I’ll rave about Ryugujo to anyone who will listen. Their Deep Wave EP earlier this year is among the most exciting pieces of music released in 2024 and I have similar hopes for their first full album later this month. Lead track Urashima is more ‘statement of intent’ than full song, making it a curious choice for promotion.

As with all their music, Urashima is the brainchild of producer/mentor Avu-chan. It’s a natural extension of the robust worldbuilding they’ve displayed so far and feels like an extended album intro. Its taut, two-minute running time doesn’t offer enough space for development, making it their weakest single yet. However, Urashima manages to fit quite a bit of content into this narrow frame. It reminds me of unit track Seafood released earlier this year, though it lacks some of that track’s unique sonic punches.

What stands out most is Ryugujo’s performance. As always, they throw everything they have into the track, sneering and snarling their way through each moment. They find character in imperfection — a particularly important asset in this age of AI-perfected pop song sheen. The verses are as much conversation as they are rap, taunting the listener with off-kilter flow. I’m most fond of the incantation-like hook and brief bridge that injects extra drama to Urashima‘s final moments. If I had it my way, the song would go  another minute and build further upon these strengths, but Urashima remains a truncated tease. Hopefully the album takes its time to flesh out this potential.

Grade: B