Driveway: Artist of the Week
Welcome to the world where Japanese mysticism meets electronic magic.
This week on ArtSound FM, we’re celebrating Shugorei, the Brisbane experimental duo rewriting the rules of percussion and electronics. Their name translates to 守護霊 (“guardian spirit” in Japanese), and it perfectly captures the enchanting, mystical world they’ve created since forming in 2019.
East Meets West, Classical Meets Chaos
Nozomi Omote, a classically trained percussionist who moved from Japan to Brisbane in 2003, brings virtuosic vibraphone and percussion alongside haunting bilingual vocals. Thomas Green, composer and electronic wizard with a PhD in composition, constructs the glitchy, shimmering IDM landscapes that serve as their mystical foundation. Together, they’ve been compared to heavyweights like Amon Tobin and Squarepusher, but with something uniquely their own—music that’s simultaneously ethereally beautiful and viscerally intense.
Their sound? Imagine Studio Ghibli soundtracks colliding with experimental electronics, percussion made from found objects, and lyrics exploring displacement, belonging, and transformation. It’s music that works both as meditative background listening and focused, immersive experience.
Essential Tracks to Start Your Journey
“Shugorei” (feat. Chihiro Kasagi) — Six minutes of shimmering vibraphone and glitchy electronics with haunting vocals about spirit animals emerging from twilight forests. The perfect introduction to their world.
“Meet The Sun” (feat. Shêm Allen) — A turning point showcasing their ability to blend experimental foundations with emotionally resonant songcraft. The bilingual lyrics reflect Nozomi’s journey from Japan with defiant beauty: “You can’t stop me / I’ve already gone / See how I won’t be drowned.”
“Michi” (道) — From their 2025 album Memories of Magic, this tender opening track sung entirely in Japanese represents Shugorei fully realized. “Let’s keep singing together / Forever, forever, forever.”
Beyond the Music
Shugorei have collaborated with the Australian School of Kung Fu and Tai Chi to explore rhythms in martial arts forms, their album artwork was created by Nozomi’s nine-year-old daughter, and Thomas views their music as literal spells or enchantments. This is experimental music with heart, humour, and magic.
Listen now: shugorei.bandcamp.com | Spotify
Learn more: shugorei.net | @shugorei_music
Tune in all week to hear Shugorei across ArtSound FM. The guardian spirits are waiting.
