Patrick St. Michel

Interview with Kiara Takanashi: Talking "Perfume", her time as a VTuber, and her idol music roots | scrmbl Kiara Takanashi’s latest song “Perfume” served as a chance for the ...

2025 marks Kiara Takanashi's 5th anniversary as a prominent figure in the VTuber space, and she's not slowing down in the least.

@mbmelodies.bsky.social sat down with her to discuss confidence in her music, her VTubing career, and her idol roots.

OK let's talk about it: Breaking down NENE's diss track to Chanmina | scrmbl A good diss track gets right to the point, and rapper NENE wastes n...

The music highlight of the week in Japan? A rap beef getting at the ever-present tension between hip-hop and pop. Broke it down over @scrmbl.com www.scrmbl.com/post/nene-ch...

Setting sail: Haruomi Hosono's Tropical Dandy at 50 | scrmbl Haruomi Hosono created a global hodgepodge of sound on 1975’s Tropi...

"Tropical Dandy" marked the moment Haruomi Hosono's artistry and worldview truly set sail. Wrote about it upon its 50th anniversary for @scrmbl.com www.scrmbl.com/post/haruomi...

OK let's talk about it: Breaking down NENE's diss track to Chanmina | scrmbl A good diss track gets right to the point, and rapper NENE wastes n...

Rapper NENE takes a swing at Chanmina with her new diss-track "Owari," while calling out the state of the music industry in the process.

@mbmelodies.bsky.social breaks down the beef to get to the real meaning behind it all and show how history repeats itself.

Why are idol fans throwing hands at the track? A recent Fruits Zipper fan frenzy stirred online criticism, raising questions about the line between passion and obsession in J-pop idol culture.

A moment of idol mania or a fandom gone too far? A recent Fruits Zipper fan frenzy stirred online criticism, raising questions about the line between passion and obsession in J-pop idol culture.

oh wow, the Young Posse algo city pop turn

Let’s talk about it: The curious case of Seiko Matsuda’s western crossover | scrmbl The history of Japanese pop is littered with attempts at crossing o...

Seiko Matsuda boasts one of the weirdest attempts at a US crossover in Japanese music history. I detailed it for @scrmbl.com, from Wahlberg collaborations to "King Of The Hill" cameos www.scrmbl.com/post/lets-ta...

Make Believe Melodies For June 23, 2025 *pigeon cooing sound*

This week's roundup focuses on the debut album from iVy, plus an appreciation of Kenshi Yonezu's 2025 and an album prominently featuring animal sounds mbmelodies.substack.com/p/make-belie...

scrmbl selection June 20, 2025 - AQ, Summer Eye, yama, and more | scrmbl Despite the ease of access that streaming has brought to the distri...

It's time again for our weekly playlist update!
New tunes on the lineup this week from:

AQ
CHINESE HOODIE
Romanesco Roman
Summer Eye
THE LUV BUGS with Uztama & e5
yama

The Hitobito's Megan and Ben uncover the real Japan, one video at a time The couple moved to Japan to be teachers. Now, their YouTube clips are viewed by millions.

From stolen umbrellas to housing mishaps, the YouTube couple’s honest take on everyday life in Japan is a hit with millions.

The Hitobito's Megan and Ben uncover the real Japan, one video at a time The couple moved to Japan to be teachers. Now, their YouTube clips are viewed by millions.

Megan and Ben grew up on J-vloggers. Now, they've taken on the role of offering a look into Japan for the short-form-video generation, with uploads regularly attracting millions of views. Talked to them about their journey, virality & AI gloop @japantimes.co.jp www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/06...

it is wild revisiting and realizing "oh what a mess"

Make Believe Bonus: Put It On Ice, Bitch, Dr. Pepper My Failed Attempt To Interview CL A Decade Ago

Ten years ago, I spent five months trying to land an interview with CL ahead of her big US push for Pitchfork. It went awry. For premium subscribers, a reflection on this time mbmelodies.substack.com/p/make-belie...

The Hitobito's Megan and Ben uncover the real Japan, one video at a time The couple moved to Japan to be teachers. Now, their YouTube clips are viewed by millions.

From stolen umbrellas to housing mishaps, the YouTube couple’s honest take on everyday life in Japan is a hit with millions.

The Hitobito's Megan and Ben uncover the real Japan, one video at a time The couple moved to Japan to be teachers. Now, their YouTube clips are viewed by millions.

