In this post I wanted to share a cool musician from Japan called Omodaka. Omodaka collaborates with other musicians to combine Japanese folk music with chiptune to create a really unique sound. What strikes me about Omodaka’s music is the nostalgic feeling that it evokes. The female vocalist, Akiko Kanazawa, sings in an enka-style voice that reminds me of some of the old Japanese mukashi banashi (folklore) anime that I’d watch as a kid. The 8-bit sound remind me of the absurd amount of Gameboy and NES that I used to play with my brother, and that further adds to the nostalgia.

If you have 15 minutes, pour yourself a glass of your favourite drink and check out the music videos below. Akiko Kanazawa’s voice may not be for everyone (I’ve heard some people say it’s too nasally for their tastes), but I encourage you to watch the music videos even just for the visuals. The visual effects and animations in his music videos are as fascinating as the music itself.

Hope you enjoy 🙂