Whether with their original material or in collaboration, the music of Mikeneko Homeless is remarkable for its diversity. Since establishing themselves on netlabels in the ‘00s, the duo of hironica and mochilon have turned their focus to genres as varied as EDM, hip hop, future bass and glitch pop – an enormous variety of styles, always slickly executed in works of dance music-infused pop.

But Mikeneko Homeless aren’t just known for their own work; they’re held in equally high regard for their collaborations. Over the past decade hironica and mochilon have written, produced and remixed for an enormous array of pop acts, from chart toppers Sexy Zone to indie hip hoppers chelmico.

The duo’s most recent full-length release is another collaboration, a work with singer-songwriter lulu titled Time To Love. To mark the release of Time To Love, we got together with hironica and mochilon to curate a Selector for The Glow. oth chose five songs along the theme of ‘chill music that influenced Mikeneko Homeless’ sound’ – read on for their selections.

Listen to Mikeneko Homeless and lul’s Time To Love on Spotify and Apple Music.`

 

Hironica`

Erroll Garner — “Misty” (1954)

I found a CD that had this song on it in my grandmother’s house back when I was in junior high school. It’s the first song that ever gave me chills when I listened to it, and it has stuck with me ever since.

 

Cassandra Wilson — ”You Don’t Know What Love Is” (1995)

I worked at a CD shop part-time when I was a student for a while. I practically wore down the CD listening to this song while working there. It’s music that resonates with a quiet tension, introspection and silence.

 

Bondax — “Gold” (2013)

I like to create sounds that almost have a gaping hole in the centre of them, that you could see through to the other side. This exemplifies that approach.

 

Monte Booker & Naji — ”Mona Lisa” (2016)

I encountered this one back when I was glued to my SoundCloud stream every single day, and especially keeping tabs on the newest releases from Soulection.

 

MICHELLE — “FOOL 4 U” (2022)

A snapshot of where I’m at mentally right now. Lately, I’ve just wanted to chill out with my friends…but also feeling like dancing a little.

 

Mochilon

Haruomi Hosono — “PLEOCENE” (1989)

Just a great TR-808 sound, helping create a groove intertwined with bass and shaker. This song sounds like no place anywhere in the world…or probably heaven, for that matter.

 

Fishmans — “Night Cruising” (1995)

I love the tremolo-like guitar playing, the deeply reverberating single piano note, the general guitar harmonics, the noise imitating record sounds in the background, and the floating feel of all those radio samples playing over it… all set over a Jamaican-indebted bass sound.

 

ACO — “Yorokobi Ni Saku Hana” (1999)

A spacious work creating a sense of floating via sitar, synthesizers, backtracked samples and low-bit beats courtesy of former Denki Groove member Yoshinori Sunahara. All that, wrapped up in electric piano and strings.

 

Haruomi Hosono — ”Koi Wa Momoiro” (2019)

The bass of the ARP Odyssey, the Bon Iver-influenced Prismizer Effect on the vocals – all this tied in with the sound of the snare bouncing around this open space; it’s the perfect combination of lively and lonely.

 

Asagaya Shimai, Oh Shu And Shohei Takagi — ”Neighborhood Story” (2021)

This song was written by cero’s Shohei Takagi, and the mellow track composed by Oh Shu. Asagaya Shimai’s singing ability and humour combines with the sound to create a unique atmosphere where loneliness and warmth coexist.