Cuushe

Cuushe (Mayuko Hitotsuyanagi) is a Japanese singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer from Kyoto, Japan. She creates dream pop-infused electronic music that blends ambient, glitch pop, and delicate vocal textures with ethereal soundscapes. Growing up in Kyoto, Cuushe learned piano and improvised frequently before moving between Osaka, Tokyo, London, and Berlin. She began making music in 2008, inspired by artists like Boards of Canada and L'Altra. Her debut album Red Rocket Telepathy was released in 2009 on Japanese indie label flau, establishing her signature sound of layered vocals, floating electronics, and fragile melodies wrapped in sensitive emotion. Cuushe released the triple-EP Girl You Know That I Am Here but the Dream in 2012, featuring collaborations with Julia Holter, artwork by Rachel Evans (Motion Sickness of Time Travel), and mastering by Miles Whitaker (Demdike Stare/Pendle Coven). Her second album Butterfly Case (2013) was recorded after relocating to Berlin and received critical acclaim from Pitchfork as a captivating collection of dream pop. The Night Lines EP followed in 2015, with the track We Can't Stop featured in the TBS series Search Party. After a hiatus due to personal hardship, Cuushe returned in 2020 with Waken, an album that marked a sonic evolution with stronger vocals, club-influenced production incorporating UK garage and drum and bass elements, and a shift from hazy dreamscapes to clearer, more present sound. The album was followed by Waken Remixes (2021), featuring reworks by Yu Su, Iglooghost, Kate NV, Loraine James, and others. Cuushe has toured with Grouper and Julianna Barwick in Japan and performed across Australia, Europe, and Asia. She has also collaborated with artists including Iglooghost, Populous, and Kidkanevil. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.