SURF Music x Shingo Sekiguchi “Recollection” Remix Contest

Brief Details

Starting Friday, November 21, SURF Music is excited to announce the launch of the “Recollection” Remix Contest featuring the acclaimed guitarist, producer, and trackmaker Shingo Sekiguchi — also known as a member of the Japan-based band Ovall. Recognized as one of Japan’s leading guitarists and producers, Shingo Sekiguchi seamlessly blends jazz, soul, rock, and pop influences into his signature chill sound, marked by refined melodies and expressive guitar work. His globally loved track “North Wing” has surpassed 15 million streams worldwide, and he has collaborated with international artists such as Wouter Hamel. He was officially invited to perform in Umeå, Sweden, further expanding his global reach. For this contest, creators are invited to remix “Recollection”: a standout track from Sekiguchi’s latest album “tender”. Genre and style are completely open. Open to SURF Starter, Plus and Pro members, we look forward to receiving your submissions! <Contest Timeline> Contest Opens: Friday, November 21, 2025, at 12:00 PM (JST) Submission Deadline: Saturday, January 17, 2026, at 11:59 PM (JST) If the music genre, overall quality, and other elements of the submitted works fall within the scope of the “Usage Agreement,” all eligible tracks are scheduled to be released as singles on streaming platforms. One “Outstanding Work” will be selected. That track will not only be released as a streaming single, but may also be included on the ‘tender’ Remix album, with the possibility of a physical release as well. Regardless of the selection of the Outstanding Work, our goal is to create opportunities for the expressions of all remixers to reach a wide audience of listeners. We look forward to receiving many submissions. (For judging criteria, please refer to the “Terms of Use.”) Announcement of Outstanding Work & Streaming Release: TBD (2026) Shingo Sekiguchi ‘tender’ Remix Album: To be released thereafter (details TBD) <Contest Details> Remix Direction & Genre: Lo-Fi Hip Hop / Jazzy Hip Hop / Ambient / Downtempo / Neo Soul Please download the stems and create your remix. Key: E♭ BPM: 88 You may add newly created lyrics or audio elements (such as rap parts or melodies). There are no language restrictions. *For copyrights and related rights concerning submitted works, please refer to the “Terms of Use.” <Rights & Ownership> All copyrights, neighboring rights, ownership rights, and all other related rights for all submitted works shall belong to origami PRODUCTIONS. For details, please refer to the “Terms of Use.” <Download the Stems> The provided files are for this remix contest only. Please refrain from sharing them via SNS, email, or any other channels.

Profile Details

Guitarist, composer, and producer. A chill guitarist who blends sharp, expressive backing and solo guitar work into laid-back soundscapes. With roots in jazz, soul, rock, and pop, his unique approach to sound-making defies genre boundaries and continues to draw global attention. In 2015, he released his first solo album Brilliant, featuring artists such as Dutch jazz singer Wouter Hamel, Giovanca, and iri. His international fanbase grew rapidly through streaming and social media. His 2023 album tender has surpassed 25 million total streams. In 2025, he released tender (Deluxe Edition), featuring tracks such as “Good Day” feat. Max Jenmana, a leading figure in Thai pop, drawing attention for its innovative “sequel-style” release. He is also active as a member of Ovall with mabanua and Shingo Suzuki, collaborating with international artists such as France’s Hocus Pocus, IAM, the Philippines’ UDD (Armi Millare), Ichiko Aoba, and SIRUP. His joint projects include collaborations with Takao Tajima (Original Love), and his performances span major Japanese festivals such as FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL, GREENROOM FESTIVAL, RISING SUN ROCK FESTIVAL, and Sunset Live, as well as tours across Asia, including Taiwan and the Philippines. Beyond performance, he is active in composing for commercials, film, drama, and anime, and has supported a wide range of artists such as Aimyon, Kenshi Yonezu, Aina The End, Number_i, Takaya Kawasaki, Sora Tomonari, jo0ji, Ukiyo, and sato. as a producer, arranger, and guitarist. Since June 2025, he has been writing a new column, “Music Production for Solo Guitarists”, for Acoustic Guitar Magazine Online.

Brief References

To download the stems, please log in or sign up for a SURF account, and ensure that you have a Starter, Plus, or Pro plan before proceeding. ステムをダウンロードするには、SURFアカウントにログインまたは新規登録を行い、Starter、Plus、またはProプランにご加入いただいていることをご確認ください。

Track Requirements

Brief Terms

For this contest, works selected through the organizer’s judging process from among the submitted entries will be released on streaming platforms in sequence. The winner of the Outstanding Work (Grand Prize) will receive the following benefits: - Digital single release of the winning remix - Inclusion in the upcoming Shingo Sekiguchi "tender Remix" album (release date TBD) - Possibility of a vinyl release (to be determined depending on manufacturing and distribution conditions) *Please note that no monetary prize will be awarded for this contest. Regarding distribution of the winning work, releases will be carried out through the digital platforms designated by the organizer. Revenue generated from the sales of the applicable work will be distributed to participating creators based on the standards set by the organizer. In addition, revenue from streaming/distribution will be allocated every three months, with 50% of earnings distributed to the remixer. (For details, please refer to the “Terms of Use.”)