Talking about the Current Hot Topic of Yakosei - YORUSHIKA Edition

2022-05-23

Last time, I posted a blog about YOASOBI, and this time I’ll be introducing YORUSHIKA.

- Recap of the Previous Post -

YOASOBI
YORUSHIKA
ZUTOMAYO (Zutto Mayonaka de Iinoni)

These are three artists. All three groups have “night” in their names, which is why the term 夜好性 (yakosei) is used as a general term for these artists or as a term for their fans.

For more details, please check out the previous blog post.

Now, let’s dive into YORUSHIKA.

■ YORUSHIKA

YORUSHIKA is a duo formed by n-buna, a Vocaloid producer, and suis, a female vocalist.
While I described suis as a female vocalist, she wasn’t particularly active as a singer-songwriter before joining the group.
n-buna was drawn to suis’ slightly husky voice, which fits both rock and pop, and invited her to form the duo.
With the goal of “keeping the creator from overshadowing the work,” they’ve chosen not to reveal their faces publicly.

My personal highlights for YORUSHIKA are their ‘storytelling’ and ‘literary lyrics’.

First, I’d like to introduce a song where their ‘storytelling’ shines the brightest.

○ YORUSHIKA - “Dakara Boku wa Ongaku wo Yameta (That’s Why I Gave Up on Music)”

When I first heard the title, I distinctly remember thinking, “A song about quitting music turned into music!” As the title track of their debut album, this song attracted a lot of attention.
The piano in this track is absolutely beautiful, and suis’ voice, both sorrowful and powerful, really tugs at your heartstrings.

The debut album, which features “Dakara Boku wa Ongaku wo Yameta” as the title track, is based on the story of a young man named Amy, who creates a collection of songs for a character named Elma.
The album’s songs are interconnected, revealing new layers with each listen.

There are many interpretations, so it’s frustrating that I can’t give you a definitive answer on what it means.
However, part of the fun is creating your own interpretation. I believe each person who listens to YORUSHIKA’s music will find their own unique story.
You can interpret “Dakara Boku wa Ongaku wo Yameta” in many ways on its own. However, when you listen to the other tracks on the album, Amy’s deep feelings toward Elma are expressed even more strongly, expanding the world of the music with new interpretations!

YORUSHIKA’s second full album features “Elma” as the title track.
This album tells the story of Elma, who was inspired by the letters sent by the young man Amy in the previous album. It contains 14 tracks, some of which serve as responses to the songs in the first album, pulling listeners further into the story.

○ Elma (Album Trailer)

There are answer songs from the first album, and the more you listen, the more you immerse yourself in this narrative.
I highly recommend checking out both the first and second albums and creating your own interpretation to fully enjoy YORUSHIKA’s music.

Another charm of YORUSHIKA is their ‘literary lyrics’.

One of my personal favorite songs is this:

○ YORUSHIKA - “Tsuki ni Hoeru (Howl at the Moon)”

Some of you might think, “Oh?” at the title lol.
There’s also a poetry collection with the same title by Sakutaro Hagiwara. This song was inspired by that poetry collection.
It captures the loneliness and melancholy found in Hagiwara’s work and brings it to life in a way that’s unique to YORUSHIKA. The dark atmosphere of this song is something I personally love.

There are also other blog posts where another Sound House staff member talks about YORUSHIKA, so please check them out.

How did you like it?
YORUSHIKA’s music is artistic and beautiful, with many songs that evoke images of nature, such as the sky or the color blue. It’s a bit abstract, but I think you’ll understand what I mean once you listen to their music!
If you’re intrigued or if you like songs with that kind of atmosphere, I highly recommend giving them a listen!
Next time, I’ll be introducing ZUTOMAYO (Zutto Mayonaka de Iinoni).
Stay tuned!