When you observe the music scene for a long time as a media outlet, you occasionally encounter moments that stir your heart beyond reason. This doesn’t happen when you discover meticulously calculated artists. It happens when you find raw diamonds—awkward yet luminous once polished—where impulse has taken direct form. What is GIRLFRIENDZ On January 21, […]
Author: a-indie
Best Films of 2025: Rediscovering Cinema’s Joy
The “Best Movies of the Year” project was launched to bring some energy to the film industry, which saw a noticeable global market contraction in 2024, a year marked by a succession of dark news. Despite such aspirations, the film industry continued to decelerate in 2025. Warner Brothers was sold in the U.S., and Warner […]
Three Staff Members’ Unique Manga Recommendations
Hello! This is the A-indie editorial team. Following our previous talk about “ささやかな楽しみ” , this time yabori (moderator), Takita, and Maririn gathered together. The theme is “manga we want to recommend right now.” When music lovers gather, their manga tastes also have a unique twist, don’t they? From “classics” to “hot new releases,” and even […]
Rikas covers ELO’s Last Train to London, a journey filled with loss
Everyone experiences it at least once: the collapse of a grand ideal, the end of a relationship, the hollow night when you’ve lost your place in the world. How can music express such pain? Rikas, a four-piece from Stuttgart, Germany, captures emotions beyond words by letting them run along tracks of sound. Rooted in funk […]
Best Singles of 2025 | 40 Essential Indie Tracks
40 beloved songs representing 2025 and must-hear hidden gems gather here🔥 This time, writer RAM, who has been writing cross-reviews with Takita from Argentina, participates for the first time, and Maririn makes a comeback after nearly 10 years since 2016🎉 From the magically unhinged Geese, the overwhelming expressiveness of Kazumi Nikaido, to artists like KISS […]
A-indie Staff Talk: Gummies, AI Romance, and Office Snacks
Hello! This is the A-indie editorial team. We usually bring you artist interviews and reviews, but aren’t you curious about what the “people behind the scenes” are thinking? Music media staff are often imagined as stoic groups constantly digging for the latest music, but in reality, we’re just ordinary office workers. In our daily lives, […]
the hatch『333』Interview – Chaos Crystallized into Pop
There are bands that are difficult to describe in one word when asked, “What kind of music do you play?” the hatch from Sapporo is exactly that kind of band. Just when you think it’s intense hardcore, beautiful piano resonates, and Latin rhythms move your body. Their new album『333』has become an album where their chaos […]
Just Mustard on ‘We Were Just Here’ & Irish Music Scene
Ireland has undoubtedly been the hotspot for indie rock since the 2020s. Led by Fontaines D.C., bands like Inhaler and NewDad are achieving global success, and remarkably, every album released is outstanding. What they share in common is a reassuring aggressive stance that continues to discover new possibilities in indie rock, and everything is dark, […]
Just Mustard『WE WERE JUST HERE』Cross Review
Music knows no borders. That’s why the different perspectives that emerge when people raised in different cultures listen to the same album are so fascinating. This time, we’re reviewing the latest release from Ireland’s Just Mustard, 『WE WERE JUST HERE』, whose Japan visit at rockin’on sonic has been confirmed. Argentina-based RAM, who loves Japanese culture, […]
Behind the Scenes: BELONG Writers Share Their Stories
Hello! This is the BELONG Media editorial team. To you, who always read our articles: Have you ever wondered, “What kind of music do the people writing these articles like, and what do they talk about?” We deliver articles centered on indie music, but we haven’t shown much about who the staff members are as […]
