Tokyo-based four piece Never Young Beach has released a video for new song, “Kokoro No Mamani”. The digital single, whose title translates to “To Your Heart’s Content”, also serves as the theme song to the film “Even Dogs Eat, Charlie Laughs”. The track is the culmination of a number of singles and EPs that have followed the group’s last studio album, 2019’s STORY. Never Young Beach’s sound harkens back to heritage influences like the formative Japanese folk rock of Happy End, plus the exotica escapism of Haruomi Hosono’s tropical solo recordings. Channeled through a fresh indie rock approach, an identifiable undercurrent to these sounds is an almost optimistic innocence. Audiences outside of Japan might be more familiar with bandleader and vocalist Yuma Abe, whose solo record Fantasia was released last year. Distributed by Light In The Attic, the more understated singer-songwriter record features contributions with Devendra Banhart. The band also recently announced that it will begin recording new material this month, carrying into 2023.

The animated video for “Kokoro No Mamani” comes from animator Mark Neeley, who has previously directed music videos for artists like Michael Rault and Maston. The retro, 2D animated style brings about pen & ink designs that interchange with more abstract, minimally colored designs like disappearing flowers and skyscrapers that rise and fall. “I was so thrilled when Yuma invited me to make the video”, Neeley comments. “I wanted to convey a light, playful landscape that matches that laid-back nature of the song.”

Order “Kokoro No Mamani” by Never Young Beach HERE