Ukiyo no Kiroku: Yotsugi

December 14, 2024 at 10:51 pm, No comments

Welcome to another section of "Ukiyo no Kiroku." Here we'll talk about an artist who has caught my attention, a friendly and incredible person who is slowly growing in his musical career. The combination of lo-fi with Japanese themes suits him wonderfully and, from my point of view, sets this musical genre apart, giving it authenticity. Today we'll talk about Yotsugi.

Her parents took her to sing karaoke together "Enka" a Japanese musical style that would significantly mark the Yotsugi musical style.

Brief background: Enka is a Japanese musical genre characterized by melancholic and sentimental melodies, often accompanied by lyrics that address themes such as heartbreak, nostalgia, loneliness, and the harshness of life. Its vocal style is distinctive, featuring vibrato and an emotional and passionate delivery.

Returning to the topic, she went from playing the piano, being in a metal band and even being a hip hop dancer, but a key point was when she took inspiration from Billie Eilish. It was here that she decided to compose her own music and thus begin to delve deeper into the music industry.

Urameshiya

In August 2022, she released "Take Me Home" (3.7/5), an EP consisting of two very different singles of the same name. The "light" version (3.1/5) is more upbeat, with a mix of hip hop and pop, with exceptional melodies and vocals that, although a little forced, feel a bit forced. The "Dark" version (4.3/5) can only say: wow! This single takes a 180° turn and the best thing is that it stands out so much. I loved the tone and the concentration it conveys.

Later he would continue releasing singles under the Tsunami Sounds label and Japonolofi Records, here his songs were characterized by having a style between Lo-Fi and Japanese culture, but with a "street" approach which sounded good, but it felt more of the same if we talk about Japanese Hip Hop, the most notable being "Urameshiya" (4.4/5) and "See you tomorrow" (4.7/5), the latter taking the initiative of being a softer Lo-Fi, and showing a melancholic Japanese theme.

Koten

Over the next year, Yotsugi's singles branched out with a rich Japanese theme that was, and remains, fresh. He also began collaborating with artists like Davide Perico, Icey Wave, Yamato, and MyceliumBug, the latter creating the Japanese lo-fi EP "Legends." If you're interested in my thoughts on this EP and its predecessor, "Legends Vol. 2," I invite you to read the review.

It was precisely the moment I began my career in Eastern lofi. It also went beyond music, as we wrote in the title, Kizuna, which means bonuses.

Some of Yotsugi's topic titles come from koten. In Japanese culture, "koten" means classic or classical works. It refers to literary, artistic, musical, or philosophical works considered canonical or representative of a past era, generally regarded as having great aesthetic and cultural value.

Setting aside the filler, many of Yotsugi's singles stood out in 2023: "Satsuma Peeling," which I loved and was the first song I heard from this artist; "Angel's Ladder," which, from my point of view, represents great inexplicable symbolism; "Tenzaru," with Wasuke Beats, which conveys a lot of good vibes and I loved hearing that touch of nineties hip hop; and "The Party Is Not Over," which also uses the same theme, but with a focus more centered on more dynamic rhythms. In summary, 2023 was a year of much experimentation for Yotsugi, but it also brought many positive experiences for the future of her musical career.

Hanakagari

For this year 2024, I can say that Yotsugi is still in a stage of experimentation, and that's not a bad thing; on the contrary, as I said before, it also brought with it many experiences, and both she and all musical artists and even people in the world are in constant change. Singles like "Night breeze in Tokyo" are proof of experimentation in her career.

Recently I have been exploring the world of dark environments. These environments have the same kind of excitement that I described as "emoi".

I also fell in love with the works of my friends around me who create a dark atmosphere with their aliases.

I also recently created my own dark environment alias "Ebøshi" which will be available soon!

In Japan, "Emoi" has the meaning of emotional feelings.

Continuing with Yotsugi's repertoire, this year she released the second volume of Legends, which, along with its predecessor, I also reviewed. An improvement in her musical interpretation can be appreciated, with more detailed melodies and a harmony that perfectly represents Japanese culture. Singles like "Hanakagari" and "Nanairo" are well accomplished, with good oriental themes, delicate melodies, and well-structured chords.

