Maya Ongaku's "Nothing Space Music": Acid Folk From an Enoshima Seaside Studio Scores 4.5 Stars
Japanese trio Maya Ongaku release their second album, Nothing Space Music, on August 7, 2026, via Guruguru Brain / Bayon Production. The band — Tsutomu Sonoda, Ryota Takano, and Shoei Ikeda — formed in 2021 in the coastal town of Enoshima, Kanagawa Prefecture, and has toured internationally over the past five years. Far Out Magazine gave the record 4.5 stars, calling it "one of the most transportive records of 2026 so far."
How the record came together
The album was recorded at a self-built seaside studio the trio calls "Nothing Space Studio," with Maya Ongaku producing themselves. According to Far Out Magazine, the band has long described its process as "spontaneous occurrence" — and on this record, the improvised passages reportedly sound less like improvisation and more like something that was always going to fall into place.
Compared to their 2024 EP, Nothing Space Music pulls the band's sound back toward its original Enoshima atmosphere — dusk sea-fog, unhurried walking rhythms — but layers in finer jazz-brass textures that keep the haze from losing its shape. Vocals float over swelling folk melodies, a drift Far Out compares to a sedated Brian Wilson.
Far Out singled out "Astral Echoes" as the album's key track, writing that the record feels "more like an immersive experience than a record in the traditional sense" — recommended, per the review, for anyone looking to fully unwind with acid folk.
Release details
- 📅 Release date: August 7, 2026
- 💿 Album: Nothing Space Music
- 🏷️ Label: Guruguru Brain / Bayon Production
- 🎛️ Produced by: Maya Ongaku
- 🎵 Lead track: "Astral Echoes"
What we don't know yet
The source report doesn't mention any tour dates tied to this release, streaming links, or additional press details beyond the Far Out Magazine review. Anyone hoping to catch Maya Ongaku live off the back of this album will need to wait for a separate announcement.