New Music Reviews: Japanese Breakfast and Ichiko Aoba

Two female artists this week. Confusingly, Ichiko Aoba is Japanese, while Japanese Breakfast’s Michelle Zauner was born in South Korea.

Both records are brief and mellow, but still substantial.

Japanese Breakfast

For Melancholy Brunettes (and Sad Women)

2025, 8.5/10
Zauner’s discography runs the emotional gamut. Her mother’s death from cancer informed Japanese Breakfast’s first two albums, as well as her memoir Crying in H Mart. Conversely, Japanese Breakfast’s previous album, 2021’s Jubilee, was joyful, especially the effervescent single ‘Be Sweet’.

But as the title of her new record indicates, she’s back to writing sad songs. Zauner told NPR “All of these characters succumb to some sort of temptation or disrupt a balance in their lives and are then grappling with the consequences or regrets of that decision-making.”

For Melancholy Women is often stripped back and sad. The dominant style is mournful and contemplative acoustic pieces like ‘Here is Someone’ and ‘Leda’. My favourite is the country-tinged ‘Men in Bars’, in which Jeff Bridges (better known as an actor) duets with Zauner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqrcgC47QTo

The 1990s alt-rock style ‘Honey Water’ is another favourite. The woozy pop of ‘Mega Circuit’ is surprisingly hooky.

For Melancholy Brunettes (and Sad Women) is unassuming at first, but plenty is happening below the surface.

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Ichiko Aoba

Luminescent Creatures

2025, 8/10
Japanese folk artist Ichiko Aoba’s work is often inspired by nature. Luminescent Creatures, her eighth studio album, draws on time she spent diving in the Ryukyu Islands, south of Japan. She observed whales, jellyfish, and coral reefs, diving without scuba gear.

Aoba explained to The Cut about her fascination with bioluminescent sea creatures. “I found this theory that they began to glow as a form of communication when they were alone and isolated. Whether we’re laughing or crying, the genesis of our emotions as humans is the same as those ancient creatures deep under the sea.”

Luminescent Creatures is gentle with its acoustic textures and Ichiko Aoba’s calming voice, but it features diverse textures. The chamber pop of ‘Luciférine’ is named for the light-emitting compound found in organisms that generate bioluminescence. 

‘Prisomnia’ arrangement is centred on elaborate, wordless backing vocals, while ‘Sonar’ uses piano and wobbly synth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrXlDDvft8Q

Luminescent Creatures is lovely and calming.

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