It isn’t every day that I stumble across an artist that truly leaves me blown away, especially one that I’d never heard of before. With that being said, New York-based Japanese electronic rock duo Neko Hacker happened to do just that; their latest single “Sweet Dreams” ringing on repeat over my office speaker. Neko Hacker isn’t your typical electronic duo — they’ve set out to pioneer a new sound that they’re dubbing “Kawaii Future Rock” that calls on their hard rock roots and passion for cute to create something totally new.
Calling on the musical talents of vocalist Rika, Neko Hacker has crafted a flawless crossover between the realms of anime-esque progression and internet-age sounds to create something truly incredible. It’s almost off-putting how high-quality the entirety of “Sweet Dreams” is, from the production and sound all the way through to the elaborate music video. I’m 110% all for what Neko Hacker has crafted, and I’m definitely excited to see what they do next.
Possibly one of the most important parts, at least in my eyes, about this project is their overarching mission statement. Being based in New York, it’s clear that Neko Hacker is already connected with the West, and surely have a solid grasp on just what trends are taking place at the moment. That’s why their “Spreading Japanese music all over the world!” stance on what they do really rules to me, something distinctly similar to where I stand on working in Japan to help artists grow.