With such a busy slate of K-pop releases, I don’t always have a chance to rave about some of my favorite J-pop. This week, I’ll be giving an overview of some of my favorite acts and songs. Hopefully you’ll find a new obsession to add to your playlist!

Why I Love Kitakaze to Taiyou (and you should too)

E-Girls have a robust discography, but Kitakaze to Taiyou is my favorite track. It’s just a rush of joy from start to finish, bounding forward with euphoric builds that always pay off. The group opts for more naturalistic styling in the stunning music video and that fits the song’s grounded energy. Even so, Kitakaze to Taiyou doesn’t skimp on the bells and whistles. It explodes with the power of a full marching band right from the start, never indulging in subtlety. Even its stripped-back verses are full of propulsive electro percussion and sweeps of strings.

Importantly, E-girls never get lost in the hurricane of instrumental flourishes. Their performance is confident and alive. And the melodies? Wow. Each builds upon the others, creating a structure that never flags. We only take a respite during the brief bridge, which serves to set-up the song’s galvanizing finale.

If your day needs a bit of joyful inspiration, I can’t imagine you’ll do much better than this.

I enjoyed this! Where should I go next?

Well, you’ve got a lot to explore! E-girls may be no more, but they left behind a big discography filled with highlights. I recommend starting with their E.G. 11, E.G. Time and E.G. Crazy albums, but you really can’t go wrong. For singles, check out Strawberry Sadistic, Rydeen (Dance All Night), Move It, Dance Dance Dance, Pink Champagne — among many others.

Grade: A