Remon Nakanishi has built a reputation for treating Japanese folk tradition not as a museum piece but as something alive, social, and a little unruly, and “Yattokose” pushes that philosophy smugly. Released on January 30, 2026, the track reimagines a Bon song from Sado Island and flips it into a wildly mobile cross-cultural groove. This is folk music thrown into motion, dusted off, and sent dancing under modern lights.
Right from the jump, “Yattokose” announces itself with female vocals riding atop bold, Motown-leaning horn blasts. With a celebratory looseness present in the music, it’s like a festival spilling into the street. When Nakanishi’s voice enters, it’s all fine vibrato and emotional quiver. His phrasing stretches and bends, giving the melody a conversational, teasing quality, while the percussion, rustling drums, and splashing cymbals keep things grounded and propulsive without crowding the vocals.
As the song rolls on, the horns stay locked in, filling the space with warmth and punch, while the rhythm section swings with an easy confidence. The chorus, sung by Suzumeno Tears, lands relaxed and communal, like a group answer shouted back during a dance. On top of that, a cinematic edge sneaks through the arrangement, with guitar lines and dramatic pauses nodding to spaghetti western tension à la Ennio Morricone.
“Yattokose” leans into the repetitive, call-and-response spirit of traditional Bon songs, where meaning lives as much in rhythm and communal energy as in literal translation. Joy, teasing humor, and fleeting melancholy coexist naturally. As the first step in a run of consecutive singles leading toward Nakanishi’s second album, this track sets the tone beautifully.
“Yattokose,” while updating min’yo, shows that folk music, when treated with curiosity and guts, can still move, surprise, and absolutely groove. If you love learning about different cultures and folklore, this is a piece you can easily bite off and enjoy.
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Review by: Naomi Joan