In the modern digital landscape, where music and storytelling increasingly overlap, the lines between sound and narrative blur. MIMINARI, the ever-evolving music project led by composers NARI and Sham, has embraced this intersection wholeheartedly. Their latest release, Ring LINE feat. NENE, is more than just a song—it is a crystallization of memory, inspired by a winning entry from the “MIMINARI x Monogatary.com” collaboration contest. The track transforms words into melody, sentiment into sound, and fleeting emotions into something tangible, something that lingers. The song, officially announced alongside the contest results, draws directly from Fukushima Station on the Osaka Ring Line, the grand prize-winning story by Ryo Odoji. The narrative unfolds at a train station where a ring, once given as a symbol of love, becomes a relic of farewell—an object imbued with the weight of memory. MIMINARI, known for their ephemeral yet deeply textured compositions, has taken this premise and woven it into Ring LINE, enlisting singer-songwriter NENE to give voice to the emotions embedded in the story.

MIMINARI’s work is distinguished by a meticulous balance of sonic transparency and lyrical depth. They craft music that feels weightless yet grounded, personal yet expansive. Since their inception in 2022, they have collaborated with a variety of vocalists, tailoring each song to the unique textures of their guest singers. This adaptability has allowed them to develop a signature sound—airy, melancholic, and immersive—without being confined to a single style. For Ring LINE, the process was one of delicate extraction. The challenge lay in translating the written word into musical form without losing its emotional integrity. MIMINARI noted that the story’s ability to condense an entire relationship into a fleeting moment—one set against the rhythmic backdrop of a moving train—was what made it so compelling. The song, much like its source material, captures the essence of transience: the way memories resurface in unexpected ways, the way objects carry meaning long after they are discarded.

NENE, a singer-songwriter known for her literary approach to lyrics and her distinctive husky-yet-delicate voice, was a natural choice to bring the song to life. Her delivery is both intimate and distant, a voice that seems to drift through time rather than be bound by it. The track itself ebbs and flows, layering delicate piano lines with understated beats before introducing sweeping synths that mirror the movement of a train pulling away from the platform. The release of Ring LINE is not an isolated event—it arrives as part of a much larger narrative unfolding in real time. As of April 2024, MIMINARI has amassed over 30 million plays across streaming platforms, a testament to their ability to resonate within the hyper-digitalized world of modern music consumption. Their previous releases, such as Sleeping feat. Tomori Kusunoki, have already left a significant mark, with songs exceeding 10 million plays and inspiring thousands of user-generated TikTok videos.

Their upcoming FREQ. album, set for release on March 26, marks another milestone—their first full-length project. It’s an album that promises to encapsulate everything they’ve built so far, a collection of songs that mirror the feeling of flipping through a well-worn book, where each track is a new chapter yet deeply interconnected. The album will feature a range of collaborations, including artists such as Such, Anonymouz, and Kaeri Yagi, each bringing their own voice to MIMINARI’s sonic world. Additionally, their involvement in anime soundtracks has further cemented their presence in the cultural zeitgeist. Tracks like I Can’t Say feat. ASMI, which served as an ending theme for Rent-A-Girlfriend, and Sleeping, the theme for Hikikari Vampire Princess’s Writing, have introduced their music to an even wider audience. Their upcoming contribution to the anime Demon King, Retry! R with Clan Chick feat. Yuho Kitazawa continues this trend, showcasing their versatility and willingness to explore different creative avenues.