Former KAT-TUN lead singer Jin Akanishi started up his own label in 2014, which was followed by a handful of releases he largely wrote and produced himself. His full-length alubum, Me, released in June 2015, represents the culmination of his new-found independence.

Me opens with the sweet “Let Me Talk To U.” The child’s voice in the beginning is a reminder that this party guy is a family man too, and the inclusion of banjo gives the song a homey feel. The rest of the album bounces between funky hip-hop numbers, breathy ballads and tracks that seem perhaps a little overly inspired by the U.S. Top 40.