{"id":2110632,"date":"2026-08-25T08:00:39","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T05:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2110632"},"modified":"2026-08-25T08:00:39","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T05:00:39","slug":"electronic-wizard-hakushi-hasegawas-next-experiment-forming-a-band","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2110632","title":{"rendered":"Electronic wizard Hakushi Hasegawa\u2019s next experiment? Forming a band"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Hakushi-Hasegawa-Credit-Naoki-Takehisa.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"template-id-2947849\" class=\"post-2947849 tdb_templates type-tdb_templates status-publish post\">\n<div id=\"tdi_65\" class=\"tdc-zone\">\n<div class=\"tdc_zone tdi_66  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div id=\"tdi_67\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_68  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_70  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_breadcrumbs tdi_71 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-breadcrumbs \" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_71\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span>Features<\/span><span>Music Interviews<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_title tdi_72 tdb-single-title td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_72\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Electronic wizard Hakushi Hasegawa\u2019s next experiment? Forming a band<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_subtitle tdi_73 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_73\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>After making his last album in isolation, the artist \u2013 and first Japanese musician signed to Brainfeeder \u2013\u00a0has done a 180 for his next project, creating the group HaHa And The Hairpins. It\u2019s still as unpredictable as ever <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_author tdi_75 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_75\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-author-name-wrap\"><span class=\"tdb-author-by\">By<\/span> Patrick St. Michel<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_date tdi_76 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_76\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><time class=\"entry-date updated td-module-date\" datetime=\"2026-08-25T09:00:39+01:00\">25th August 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_77\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_1400 td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_78  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_80  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_featured_image tdi_81 tdb-content-horiz-left td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_81\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"696\" height=\"442\" class=\"entry-thumb\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Hakushi-Hasegawa-Credit-Naoki-Takehisa-696x442.jpg\" alt=\"Hakushi Hasegawa\" title=\"Hakushi Hasegawa Credit Naoki Takehisa\"><figcaption class=\"tdb-caption-text\">Hakushi Hasegawa credit: Naoki Takehisa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_82\" class=\"tdc-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_83  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_85  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_86 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_86\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p><strong class=\"dropcap\">H<\/strong>akushi Hasegawa had spent too much time alone.<\/p>\n<p>The 27-year-old Tokyo artist has spent nearly a decade exploding familiar sounds into alien forms, slamming frantic keyboard melodies against pulverising percussion and their own digitally warped vocals to create works that hide pop hooks beneath the musical maelstrom. That vision earned them praise from listeners in Japan and beyond, leading to Hasegawa becoming the first Japanese musician to sign with American electronic label Brainfeeder, where they released the album \u2018Mahogakko\u2019 in 2024.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<p>\u201cBut it was something I made entirely by myself, sitting in front of my computer the whole time,\u201d Hasegawa tells <em>NME<\/em> about their prior release over a late-night video call from their home in early August. \u201cIt had become really difficult to step outside my own vocabulary, so to speak.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So for the follow-up \u2018Honest Feeling Album\u2019, out this week, Hasegawa formed a band. They found players to form an outfit dubbed HaHa And The Hairpins, adding extra punch to their sketches. The resulting set features more force from guitars, percussion and horns, with songs such as \u2018The Owner Of Sweetness\u2019 bordering on a metal chug. Hasegawa\u2019s wonkiness remains intact, but working in this setting led to surprises and challenges in equal measure.<\/p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\u9577\u8c37\u5ddd\u767d\u7d19, \u30cf\u30cf\u3068\u30d8\u30a2\u30d4\u30f3\u30ba - \u871c\u306e\u4e3b (Official Video)\" width=\"696\" height=\"522\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vrHRmY1Bv6Y?feature=oembed&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<p>\u201cSince it\u2019s actual people playing, and those people are\u2026kind of eccentric people, all sorts of wonderfully strange sounds kept coming out of it, and that was really fun,\u201d Hasegawa, who identifies as non-binary and uses they\/them pronouns, says. \u201cAt the same time, there was also a real difficulty in making judgment calls. Like, is it OK to force this delightful, funny sound into my own texture or not?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While considering others, \u2018Honest Feeling Album\u2019 still comes across as a fittingly pure expression of where Hasegawa is at as an artist. The rock and electronic whirlwinds are joined by dives into more vulnerable dance-pop, deceptively cheery bossa nova and more. It\u2019s unpredictable, which Hasegawa revels in.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad1 id_ad_content-horiz-center\">\n<h5 class=\"taboola-mid-article-title\">Recommended<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong class=\"dropcap\">H<\/strong>asegawa first came to music as an extracurricular activity, as their parents had them take piano lessons at a young age. That helped lead to a greater interest starting in junior high, including what Hasegawa laughs off as a very brief attempt at playing in a band for a school festival.<\/p>\n<p>Their real gateway came online. Hasegawa connected with electronic creators via message boards, learning about a whole new world of music. They shared their first song in 2016, the jazz-tinged bounce of \u2018Hadairo No Kawa\u2019, and quickly gained attention from the Japanese internet music community. They built on that sound for their first release from influential netlabel Maltine Records a year later before expanding on and introducing more bombastic elements for a subsequent EP and debut album. Hasegawa offered a swerve in 2020 with the covers collection \u2018Bones Of Dreams Attacked!\u2019, featuring their takes on J-pop hits and a sweet rendition of the Disney classic \u2018A Whole New World\u2019.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cI consider myself the artist who most defies expectations\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>This pinballing approach to style caught the attention of Western artists such as Porter Robinson, who featured Hasegawa on his 2020 online festival Secret Sky. Brainfeeder came a few years later (Hasegawa saying at the time that it was \u201can honour\u201d to join the label), and seemed like a natural home for \u2018Mahogakko\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>Yet Hasegawa was also being embraced by Japanese music even more \u2013 surprising for an industry that usually doesn\u2019t spotlight jazz-damaged electronic works. But Hasegawa has produced songs for rappers, virtual artists and singer-songwriters while also remixing tunes by the likes of Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra (exactly what the name states).<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad2 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<p>Around the time of \u2018Mahogakko\u2019, Hasegawa made their most unlikely appearance to date on <em>The First Take<\/em>, a one-take YouTube music series usually hosting performances by the likes of Yoasobi, Hikaru Utada and Harry Styles. It was that experience that became the genesis of \u2018Honest Feeling Album\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt first I was only going to have the drummer Shu Akimoto join for <em>The First Take<\/em>. I asked him if he knew anyone else who could play this type of song,\u201d Hasegawa says, noting how the performers gathered for the recording \u2013 Akimoto, percussionist Hitomi Aikawa, saxophonist Kei Matsumaru, and bassist Ryo Miyachi \u2013 served as a \u201cprototype\u201d for HaHa And The Hairpins, with guitarist Tokutaro Hosoi joining later.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3964225\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3964225\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3964225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Hakushi_Hasegawa_Credit_George_Asakura.jpg\" alt=\"Hakushi Hasegawa\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3964225\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hakushi Hasegawa credit: George Asakura<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cGetting to meet those people who became band members, that might honestly have been the most valuable part of the whole experience,\u201d they say.<\/p>\n<p>Hasegawa finished the bulk of demos for \u2018Honest Feeling\u2026\u2019 in early 2025. From there, they had to blend it with what the band could do. \u201cI had to take their sound and somehow bring it into my own texture. My workload might have ended up being bigger than ever before, which was kind of unexpected.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bringing others in extended to guests who appear on \u2018Honest Feeling\u2026\u2019, which Hasegawa picked based on a general feeling of who would work best where. It\u2019s an eclectic bunch representing the diversity of modern Japanese music and beyond. Vocalist Accorinrin of in-your-face punk band Otoboke Beaver powers the bludgeoning \u2018Why The Hell Do I Have To Say Everything From One To Ten Each Time Each Time Each Time Each Time\u2019, while virtual YouTuber Tsukino Mito plays the role of sweet idol voice on the brighter \u2018Gettinhereroute\u2019. Inspired by frequently seeing their between-song banter at shows, Hasegawa recruited Japanese electronic artist Tofubeats to offer sports-like commentary on Matsumaru\u2019s sax playing for the madcap \u2018Boss-Moire-FS\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think Hasegawa\u2019s appeal lies in how the music coexists with \u2013 and blends \u2013 various facets of their personality,\u201d Tofubeats says over email a few days later about what makes Hasegawa stand out. \u201cThe academic background of a music college graduate, a love for experimental music, and the sensibility of someone who frequents clubs.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cOn \u2018Honest Feeling Album\u2019, I\u2019d wanted from the very start to pay tribute to non-binary people who are already gone\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong class=\"dropcap\">T<\/strong>he \u2018Honest Feeling\u2026\u2019 here comes from Hasegawa themselves. Songs featuring some of the catchiest moments in their catalogue hide lyrics they describe as the most aggressive and, in the case of \u201cThe Owner Of Sweetness,\u201d the creepiest they\u2019ve ever written. They can draw from literature (\u2018Nausea\u2019 taking its name and themes of disappointment from Jean-Paul Sartre\u2019s novel of the same name) or just channel their own playfulness (\u201cUltimately, all I want to do is make people laugh,\u201d they say).<\/p>\n<p>Hasegawa, who once concealed their identity entirely, is now more open about sharing themselves, and then warping that image into something new. Their singing on \u2018Honest Feeling\u2026\u2019 is frequently pitched up into a bright tone that often clashes with the noise around them. That was in service of just one goal.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s really just about one thing\u2026singing cute,\u201d they say with a laugh, citing their own love of \u201ccute songs\u201d and a personal focus on keeping a high formant in their songs, referring to the peak frequency produced by the resonance of the human voice.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs I\u2019m talking about it right now, I\u2019m realising that anime songs and [Vocaloid avatar] Hatsune Miku have probably had a big influence on me,\u201d they say. Within the sonic context of \u2018Honest Feeling\u2026\u2019, it\u2019s another disorienting touch playing off of the more abrasive instrumentation around it. Yet it\u2019s also a nod to Hasegawa\u2019s own influences and likes, helping to make the album feel more personal.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3964226\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3964226\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3964226\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/HakushiHasegawa_ArtistPhoto.jpg\" alt=\"Hakushi Hasegawa\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3964226\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hakushi Hasegawa credit: Courtesy of Hakushi Hasegawa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>That extends to their identity, nodded to on closer \u2018Never Lack Nothing\u2019, which adopts the style of a traditional bon-odori song, played at festivals as a way to honour the dead.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOn \u2018Honest Feeling Album\u2019, I\u2019d wanted from the very start to pay tribute to non-binary people who have died \u2013 or rather, non-binary people who existed in the past and are already gone,\u201d they say. \u201cOnce I had that in mind, I thought about what musical form would suit that best, and the answer was bon-odori, because that kind of music was originally meant for everyone to dance together in mourning.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For an artist so hard to pin down, it\u2019s a surprisingly personal moment. Then again, that\u2019s what Hasegawa does best. \u201cI consider myself the artist who most defies expectations,\u201d they say when asked where they fit into modern Japanese music. \u201cI use my own ever-changing musical language to create a situation in which I draw attention while simultaneously avoiding it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Hakushi Hasegawa\u2019s \u2018Honest Feeling Album\u2019 is out on August 28 via Brainfeeder.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_tags tdi_87 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_87\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<ul class=\"tdb-tags\">\n<li><span>Related Topics<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Electronic<\/li>\n<li>Hakushi Hasegawa<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_88\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_content td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_89  wpb_row td-pb-row tdc-element-style\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_91  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td-block td-a-rec td-a-rec-id-custom-spot tdi_92 td_block_template_2\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_93\" class=\"tdc-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_94  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_96  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"vc_row_inner tdi_98  vc_row vc_inner wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column_inner tdi_100  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-inner-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper td_block_wrap vc_raw_html tdi_102 \">\n<div class=\"td-fix-index\">\n<h3>More Stories<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap td_flex_block_1 tdi_103 td-pb-border-top td_module_flex_1--card td_module_flex_1--card--highlight td_block_template_2 tdc-no-posts td_flex_block\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_103\">\n<div id=\"tdi_103\" class=\"td_block_inner td-mc1-wrap\">\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">James Murphy contributes to DFA Records\u2019 charity cover of The Waterboys\u2019 \u2018The Whole Of The Moon\u2019 in memory of Optimo\u2019s JD Twitch<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Calvin Harris fan goes viral after being hit in face with pizza while filming gig on phone<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Watch Moby perform \u2018Father Ted\u2019 favourite \u2018My Lovely Horse\u2019 live in Dublin<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Tributes paid as woman found dead at Houghton Festival named as Ibiza DJ Santanna Oush<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Jamie T announces new album \u2018Ghosts (100 Days of Morning)\u2019 with anthemic single \u20183310\u2019<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Watch Chase &amp; Status join Skrillex for Boomtown 2026 set<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_104\" class=\"tdc-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_105  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_107  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper td_block_wrap vc_raw_html tdi_109 \">\n<div class=\"td-fix-index\">\n<h3>You May Also Like<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><\/article>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_86 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_86\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p><strong class=\"dropcap\">H<\/strong>akushi Hasegawa had spent too much time alone.<\/p>\n<p>The 27-year-old Tokyo artist has spent nearly a decade exploding familiar sounds into alien forms, slamming frantic keyboard melodies against pulverising percussion and their own digitally warped vocals to create works that hide pop hooks beneath the musical maelstrom. That vision earned them praise from listeners in Japan and beyond, leading to Hasegawa becoming the first Japanese musician to sign with American electronic label Brainfeeder, where they released the album \u2018Mahogakko\u2019 in 2024.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<p>\u201cBut it was something I made entirely by myself, sitting in front of my computer the whole time,\u201d Hasegawa tells <em>NME<\/em> about their prior release over a late-night video call from their home in early August. \u201cIt had become really difficult to step outside my own vocabulary, so to speak.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So for the follow-up \u2018Honest Feeling Album\u2019, out this week, Hasegawa formed a band. They found players to form an outfit dubbed HaHa And The Hairpins, adding extra punch to their sketches. The resulting set features more force from guitars, percussion and horns, with songs such as \u2018The Owner Of Sweetness\u2019 bordering on a metal chug. Hasegawa\u2019s wonkiness remains intact, but working in this setting led to surprises and challenges in equal measure.<\/p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\u9577\u8c37\u5ddd\u767d\u7d19, \u30cf\u30cf\u3068\u30d8\u30a2\u30d4\u30f3\u30ba - \u871c\u306e\u4e3b (Official Video)\" width=\"696\" height=\"522\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vrHRmY1Bv6Y?feature=oembed&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<p>\u201cSince it\u2019s actual people playing, and those people are\u2026kind of eccentric people, all sorts of wonderfully strange sounds kept coming out of it, and that was really fun,\u201d Hasegawa, who identifies as non-binary and uses they\/them pronouns, says. \u201cAt the same time, there was also a real difficulty in making judgment calls. Like, is it OK to force this delightful, funny sound into my own texture or not?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While considering others, \u2018Honest Feeling Album\u2019 still comes across as a fittingly pure expression of where Hasegawa is at as an artist. The rock and electronic whirlwinds are joined by dives into more vulnerable dance-pop, deceptively cheery bossa nova and more. It\u2019s unpredictable, which Hasegawa revels in.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad1 id_ad_content-horiz-center\">\n<h5 class=\"taboola-mid-article-title\">Recommended<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong class=\"dropcap\">H<\/strong>asegawa first came to music as an extracurricular activity, as their parents had them take piano lessons at a young age. That helped lead to a greater interest starting in junior high, including what Hasegawa laughs off as a very brief attempt at playing in a band for a school festival.<\/p>\n<p>Their real gateway came online. Hasegawa connected with electronic creators via message boards, learning about a whole new world of music. They shared their first song in 2016, the jazz-tinged bounce of \u2018Hadairo No Kawa\u2019, and quickly gained attention from the Japanese internet music community. They built on that sound for their first release from influential netlabel Maltine Records a year later before expanding on and introducing more bombastic elements for a subsequent EP and debut album. Hasegawa offered a swerve in 2020 with the covers collection \u2018Bones Of Dreams Attacked!\u2019, featuring their takes on J-pop hits and a sweet rendition of the Disney classic \u2018A Whole New World\u2019.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cI consider myself the artist who most defies expectations\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>This pinballing approach to style caught the attention of Western artists such as Porter Robinson, who featured Hasegawa on his 2020 online festival Secret Sky. Brainfeeder came a few years later (Hasegawa saying at the time that it was \u201can honour\u201d to join the label), and seemed like a natural home for \u2018Mahogakko\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>Yet Hasegawa was also being embraced by Japanese music even more \u2013 surprising for an industry that usually doesn\u2019t spotlight jazz-damaged electronic works. But Hasegawa has produced songs for rappers, virtual artists and singer-songwriters while also remixing tunes by the likes of Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra (exactly what the name states).<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad2 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<p>Around the time of \u2018Mahogakko\u2019, Hasegawa made their most unlikely appearance to date on <em>The First Take<\/em>, a one-take YouTube music series usually hosting performances by the likes of Yoasobi, Hikaru Utada and Harry Styles. It was that experience that became the genesis of \u2018Honest Feeling Album\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt first I was only going to have the drummer Shu Akimoto join for <em>The First Take<\/em>. I asked him if he knew anyone else who could play this type of song,\u201d Hasegawa says, noting how the performers gathered for the recording \u2013 Akimoto, percussionist Hitomi Aikawa, saxophonist Kei Matsumaru, and bassist Ryo Miyachi \u2013 served as a \u201cprototype\u201d for HaHa And The Hairpins, with guitarist Tokutaro Hosoi joining later.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3964225\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3964225\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3964225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Hakushi_Hasegawa_Credit_George_Asakura.jpg\" alt=\"Hakushi Hasegawa\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3964225\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hakushi Hasegawa credit: George Asakura<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cGetting to meet those people who became band members, that might honestly have been the most valuable part of the whole experience,\u201d they say.<\/p>\n<p>Hasegawa finished the bulk of demos for \u2018Honest Feeling\u2026\u2019 in early 2025. From there, they had to blend it with what the band could do. \u201cI had to take their sound and somehow bring it into my own texture. My workload might have ended up being bigger than ever before, which was kind of unexpected.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bringing others in extended to guests who appear on \u2018Honest Feeling\u2026\u2019, which Hasegawa picked based on a general feeling of who would work best where. It\u2019s an eclectic bunch representing the diversity of modern Japanese music and beyond. Vocalist Accorinrin of in-your-face punk band Otoboke Beaver powers the bludgeoning \u2018Why The Hell Do I Have To Say Everything From One To Ten Each Time Each Time Each Time Each Time\u2019, while virtual YouTuber Tsukino Mito plays the role of sweet idol voice on the brighter \u2018Gettinhereroute\u2019. Inspired by frequently seeing their between-song banter at shows, Hasegawa recruited Japanese electronic artist Tofubeats to offer sports-like commentary on Matsumaru\u2019s sax playing for the madcap \u2018Boss-Moire-FS\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think Hasegawa\u2019s appeal lies in how the music coexists with \u2013 and blends \u2013 various facets of their personality,\u201d Tofubeats says over email a few days later about what makes Hasegawa stand out. \u201cThe academic background of a music college graduate, a love for experimental music, and the sensibility of someone who frequents clubs.