see for yourself, and I promise you won’t regret it if you are into heavy music."

Newspeak

"Whenever I think about this band, I can’t help but feel a UK vibe. The dry and wet contrast within their mix of alternative rock soothes my soul. It’s only a matter of time before they make it over to the UK."

Milet

"I discovered her on Instagram and haven’t stopped listening to her ever since. Milet to me was a voice and sound that was missing in Japan. Her ballads and slow pop tunes give me the chills every time."

Nzk/Sawano Hiroyuki

"My favourite Japanese composer of all time. I have a bit of a passion for OST and anything audio related to film. His execution on Attack On Titan was on point."

Toe

"A Japanese band that we respect, not only in their musicianship, but also lifestyle. They all have main jobs, as session players, engineers, designers, etc. For a lack of a better word, being in a band seems like their hobby. But it’s a very successful and creative hobby that they take very seriously. Or not..?"

Survive Said The Prophet's new single, MUKANJYO is out now. Check the video out below: