Inside the Glow of Tomonori’s “Lantern”
- Miles Coleman
- Nov 18
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 27
A few seconds into “Lantern,” it becomes clear that Tomonori is entering a new creative stride. The Dublin based Japanese Irish artist has long approached pop with an exploratory spirit, yet this track from his newly released album Hypernonchalant feels like a moment of arrival. It is spacious, vivid, and confidently shaped. Working once again with French platinum producer YDTHXGRT, he builds a sound that feels personal in essence but ambitious in its depth and texture.
The song opens with soft, wavering synth tones, as if the air around them is shifting. When the rhythm sets in, it settles into a gentle Afropop influenced groove that moves with fluid ease. The percussion gives the track a sense of lightness while still holding its shape. Over this, Tomonori sings with an expressive calm that invites the listener in rather than pushing outward. His voice carries a clarity that feels effortless, yet there is an emotional precision behind every phrase.
The writing in “Lantern” stands out for its sensory detail. Tomonori avoids direct storytelling and instead blends physical sensations with dreamlike imagery. Sand turns into an entry point, flickering sound becomes a signal, and the deep sea becomes a reflection of inner space. The result is an atmosphere that feels immersive without losing its grounding. Even without knowing the album’s deeper examination of trauma in a contemporary context, the heightened self awareness woven through the song is unmistakable.
Musically, the track strikes a rare balance between approachability and experimentation. The groove offers an immediate pull, while the production rewards attention to the subtler moments. Delicate percussive flickers, shimmering ambient layers, and flashes of guitar appear and disappear like quick sparks of light. “Lantern” does not rely on obvious peaks or dramatic turns. Instead, it grows in quiet confidence and reveals its intricacies gradually.
As one of the defining pieces of Hypernonchalant, “Lantern” showcases an artist who is evolving with intention and curiosity. It feels both intimate and expansive, a clear marker of Tomonori’s continuing progression into a world of his own making.
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