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cOn \u2018Honest Feeling Album\u2019, I\u2019d wanted from the very start to pay tribute to non-binary people who are already gone\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong class=\"dropcap\">T<\/strong>he \u2018Honest Feeling\u2026\u2019 here comes from Hasegawa themselves. Songs featuring some of the catchiest moments in their catalogue hide lyrics they describe as the most aggressive and, in the case of \u201cThe Owner Of Sweetness,\u201d the creepiest they\u2019ve ever written. They can draw from literature (\u2018Nausea\u2019 taking its name and themes of disappointment from Jean-Paul Sartre\u2019s novel of the same name) or just channel their own playfulness (\u201cUltimately, all I want to do is make people laugh,\u201d they say).<\/p>\n<p>Hasegawa, who once concealed their identity entirely, is now more open about sharing themselves, and then warping that image into something new. Their singing on \u2018Honest Feeling\u2026\u2019 is frequently pitched up into a bright tone that often clashes with the noise around them. That was in service of just one goal.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s really just about one thing\u2026singing cute,\u201d they say with a laugh, citing their own love of \u201ccute songs\u201d and a personal focus on keeping a high formant in their songs, referring to the peak frequency produced by the resonance of the human voice.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs I\u2019m talking about it right now, I\u2019m realising that anime songs and [Vocaloid avatar] Hatsune Miku have probably had a big influence on me,\u201d they say. Within the sonic context of \u2018Honest Feeling\u2026\u2019, it\u2019s another disorienting touch playing off of the more abrasive instrumentation around it. Yet it\u2019s also a nod to Hasegawa\u2019s own influences and likes, helping to make the album feel more personal.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3964226\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3964226\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3964226\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/HakushiHasegawa_ArtistPhoto.jpg\" alt=\"Hakushi Hasegawa\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1270\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3964226\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hakushi Hasegawa credit: Courtesy of Hakushi Hasegawa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>That extends to their identity, nodded to on closer \u2018Never Lack Nothing\u2019, which adopts the style of a traditional bon-odori song, played at festivals as a way to honour the dead.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOn \u2018Honest Feeling Album\u2019, I\u2019d wanted from the very start to pay tribute to non-binary people who have died \u2013 or rather, non-binary people who existed in the past and are already gone,\u201d they say. \u201cOnce I had that in mind, I thought about what musical form would suit that best, and the answer was bon-odori, because that kind of music was originally meant for everyone to dance together in mourning.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For an artist so hard to pin down, it\u2019s a surprisingly personal moment. Then again, that\u2019s what Hasegawa does best. \u201cI consider myself the artist who most defies expectations,\u201d they say when asked where they fit into modern Japanese music. \u201cI use my own ever-changing musical language to create a situation in which I draw attention while simultaneously avoiding it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Hakushi Hasegawa\u2019s \u2018Honest Feeling Album\u2019 is out on August 28 via Brainfeeder.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/features\/music-interviews\/hakushi-hasegawa-haha-and-the-hairpins-honest-feeling-album-interview-3964223&#8243;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Hakushi-Hasegawa-Credit-Naoki-Takehisa.jpg&#8221;] FeaturesMusic Interviews Electronic wizard Hakushi Hasegawa\u2019s next experiment? Forming a band After making his last album in isolation, the artist \u2013 and first Japanese musician signed to Brainfeeder \u2013\u00a0has done a 180 for his next project, creating the group HaHa And The Hairpins. It\u2019s still as unpredictable as ever By Patrick St. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,78],"class_list":["post-2110632","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-nme-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2110632","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2110632"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2110632\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2110632"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2110632"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2110632"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}