NOGI, Soraka's concept album "Ordinary Girl," produced by ICHIKA Works STUDIO.

The daily life of an "ordinary girl" you might find anywhere. Is it merely a succession of nameless days? Or is it the minute emotional shifts hidden beneath the surface that define life’s turning points?

To play nostalgic yet vivid melodies with modern-day purity. The vast information inherent in High-Resolution audio captures the "faintest tremors" of a young girl’s heart. The moment your sensibilities react and you feel, "This is my song"—that is the sole objective of this work.

"Rebooting the Golden Age of Japanese Pop: From Kayōkyoku to J-Pop, and Beyond."

The many works born through trial and error during the 1980s, the transition from Kayōkyoku to J-Pop. These are the timeless classics that have been, and will continue to be, passed down through generations.

Everyone has likely thought: "These are wonderful, but what if they were recorded with today’s technology?" The nostalgia featured in recent pop scenes stimulates everyone’s memories. But can we truly be satisfied with just a "retro atmosphere"? What we crave is not a mere imitation of nostalgia, but the passion and warmth of that era.

ICHIKA Works STUDIO was established to satisfy this personal desire and to challenge the modern pop scene. "Ordinary Girl" involved engineers from the very first stages of composition. Mixing was conducted under the strict premise of an ultra-high-resolution environment of 32-bit / 96kHz.

No compromises were made in order to capture every "minute emotional shift" within NOGI, Soraka's voice. Surrender yourself to the sound, as it is, and let it shake you to the very core of your soul.

The midnight train at 11:30 PM; a stamped ticket clutched in hand. It evokes the 'analogue' atmosphere of a bygone era—the hum of the station and a sense of solitude that has vanished in the digital age.

An emotional melody that triggers a vivid flashback for those who lived it, and a universal, soul-stirring nostalgia for those who didn't.

A song depicting the inner conflict of a morning departure when the daily routine ends. The lyrics, "A lonely farewell is too painful, so I hope you'll just close the door and leave," capture the delicate balance between feigned strength and lingering affection.

A mid-tempo track that resonates with urban solitude and the quiet resolve of taking a step toward independence by choosing not to "turn around."

A track depicting the delicate and fluctuating self-consciousness of a young woman's heart. The refrain, "I'd rather it become a deep wound and heal me through that pain," highlights the desperate longing to preserve precious memories.

The composition dramatically explores the conflict between the regret of taking happiness for granted and the innocent wish to relive those golden days forever.

A piece depicting a moment of solitude amidst the city's bustle. The light piano notes highlight the isolation of facing "words that cannot be remembered."

Introspective nostalgic pop for adults, tracing past promises over a cup of cold coffee.

Familiar skies and hometown scenery are lost in exchange for convenience. Set in a town transformed by urban development, this mid-tempo track depicts the bewilderment of seeing one's own memories become "blurred" and rewritten, alongside an undying affection for the past.

Memories of the rhythmic swaying of a swing and childhood days spent on the playground are painted over a brisk yet somewhat poignant country-style ensemble. "Sunlight marked my awakening. Moonlight arrived with my changing self." — this is a poignant nostalgic song about trying to hold onto one's own certain memories amidst a shifting era.

A powerful ballad that embraces raw emotions at the edge of despair and solitude. Through a heavy beat and lyrical piano, it affirms not only sadness but also the "anger" needed to stand up, transforming it into the strength to live.

A story of salvation and resilience, depicting the process of a closed heart regaining its light through a dramatic ensemble.

This song captures the vivid colors of spring, from cherry blossom petals to sunlight filtering through street trees. It depicts charming everyday moments, like holding down a skirt in a sudden gust of wind or heading out in a green dress, while expressing a buoyant spirit of moving forward to find happiness.

The life once dreamed of feels distant; one lives aimlessly today, knowing tomorrow will be the same. Regret over the chosen path echoes in the silence of the night.

This deeply introspective piece offers a gentle message to those in despair, whispering, "if you find yourself at a loss, turn around."

A quiet night spent alone with a glass at a cocktail bar where foreign languages fill the air. The lyrics of an unknown song resonate deeply with a soul weary of society.

It depicts a scene where the story of an old soldier once driven from his homeland overlaps with the protagonist's own solitude in modern life. A mid-tempo track where one surrenders to the comfort of the drink and the atmosphere.

A multinational town where foreign tongues drift and residents project images of their own homelands. This exotic pop track captures the sense of alienation and emptiness of a person who sees the bustling streets only in "monochrome."

In a place where everyone lives as a "stranger" with hidden secrets behind their smiles, the floating soundscape evokes the sensation of wandering through a labyrinth. It vividly portrays the moment one realizes that they, too, are just another foreigner in this world.

A track depicting a cold relationship where a man and woman use each other for social appearance and vanity. It captures the emptiness of daily life spent wearing masks and knowingly performing a deception (scam).

While fully aware of the ulterior motives behind every invitation and the indifference toward her, she continues to maintain the relationship. This song sharply portrays the inner world of a woman who swallows obvious lies and senses the approaching end, yet remains within this precarious bond.

Even an aspiring writer, so dear to her heart, cannot defy a single piece of paper—the conscription order. Set in the unreasonable era of war, this track depicts the anguish and resistance of two people whose vows and bonds are torn apart by the tides of time.

The bitter regret of kicking over a pile of books, and the despair of being sent to the front lines simply because of one's healthy, strong body. Carrying on the legacy left behind in the pen and manuscript paper, she prays for an end to these days of struggle. A song where unquenchable anger and soul-stirring resolve dwell beneath a quiet melody.

Gazing at children through a window, she sees her former self and recalls a time before the busyness of housework and career took over. Amidst daily sighs over the gap between ideals and reality, she harbors a quiet resolve to seize a dream she can achieve through her own strength, rather than just dreaming while asleep.

Even the dizzying pace of every day is a rough diamond that will one day make her shine. A track where forward-looking strength intersects with an authentic, everyday perspective.

Track (Direct Sales Exclusive)

A triumphant anthem celebrating the end of a shallow, "playing house" relationship and the exhilarating dawn of true adult freedom. The "important talk" that sounded like a marriage proposal is embraced not as a tragedy, but as a long-awaited release. Leaving the matching ring behind in a quiet café, she finally severs the strings of the "marionette" who once lived only to please another.

Turning her back on the immature frenzy of funk-driven discos, she chooses to dance wildly to her own "scattered rhythm," finding power in the centrifugal force of her solitude. Like a tragic heroine evolving into a self-assured lead, she tears away the unwanted necklace of compromise and steps onto a stage of her own making. A song that captures the sophisticated joy of trading a suffocating romance for the limitless possibilities of a quiet, independent life.