Tokyo-based musician Sakura Tsuruta released her debut album, C/O, to critical acclaim last year. She has performed both domestically and as far afield as Canada and Europe and appeared on radio shows from the UK to Hong Kong and Mexico.

A regular performer at Tokyo’s Mutek festival, she has graced the same lineup as previous TW interviewee Hatis Noit. She’s also active as a DJ in the Tokyo club scene. A favorite of the fashion world, she often plays for brand events, with recent DJ highlights such as Agnès b. and Fendi. She has performed her live set for brands including The North Face and graced the front of Forbes Japan.

Tsuruta composes electronica that’s glitchy and ambient, often veering into beat territory, meaning that she’s equally as at home in the ambient world as she is in the dance scene. We figured that Tsuruta, with her wide-ranging ear for various types of music, would be the perfect person to ask for album recommendations.

Sakura Tsuruta Top 5 Recommended Albums

Confidence Man — Tilt

“This uplifting album is my go-to choice for a sunny Friday morning, getting excited for the weekend to start, dancing around in my pajamas with my third cup of tea. Good vibes only.”

Kelly Lee Owens — L.P. 8.2

“Kelly Lee Owens is one of my favorite artists, and her latest album is here! I love the contrast that her gentle voice and the glitchy metallic sounds create and how they complement each other. It’s so original, yet it has a nostalgic feeling too. Even though it’s experimental, it’s catchy and an easy listen.”

Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith — Let’s Turn It Into Sound

“Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith is another favorite of mine, and if there is one artist that I feel is constantly evolving in style but also unapologetically herself, it’s Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith. Her ethereal vocals and modular synth harmonies are mesmerizing.”

Caterina Barbieri — Spirit Exit

“I keep coming back to this album since its release in July 2022. It’s so refreshing to hear great song structures in such innovative music. It makes the musical journey so much more interesting but easy to navigate, especially with the emotionally charged and cathartic experience that this album creates.”

Cool Maritime — Big Earth Energy

“I particularly love the sound design of this entire album. I think it’s a really bold decision not to have the drums or beats that we might hear in electronic music in the conventional sense. Instead, the intricate layers of synth sounds create this groove that is so unique even without the drums.”

Check out Tsuruta’s website here.