Fuki Kitamura - Spira1oop

そわ≋そわ

Scene: A village in the Japanese countryside. Blue skies, tall mountains, lush forests in the background. Crystal clear water steadily flows through a waterwheel. The gentle clip clop of horses hooves. People working on the land, planting seeds in spring. Birds sing and butterflies flutter.

A harp plays. The angels’ voices announce her arrival. The wind picks up and the trees sway wildly in response. People hold onto their hats. Animals cry in a panic. 

Sparks and lightning bolts.

Fuki Kitamura descends from the clouds, her presence warping time and space.

Cue the strings.

Mirror

Searching for the words while looking at myself

Who’s that girl? Born in Yamagata, Japan. Plays piano, guitar, and flute. Uses both Logic and Ableton. Produced, wrote, and arranged the entire album herself. And the artwork. Even did her own styling and hair arrangement for her new profile photo. Listened to Hiatus Kaiyote in high school. Inspired by Emma-Jean Thackray, Skrillex, Four Tet, and Fred Again. Also likes Japanese singer-songwriters like Kaho Nakamura and Ai Higuchi. Game recognize game. Fuki means butterbur. It’s like Japanese celery. I don’t eat it but now I’m intrigued. The sound is playful, the harmonies tight. Pazz and jop. Electronic dance music, but no four to the floor. Beats are chopped, percussive elements everywhere. Bells and whistles around your head. Probably hundreds of tracks in each song. 65,536 colors. Now you’re playing with power.

In October 2024, she won the “Best Breakthrough Artist” at the TOKYO ALTER MUSIC AWARD. In January 2025, she was selected as one of Spincoaster’s ‘SPOTLIGHT 2025’ artists, recognizing her as one of the 10 most promising talents of the year. Pencil her down for MVP while we’re at it. By unanimous decision. Perennial all-star, first ballot hall of famer, statue in front of the station. She’s still only 22 years old. Played Fuji Rock Festival twice already. Fuki’s a good name for your daughters.

looping second

I will see it on the clock, what I’ve never seen forever

Strings and flutes. I’m twirling in her palm. The breakdown is divine. Got that jazz in her. Tomita Lab got her to feature on his tracks. He knows the score.

Bloom like memory in eyes, melting time, loop and loop the next story

airy

Let’s get a full orchestra sound on this thing. This calls for a bass clarinet. This is gonna be the “I want” song. Of course she can do Disney princess. She’s royal. Magical. Fairest of them all. Watch her skip and sashay around the castle. Bluebirds on her shoulder. A dream come true.

vivid I:mm

Did not know she had latin in her bag. Not surprised. She got DinoJr. on this one. Ridiculous vocal control. They’re having a ball. Looking forward to the “Fuki Kitamura Plays Bossa Nova” record in the future. Someone get the crowdfunding going stat.

menou

Rhythm changes. Software synthesizers oscillating, modulating. It’s getting wild in here. Autechre, Aphex, Amon, f*ckin A man they’d be proud. But it’s Japan so it’s cute and happy. The kids these days, though, they’re overstimulated. Hyper. Have you ever seen these Japanese variety TV shows? And you need epilepsy warnings on the cartoons. You are what you consume.

中庭

52nd floor of the Park Hyatt Tokyo, Shinjuku. Still in a dream. Fuki on the grand piano doing jazz straight up. Romantic, melancholic. Shadows growing. The sound of a compact mirror closing. Tears on a dress. Tokyo’s a lonely place. But the view is stunning.

ease click

Pentatonic scale channels spiritual Japan. Sike, we get UKG vibes, hi-hats swung AF. Then comes the drop. Watch out for that first step, it’s a doozy.

Used to fall

Doubt in the maze, fake or reality

Beautiful harmonies. She says her voice is her greatest asset. No argument there.

Come Mallika, let’s go and gather flowers by the river.

In the realm of forgotten dreams, I used to fall

wingbeatFreq

Sound of wings

She also DJs under the alias asak. Is there anything she can’t do? Apparently house is back in vogue. Eh, just splice that in with all the other drum rhythms. Master blender, genre bender. Nearly 8 minutes and I swear every 8 bars is different. Fuki is living in 2050. The shark still looks fake though.

vivid II: 1ast

Classical guitar (yeah remember she plays that too). More violins and bass clarinet. Life will never be the same again. Spotify and Suno just formed Skynet to flood the zone with AI slop, but Fuki leads the Resistance. Rumors of music’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. Humanity is saved. 

Fuki Kitamura is The One.

*With apologies to Tyler Parker