Back in early 2023, I posted my first article on the band YONA YONA WEEKENDERS, a group that's embraced the genres of City Pop, J-Pop and punk in their performances. I didn't get any punk in their 2019 "Yoru no groovin'"（夜のgroovin'）, but the song is one relaxing cocktail mix of nocturnal inner-city Tokyo urbane and a soupcon of dream pop.
In May 2020, YONA YONA WEEKENDERS released their second single as a major act, "Tokyo Midnight Cruising Club" along with a music video of going through a late-night Japanese urban neighbourhood filmed with that split mirror effect. It provides an eerie yet romantic atmosphere of a seemingly futuristic cityscape. Just like "Yoru no groovin'", there is the YYW arrangement of urbane and dreamy pop whipped up by songwriter and vocalist Isono-kun（磯野くん）.
At the same time, I noticed the lyrics midway through the song where Isono-kun invites listeners to join his little club. The whole thing is wistful since at the time the single was put out there, the entire planet including Tokyo was in the middle of the pandemic so I can imagine that a lot of Tokyoites were restricted to their apartments and computer screens. Perhaps the video was even more of a source of comfort for people to even take a virtual walk outside. It could have also served as an open invitation for folks to finally walk around the area in person at midnight once the lockdowns were lifted.
"Tokyo Midnight Cruising Club" was also a track on YYW's 2nd EP from June 2020, "Machi wo Oyoide"（街を泳いで...Swimming Through the City）. Hopefully, people are truly appreciating their night sojourns now in 2024.
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