J-Pop: Yuna - 15 Wings (2025)

71 / 100

A technically strong but emotionally tentative debut.

The loss of Trebel as a Spotify alternative left me scrambling to find a similar path. Two new names emerged—Sound Tune and SonicNest—practically twins in appearance and interface, both offering downloadable playback for offline listening. However, that feature turned out to be temporary, as both reverted to their true form: pure streaming platforms. This setback made me reluctant to continue with Radiohead, and reviewing this next album feels heavier than usual, but I’ll give it a try.

The name Yuna itself is quite common—used by a Malaysian singer, a member of ITZY, and even two or more local artists—so this new J-pop singer easily gets buried in search results, despite her single “AGEPi” reportedly topping the iTunes House Chart. Yet, I didn’t feel a strong hook from its opening and was instead reminded of Hoshino Kirara’s "Lost Emotion" hich follows a similar electropop stream. In terms of bass drum style, though, “Moon Light” feels closer to that track. This second song also leans more toward electronica than the dance-pop that dominates the album. Another resemblance I noticed was in the piano intro of the closing track, which faintly echoes ChouChou’s Yasashisa ni no Riyuu.

The most prominent components here are the hi-hats and clap drums, with a rather standard bass drum that results in a less energetic mood—except for “Distance,” “AGEPi,” “OH!!OH!!,” and “サマラブ.” Some tracks stand out differently, such as “ハナベラユキ,” which leans toward hip-hop, and three ballads: “間違いさがし,” with added acoustic guitar, along with “Still Cry” and “今も好きだなんて言えないよ.” Vocally, I haven’t found a distinct identity yet—the strongest appeal for me lies in the unity between voice and music, which creates a cohesive mood rather than highlighting vocal prowess.

Thus, discovering 15 Wings, a 15-track debut album from this new artist named Yuna, feels like a small stroke of luck, even if her voice lacks the dramatic edge of Ado. Unfortunately, I can’t name anyone she particularly resembles—perhaps because it’s been a while since I’ve followed J-pop outside of anime soundtracks. Still, give it a try if you enjoy electro/dance-pop or J-pop that borders on K-pop.

Best tracks: “Moon Light,” “間違いさがし,” “今も好きだなんて言えないよ,” and “ハナベラユキ.”