Kimaguren

Formed in 2005, the duo Kimaguren—comprising Kurei Yuuki and Iseki Yasumasa—emerged after both members, originally hailing from Zushi, Kanagawa, returned home following periods spent in Singapore and New York. Early independent singles drew scant notice, leading to a low-key single release that same year and a mini-album in 2007. Signing with Under Horse, they issued a 2008 re-release of the modest hit “Life,” which propelled the pair to sudden prominence through heavy rotation on music video outlets and radio, topping the Oricon charts for both the single and its accompanying full-length album while also serving as the “train approaching” signal in Kanagawa. Eschewing the dramatic ballads that had come to define much of J-Pop’s push for credibility, they instead delivered an unadorned pop number celebrating an appreciation for everyday existence.