It has been announced that RADWIMPS’ Yojiro Noda will release his first original album under his solo name, “WONDER BOY’S AKUMU CLUB”, on Wednesday, September 25th.
This album contains 13 songs that have a “personal novel” feel, created freely and loosely by Noda Yojiro himself, including “EVERGREEN feat. kZm,” which was released in advance in April, and “KATATOKI,” which he produced with American rapper JID as the theme song for last year’s “Yakuza 7 Gaiden: The Man Who Erased the Name.”
It will be released on CD, LP and digital, and the first limited edition comes with a T-shirt featuring the original character “AKUMU-KUN” drawn by manga artist and illustrator Posuka Demizu. AKUMU-KUN is an original character born from the idea of Yojiro Noda, who wanted to express his solo work with an icon that “freely embodies music.”
While embodying the image of Yojiro Noda, they imagined a character that is universal and invincible, and after many exchanges of ideas between Yojiro Noda and Posuka Demizu, they finally reached the final product. Akumu-kun’s TikTok account will be launched today, and various content will be posted in the future.
[Comment from Yojiro Noda]
I will be releasing my first original album under the name (Yojiro Noda).
I started playing in a band as a member of RADWIMPS at the age of 15, and somehow I’ve come this far. During that time I also performed under the name illion.
With the premise that the mother entity known as RADWIMPS will forever remain the core of my being, I wanted to play with sound without worrying about whose voice or eyes it was, and swim in the ocean of sound with a musical approach that is only possible now.
Whatever name I use, I always explore new musical challenges and words, but with RAD, I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to collaborate with other works such as movies, and I have been making songs that are the result of collaboration. I felt like, “If I went out to the ocean alone right now, how would I swim?” (Also, I was wondering how to combine my work with other works.)
I also thought that by not having to rehearse, no matter how terrible a song we made and failed, it wouldn’t cause any trouble to anyone.
So, over the past two years, sometimes in my free time, sometimes slowly, sometimes seriously, I was absorbed in this and that, sometimes struggling, and sometimes I felt like quitting, but I ended up completing these 13 songs. Before I knew it, the lyrics had become extremely autobiographical. I felt that I had no choice but to release them as (Yojiro Noda).
It was fun. I feel like I made a really good album, even though I didn’t intend to. I want you to listen to it freely and freely. I hope you’ll look forward to it.
Finally, I’d like to thank Kuwabara and Takeda, who ended up participating in several songs despite being under the name of Noda Yojiro, and HOLLY, who gave me the opportunity to make this album.
【release information】
Yojiro Noda “WONDER BOY’S AKUMU CLUB”
Release Date: 2024.09.25 (Wed.)
Tracklist:
01. PAIN KILLER
02. STRESS ME
03. EVERGREEN feat.kZm
04. HOLY DAY HOLY
05. SHEETA
06. HYPER TOY
07. KATATOKI
08. WALTZ OF KARMA
09. BITTER BLUES
10. PEACE YES
11. PIPE DREAM
12. HAZY SIGH
13. LAST LOVE LETTER
■Yojiro Noda:X (Twitter) / Instagram
