Mogamigawa Tsukasa - Kimi no mune no naka ni

In June 2016, visual enka singer Mogamigawa Tsukasa celebrated the first anniversary of his major debut. A little later, the artist announced his third single Kimi no mune no naka ni, which was released on October 12th. This time he has collaborated with Iwate-born singer-songwriter Matsumoto Tetsuya for the title track.

The ballad Kimi no mune no naka ni is characterized by delicate instrumentation, with piano and strings and the moving vocals of Mogamigawa Tsukasa. If you close your eyes, you can let the singing and melody carry you away to a beautiful place somewhere in the past. The title track is followed by Aitai yo, another collaboration between Tsukasa and his THE MICRO HEAD 4N'S colleague kazuya.

Composed by kazuya, the music is equal parts aggressive and gentle, accompanied by traditional Japanese instruments and a prominent electric guitar part. Tsukasa wrote the lyrics alongside ma-saya, who has previously written lyrics for Hey! Say! JUMP and Arashi. Due to the constant change of tempo and loud and softer instruments, Aitai yo is an exceptionally varied and dynamic piece.

The limited edition of Kimi no mune no naka ni also includes a bonus DVD, which features digest footage from Mogamigawa Tsukasa's live show Ichi Shuunen Kinen Enka Kayou Show ~Mahiro no tsuki to yamiyo no hana~. The live was held on June 12th to commemorate his first anniversary as a major artist. The DVD features performances of Kita sakaba, Sakurambo koiuta, Hitohira no sakura, MATSUPOIYO and an acting section called Satsujin Corner in which Tsukasa, his two backing dancers and Maifo colleague SHUN. face each other as opponents armed with katanas.

The regular edition of Kimi no mune no naka ni features the exclusive bonus track Ima ha hana. Self-composed by Tsukasa, it's a dreamy, mid-tempo song with a beautiful traditional musical accompaniment. Regardless of which version you decide upon in the end, the moving title track is the outstanding highlight on both editions. In addition, the design of both booklets, decorated with photographs of different landscapes in the four seasons, fits wonderfully with the single's concept.

A preview of the music video for Kimi no mune no naka ni featuring pictures hand-drawn by Mogamigawa Tsukasa can be watched below: