Hakushi Hasegawa's New LP Blends Genres Into a Joyful Mess
The Japanese producer's fourth record packs freeform jazz, proggy pop, noisy electronics, and triumphant J-rock into each track. Hasegawa fronts the band HaHa and the Hairpins, whose jazz players add energy to the compositions. The album embraces chaos while maintaining an earnest, curious songwriting core.
Hasegawa's fourth album marks a notable shift from their earlier solo work, as they now front HaHa and the Hairpins, a jazz ensemble originally assembled for a 2024 live session. The band appears on nearly every track, with saxophonist Kei Matsumaru and percussionists Shu Akimoto and Hitomi Aikawa providing the rhythmic and textural backbone. Hasegawa's career shows steady expansion—from the junglist jazz of their 2018 debut EP through the split-structure 2024 release Mahōgakkō to this densely layered record.
The album deliberately incorporates "unnecessary sounds," including a VTuber vocal feature, a Mykki Blanco sample, and faux sports commentary from DJ Tofubeats on the interlude "Boss-Moire-FS." The closing track "Never Lack Nothing" draws on Bon Odori folk tradition, serving as a tribute to deceased nonbinary Japanese people, and stands as the record's most restrained, contemplative moment.
This album could broaden the audience for experimental electronic music by making genre fusion feel accessible rather than academic. Hasegawa's visibility as a nonbinary Japanese artist may also offer meaningful representation for LGBTQ+ listeners in Japan and internationally, while the Bon Odori-inspired closer suggests a bridge between avant-garde expression and cultural tradition that could resonate with listeners seeking both innovation and emotional grounding.