Toketa Denkyu hosts their first mini music festival “Friends Party”

Toketa Denkyu, who are gaining attention for their addictive, uniquely arranged sound and bittersweet songwriting, will be hosting their first music festival called “Friends Party” on July 21st, 2024 at Shimokitazawa ADRIFT.

Who is Toketa Denkyu?

Toketa Denkyu is a four-piece pop band composed of Kenmei Iwase (Guitars, vocals), Naoya Sakai (Keyboard), Koudai Yokoyama (Bass) and Yuuki Takagi (Drums). Original member Kouki Shiota (Bass) left the band after their solo concert in 2018. He was replaced by Yokoyama who had previously participated as a supporting member.

They first met at their high school’s mandolin club and were chosen as a finalist at the teen exclusive “Senko Riot 2013” rock festival. They followed it up with a TV appearance on “Shibuya no Oto” which was shown on NHK, a Japanese public broadcaster. Later, they performed theme songs for dramas such as “Horimiya” and the movie “NO CALL NO LIFE” among others.

While they excel at warm and fuzzy love songs, their music cannot be classified as pop alone and each and every one of their songs shows its own unique emotions. All of the band members have unique talent they are able to utilize in their music making. Naoya Sakai and Kenmei Iwase write and compose almost all of their songs, solidifying their appeal with consistent messages and comfortable melodies.

Starting in 2017, they were managed by the Horipro agency, but they became independent in March 2024.

“Oboetenaiya” - A fresh, youth song

Particularly popular is the song “Oboetenaiya” (覚えてないや / I can’t remember) which is on their 2018 mini album “STAY REMEMBER”. The track was written and composed by Kenmei Iwase and its easy to understand message along with its lighthearted melody has gained a lot of fans. The music video, available on YouTube, plays out like a drama and has over two million views as of June, 2024.

“piece of film” - Their brand new full album

2022 marked the 10th anniversary of Toketa Denkyu and it was also the year they released their first full album, “piece of film”. It was their first new title since they released their mini album, “WONDER by WONDER” in March 2020.

The title comes from their hope that “These tracks will become a part of the long reel of film that is your life.” The album includes 16 tracks including bonus tracks of which 12 are newly written.

The album starts off with the danceable “spring sleep”, the uptempo “Kagami no Kuni” (鏡の国 / Land of Mirrors), and continues to “Gommenne” (ごめんね / I’m sorry), which is unique for its melancholic piano. After that, we get “Niban-te” (2番手 / Number Two) which kicks off with vocals, a unique take for the band, the upbeat motivational song “Irodori” (彩 / Coloring), followed by “Keisotsu ni Koishite” (軽率に恋して / Love me Carelessly) and “Dousunnno?” (どうすんの？ / What are you gonna do?)

“Tomosu” (灯 / Light up), known for being the theme song of the hit drama “Horimiya”, is an emotional title with lyrics such as “Boku no subete de tsutaeru kara / Tōku ni ikanai de” (I’ll express it with all I’ve got / Don’t go far away) that hit hard with strong vocals. A country-inspired “Wagamamama” (わがままま / Selfishish) and the dynamic “Futari ga Ii” (ふたりがいい / Together is Better) are next. “Yūyake o Mite Ongaku o Kikō” (夕焼けを見て音楽を聞こう / Let’s Watch the Sunset While Listening to Music), named after a specialty section in Shibuya’s Tsutaya record store, gives off images of the sunset with lyrics such as “after school classroom” and a slower tempo which invites the listener to experience catharsis.

The final track is “Anata He” (あなたへ / To you). The ambient piano sound enters your soul effortlessly like crystal clear water. As suggested by the title of the album, this track is like a piece of film and is truly fitting as the final page of this album.

Throughout each of the tracks, all of the band members are able to show off their skills in a harmonious way. Each of the moments where their abilities shine through are a result of over 10 years of honing their craft.

The bonus track, “Yume Miteru” (夢見てる / Dreaming) is included on the CD version of the album.

Also, Toketa Denkyu held a crowdfunding project to help fund their second full album and was fully funded on June 13th, 2024 (The deadline was June 30th). Excitement is building as fans await details about the album.

“Friends Party” music festival hosted by Toketa Denkyu

As stated at the beginning of the article, Toketa Denkyu will be hosting their first music festival, “Friends Party” on July 21st, 2024 at Shimokitazawa AFRIFT.

As of June 23rd, other than Toketa Denkyu, Ponytail Sclimb, WALTZMORE, Absolute area, shioli, and Itsukano Nemophila will be participating.

Tour details

Summary

Toketa Denkyu shows a unique character that defies its branding as a simple pop band.

Their down-to-earth lyrics about love and a wide variety of melodies will continue to be enjoyed by many fans. You can definitely feel their passion through their live performances.

Their music festival they’ll be hosting for the first time is full of many exciting up and coming artists. It’ll be an excellent opportunity for a unique musical experience.