Over the past year, I’ve become incredibly familiar with pop icon Kento Nakajima. I first met the boyishly charming idol when I interviewed him for Genius last spring. He was kind, personable, and excited to chat with the international press in English about his first international drama, CONCORDIA, shot in Rome under the guidance of Game of Thrones producer Frank Doelger.  Nakajima shared several personal behind-the-scenes stories; from his newfound love of the local Carbonara to a rough demo of what would eventually become “THE CODE,” which he wrote and composed as an insert song for the drama.

Now, “THE CODE” along with 16 other tracks, has finally been officially released as part of Nakajima’s debut album as a solo artist ｢N/bias｣. 

“I poured my heart into this album, crafting songs that capture humanity’s darkest emotions and brightest hopes,” Nakajima said in a statement to the international press. “My goal is to deliver something fresh, unbiased by my past, something real. Something honest. Something… me.”

And that’s precisely what he’s done. 

The album opens with the dramatic orchestrals of  ｢N / o’clock｣. The classical sounds descend into a sultry and sensual melody of a song that explores what it means to navigate feelings of lust and love from the vantage point – of someone ready to be raw and real – unbothered and unafraid of the opinions of others.

It’s the overarching theme of the album.

｢PICARESQUE｣ follows. This genre-bending song continues with classical undertones while mixing darker dance beats with pop, R&B, and a touch of techno. 

Written by Tonun, ｢黄昏てゆく夜に｣ (English: ｢In the Twilight｣) dazzles with its dreamy disco beat that blends seamlessly with ｢Dance on the floor｣ another disco-driven song about finding paradise at midnight. This song is a dance anthem.

Radiating an undeniable sweetness, ｢Scene29｣ marks the album’s first traditional pop track. It begins with Nakajima’s gentle laugh, announcing to the listener that he’s rolling on an endearing love song subtly infused with ’80s-inspired synth. Among all the tracks, it stands out as the most tender and heartfelt, quickly becoming an early favorite as I write this review, fully immersed in my first journey through the album’s lavish soundscape.

｢Unite｣ returns to the fun of disco with a breezy, summer-inspired track that captures the enchanting merry-go-round of the magic of true love, followed by ｢jealous｣ which (so far) remains my favorite track on the album. From its awesome 90s sound to the brightness of the music video – and Kento’s catchy (and adorable) lyrics. It’s just an incredible track. 

｢Raise Your Light｣ is a fun and funky groove. Another more traditional-sounding pop song, its simplicity—crafted in the best possible way—creates the perfect stage for Nakajima’s vocals to truly shine. The same can be said for ｢Bye Bye Me｣([Produced by ☆Taku Takahashi (m-flo) and ｢Heartbeats｣—while musically the songs aren’t the most intricate, they’re brought to life through the nuances in Nakajima’s voice. 

I’ve said it before, and it holds true here as well: a good singer can make any song enjoyable, but it takes a true artist to captivate you with their emotion—especially when the lyrics are in a language other than your own. Nakajima has truly mastered this art.

The dark, gothic allure of ｢Nocturne｣ is absolutely giving me life on this cloudy Christmas morning in Los Angeles. With its haunting atmosphere, it feels destined to be the closing theme of an epic vampire romance anime. Very much tied with ｢jealous｣ as my favorite on the album. 

｢迷夢｣ (English: ｢Dream｣) is a track that demanded a second listen. A subtle digital effect on Nakajima’s voice lends an ethereal quality, perfectly complementing the song’s title and tone. The delicate touch of orgel fantasia further enhances its dreamlike atmosphere. It’s a beautiful track followed by the moment I’ve been waiting for since I hit play: ｢THE CODE｣. I love this track. I’ve loved this track from the moment I heard it – and knowing Kento wrote it and produced it himself – entirely in English – makes it even more special.

The theme song to his new drama しょせん他人事（ひとごと）ですから ～とある弁護士の本音の仕事～(English: It’s Somebody Else’s Business – A Lawyer’s True Feelings about His Work), ｢ヒトゴト｣ (English: ｢Somebody Else’s Problem｣) is one of my favorite of Nakajima’s music videos. One of the things I love most about him is that while he can play the leading man, dripping with sex and sensuality with ease, he’s just as willing to play an absolute nerd. He’s serious about his craft but doesn’t take himself seriously – at all – making him even more attractive. 

The final two tracks form a perfect pairing to close out the album, marking the start of a new chapter in Nakajima’s journey as a solo artist. The English version of ｢ROSSO｣—his last solo song as a member of Sexy Zone, the group that catapulted him to idol status—retains all the allure and intimacy of the original.

A a bonus track, a refreshed vocal mix of  ｢CANDY ~Can U Be My BABY~｣, one of his earliest solo songs with the group, closes out the album with a burst of playful energy. A beautiful reflection on

Nakajima’s beginnings while looking toward his future, though his past is why he chose to release the album on Christmas Day. 

“The Holiday release is significant for me,” he said. “I decided to become an idol myself one Christmas after receiving the 2005 CD Seishun Amigo from Kazuya Kamenashi and Tomohisa Yamashita’s collaborative unit “Shuji and Akira,” so my wish is that this album night inspire someone somewhere along the same incredible path.”

The standard version is available worldwide on all streaming / download platforms including Qobuz which offers a 24-Bit/48 kHz Stereo download in multiple formats. The physical disc of “N / bias” featuring bonus tracks and behind-the-scenes video content across three separate editions is available wherever Japanese music and movies are sold, including CD JAPAN!

I can’t wait to see what 2025 has in store for Nakajima. There will be more soon so… 

Stay Tuned!