Tomonori – “Lantern”
Tomonori’s new single Lantern is out now, and it’s the first thing he’s shared from his new album Hypernonchalant. It blends Afropop, indie pop, and electronic influences, but it does it in a way that doesn’t feel like it’s trying to check boxes, and the sound is tight but relaxed, and there’s this interesting balance between something you can move to and something that pulls you inward a bit. It’s safe to say this is one of the top 20 releases I enjoyed in the last couple of days.
The lyrics are pretty abstract, but they do a good job of creating this strange, half-dream kind of atmosphere. There’s sand, snow, deep-sea creatures. It’s a mix that somehow works without needing to fully make sense. Instead of over-explaining anything, the song kind of lets you sit with whatever you’re picking up from it. That’s not super common, and it’s what made me run it back a few times.
He co-produced it with YDTHXGRT, and you can tell they were on the same page. Nothing feels crowded or overdone. There’s room in the track, and that space lets the ideas land. If you’re into music that keeps its own pace and doesn’t spell everything out for you, Lantern is worth checking out. Keep up with Tomonori on social media to see what else he’s putting out in 2025.
