[Cover portrait credit to George Asakura]
Hakushi Hasegawa (they/them) continues to herald their new record, Honest Feeling Album(素直な気持ちアルバム), out August 28th, 2026, via Brainfeeder, with a new video for “Suffocation Diary” (窒息日記 ).”
“Suffocation Diary,” features a “twee” style and features namedropping of influences, like SOPHIE, Arca, Mykki Blanco, and Hudson Mohawke among many others. Those have shaped the artist who gathers styles according to their own “interests.”
Hasegawa shares their inspiration behind the track:
Within the album—and indeed, among my own works—the lyrics of this song are arguably the most aggressive. In this era of “legitimacy”, it feels as though people naively believe that through the appropriate learning and the discovery of abundance, anyone can move on to the next stage clean-cut and unscathed. In reality, that is wrong.
When we try to incorporate something different into ourselves—especially into areas related to life itself—we suffocate under a desire for negation, violent impulses, rebellion against authority, or even a “physiological” sense of revulsion. In my view, the glorification of the archive itself stems from an escape from this suffocation… um, it’s trendy.
It’s just too extreme. And what’s more, it’s an extreme that harms others. The fact that I reveal my love for many things—or my places of escape—in the first half is a cowardly tactic that combines payback with daydreaming.
The official music video directed by filmmaker Kotaro Saito features the imagery of carnivorous plants, depicting a series of events unfolding around plants displayed in handcrafted metal kettles and vessels. Plant supervision was provided by CherryRadishPlants, while the metalwork featured in the video was created by Yumi Nakamura.
Following their previous release on Brainfeeder, Honest Feeling Album sees Hasegawa joined by their newly formed band, HaHa and The Hairpins, pushing their music into new territory while embracing a live-band sound. The album also features a diverse cast of collaborators including Mito Tsukino, tofubeats, Accorinrin (Otoboke Beaver), and Lee Lang. Each track flows seamlessly into the next, forming a continuous narrative that unfolds across the entire album.
Honest Feeling Album’s artwork and new artist visuals were specially illustrated by manga artist George Asakura, a longtime creative inspiration for Hasegawa. Centered around the image of someone cooking okonomiyaki, the artwork “presents a new portrait of Hasegawa grounded in the textures of everyday life.”
Hasegawa’s previous album, Mahōgakkō/魔法学校 or The Magic School, marked their first release on the Brainfeeder label in 2024. Fans can tide themselves over with some “unofficial” material from Hasegawa by tuning into the fashion shows of Noir Kei Ninomiya, who have commissioned the artist for their seasonal showcases over the last few years.