Technically, most of her 2024 singles have that Japanese lo-fi approach, which I find quite good considering that artists like Bsan, Yamato, and MyceliumBug have gradually influenced her musical style. Yotsugi values the friendship of those around her and shows interest every day in learning more about the music industry, especially about the lo-fi genre.

Yes, since I am still developing my musical and composition skills, every song and every day of composing is a challenge for me. However, the friends around me always help me learn, regain my positive energy, and stay strong.

I really enjoyed writing this article. I was able to learn more about this artist who is slowly growing in his musical career. It's incredible how people, despite the years, never decide to give up.

If your inner voice tells you there's something worth pursuing and you feel you can achieve it, you should pursue that path. You won't regret it, because that's what I did in 2022, three years ago, with no skill or experience in music composition, and here I am today.

Samurai no Tabiji and Down the Illuminated Path (Article update-2025)

Samurai no Tabiji

Last May, Yamato, in collaboration with Yotsugi, released “Samurai no Tabiji,” a five-track EP that kicks off masterfully with Nadeshiko (3.7/5). This single stands out with excellence, showing us a well-structured composition that introduces us to an EP that implements originality and a concept of Japanese culture that Ukiyo Studio has been following this artist since the release of the EP Legends Vol.1. Continuing with the singles, we find Yakusoku (3/5), a song that follows the same atmosphere and concept. It should be noted that this is the theme of both the EP and Yotsugi and Yamato, so I can say that Yakusoku passes without pain or glory. Hihaku (3.5/5) starts off a little stronger than the previous track, maintaining the same narrative as the others, but what I did like about the song was the improved use of the kick and snare, which stand out more than in the previous track.

Here I can explain why, despite having listened to the entire EP (several times), I only liked the first three singles. namely Kikyō (3/5) and the single that shares the same name as the EP, Samurai no Tabiji (3.5/5). Like all the singles on the EP, they share the same concept and, in short, the EP shows a lack of variation in its technical palette, which weakens its impact as a cohesive work. This is not a complaint; it's simply that the artists fail to establish a new vision in each track, opting for a safe production model that impacts its consistency score. The work sacrifices harmonic innovation in favor of structure, which prevents it from being a standout EP. Shinsa 3.3/5

Down the Iluminated Path

Last month, Moon-uh and Yotsugi released Down the Illuminated Path, an EP that highlights their love for Japanese culture. Carried by the Breeze (3.8/5) gives us a good introduction, in collaboration with TonybtM, highlighting variation in composition and a noteworthy artistic style. I like how the piano unfolds freely and how it complements the entire track. Then, the atmosphere slows down a bit for the single Silhouettes of the Distant Mountains (4/5), something totally different from the previous single, standing out in the process. That soft and relaxed atmosphere makes it a very original track. If the Lanterns Could Speak (4.3/5) is an incredible song. The tones in the composition are admirable. It's a single that serves as a great inspiration, and believe me, if the “Kizuna Ranking” project had started last month, this song might have been in the top 10.

Now reaching the last two tracks on the EP, Beneath the Stars, Stargazing (4/5) starts off in a similar way to Carried by the Breeze, but that's all, as the song also stands out on its own and even surpasses the EP's first single. I like how its tone stays true to the concept they want to present to us, and the production is very well executed, which brings me to the main point of my analysis of this EP. Secrets of the Forest (4.5/5) is undoubtedly unique and special. Despite being the track with the fewest plays on Spotify, let me tell you that I loved it. The composition of the single stands out. The way the notes complement each other without overshadowing each other is incredible. The drumming and the final closing give it a unique value.

Now, the main point of this EP is the mastery of the concept of each single. It's fantastic how each one has a different vision but in the end they all lead us to the same point. In other words, each track makes us understand that they want to stand out on their own, but also reminds us that they come from the same niche. Excellent work by Moon-uh and Yotsugi. Shinsa 4.1/5