Megan and Ben grew up on J-vloggers. Now, they've taken on the role of offering a look into Japan for the short-form-video generation, with uploads regularly attracting millions of views. Talked to them about their journey, virality & AI gloop @japantimes.co.jp www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/06...

yeah that revelation hits hard every time lolz

Let’s talk about it: The curious case of Seiko Matsuda’s western crossover | scrmbl The history of Japanese pop is littered with attempts at crossing o...

While there have been many attempts from Japanese artists to cross over into English markets, few have been as wild or long as Seiko Matsuda's.

@mbmelodies.bsky.social gives a look at the many times she tried to break out internationally over the years.

Haruomi Hosono on the Music That Made Him For over 50 years, the prolific Japanese composer, producer, and songwriter has shaped and shifted almost every corner of music: classic rock, J-pop, film scores, jazz, exotica, electronica, house, lo...

Interviewed the big dog himself, Haruomi Hosono

pitchfork.com/features/5-1...

Make Believe Melodies For June 17, 2025 Choose Life

this week's round-up features a world's end girlfriend song coming with rules...and much more! mbmelodies.substack.com/p/make-belie...

『村上春樹 vs SMAP！』 村上春樹。大好きです。彼の作品はほとんど全て所有して、複数回読み返してます。昨年話題になった「1Q84」の続編も楽しみですし、エルサレム賞の授賞式での「壁と卵…

From a post I saw on Twitter: We know people get precious about The Beach Boys and Pet Sounds, but who knew Haruki Murakami was one of them, and got into a minor tiff with SMAP fans when he criticized the group for parodying the cover of Pet Sounds for one of their EPs?
ameblo.jp/krazykoolkat...

scrmbl selection June 13, 2025 - Bonjour Suzuki and RinRin Doll, Guchon, Lilniina, and more | scrmbl Despite the ease of access that streaming has brought to the distri...

Friday means it's time to update our scrmbl selection playlist with fresh picks!
This week's additions include excellent new tracks from:
Bonjour Suzuki & RinRin Doll
Guchon
Lilniina
Rirugiliyangugili
T.M.P
The Whoops

I mean Especia....that's a whole other level right there...

Make Believe Mailer #144: Anymal Magnetism Revisiting The Album That Kinda Derailed Suchmos

Suchmos at one point looked like the future of Japanese music...then they were on hiatus. A week ahead of the band's live reunion, I revisit the sprawling, messy album that to this point was the project's last mbmelodies.substack.com/p/make-belie...

The Three Foundations of “New Japonism”: What’s Driving the Global Success of Japanese Culture | DIG THE TEA Japanese cultural products ranging from video games, anime and manga to fashions and foods enjoy immense popul […]

A wide-ranging interview with yours truly, about how Japan built something huge out of little luxuries & inessentials: digthetea.com/en/2025/06/m...

Make Believe Bonus: LaLa Arena Tokyo Bay Lost In The Mall

For premium subscribers…I saw the future of arenas in Japan by going to LaLa Arena Tokyo Bay (and the connected mall) mbmelodies.substack.com/p/make-belie...

Make Believe Melodies For June 9, 2025 Always Buy The Ironic Merchandise, You Never Know When It Will Be Gone!

perfect young lady returns with a new "SEASON" that's as bonkers and beautiful as those before them. Plus, more new Japanese music in this week's round-up mbmelodies.substack.com/p/make-belie...

two random observations revisiting this one

1 funny realizing J-pop has actually flipped and there's a "monocultural" band right now...Mrs. GREEN APPLE, everywhere even if you don't realize it

2 The way many react to Morgan Wallen dominating US charts is how many here reacted to AKB (repulsion)

Make Believe Mailer 17: Chart, Beat Billboard Confusion And Post-Oricon Life

picking up on some rumblings online about the state of Western charts and their general usefulness in the 2020s...perhaps the States and beyond is approaching its own "oh Oricon is useless" moment mbmelodies.substack.com/p/make-belie...

Bandcamp spotlight May 2025 - KOM_I and Foodman, punipunidenki, Submerse, Moon In June, and more | scrmbl Every month, scrmbl highlights some of the most noteworthy releases...

Bandcamp Friday may be skipping this month but that won't stop us from spotlighting some of May's best releases on the platform, including new music from:

Inuha
seaketa
KOM_I & Foodman
punipunidenki
Carfax
IDATEN
Submerse
and more!

scrmbl selection June 6, 2025 - Airi Suzuki, FARMHOUSE, Yuki Chiba, and more | scrmbl Despite the ease of access that streaming has brought to the distri...

It's that time of week again for us to update our playlist with some choice new music!
This week's additions include new songs from:

Airi Suzuki
FARMHOUSE
Penguinrush
XAMIYA
Yuki Chiba
Yuta Orisaka