Back in March we reported that pop-rock quartet BUMP OF CHICKEN would be releasing their ninth studio album on July 10th. As this date begins to draw closer, the group have now published all of the information regarding the release online.

The record, titled “aurora arc”, will include nine of the band’s previously released tracks, as well as five yet-to-be released songs for a total of 14. Of note, the release’s cover art was a collaboration between visual designer VERDY and photographer Yoshiharu Ota, who traveled to Canada’s Yellowknife in order to take photos of the Aurora Borealis.

Read on below to find both this cover and the complete track list for “aurora arc”.

Eighteen year-old singer/songwriter maica_n will be releasing her first mini-album this week on June 5th. Titled “Himitsu”, this release will include five songs, among them lead track “Dance With Me” and “Baby it’s you”, maica_n’s collaboration with guitarist Char.

To support the album’s release, a music video for “Dance With Me” has been uploaded to her label’s YouTube channel. The PV mixes maica_n’s performance of the track with shots of her strolling around the set.

You’ll find this lighthearted music video, as well as the cover and track list for “Himitsu” right after the cut.

Alternative rockers Halo at Yojohan will be releasing their latest mini-album “from NOVEL LAND” this week on June 5th. To coincide with the record’s release, they have published the PV for its lead track “Living Dead Swimmer” to their label’s YouTube channel.

Directed by videographer Yuki Wakisaka, this video is split between scenes of the band performing the song in a brightly lit space and a woman – played by model Natsuki Yufu – wandering through a nighttime cityscape. Of note, “Living Dead Swimmer” was produced by frequent amazarashi collaborator Yoshiaki Dewa.

You’ll find this uplifting music video right after the jump.

We have more results from this year’s “Talent Power Ranking”! This time, the focus is on the stars of Johnny & Associates. Arashi tops the list, followed by group member Aiba Masaki, who was sixth in 2018. Rounding out the top three is another Arashi member, Ohno Satoshi, who was #5 last year. See the rest of the top 20 after the jump!

This week, Hey! Say! JUMP topped the Hot 100 single chart with their new single “Lucky-Unlucky.”

BALLISTIK BOYZ topped the Hot Albums chart with their self-titled debut album.

Official HIGE DANdism topped the Streaming Songs chart with their single “Pretender.”

Suda Masaki topped the Download Songs chart for the second consecutive week with his digital single “Machigai Sagashi.”

Sawano Hiroyuki topped the Download Albums chart with his new soundtrack album “Promare.”

This week’s guests were aiko, V6, and MAN WITH A MISSION.

aiko – Atashi no Mukou / KissHug

V6 – Aruhi Negai ga Kanattanda

MAN WITH A MISSION – Remember Me

Soon to be former HKT48 member Haruka Kodama has announced her departure from the group.

In an interview with Nikkan Sports Haruka spoke about her decision to graduate, wanting an entirely new “fresh start”. Haruka had been on a very long hiatus from activities due to poor physical health, which began at the end of 2017.

Haruka had rapidly began to become more popular. In each Senbatsu Election participated she received a higher rank, peaking in the 8th Senbatsu Election where she came in 9th. This would be her last election, and her position in AKB48 was eventually canceled in April 2018.

Virgil Abloh‘s brand Off-White is one of the hottest ones in fashion today. One of the streetwear brand’s signature motifs is the use of quotation marks, with the marks turning a handbag into “Sculpture” and shoelaces into “Shoelaces.” Virgil loves quotation marks, as explained by 032c‘s Thom Bettridge, “Quotation marks are one of the many tools that Abloh uses to operate in a mode of ironic detachment…Abloh rejects the who-did-it-first mentality of previous generations in favor of the copy-paste logic of the Internet and its inhabitants. His new order is protected by a fortress of irony.”

One of those internet inhabitants, Tomomi Itano, decided to use Virgil’s logic when it came to her new tour goods. The former AKB48 member’s merch uses quotation marks as well. She took to Instagram to show off her wares.