Calum Bowen's music career under the moniker bo en started thanks to a Tokyo label, and the 24-year-old English producer has collaborated with many Japanese electronic musicians since 2013. In the past year, he has worked on songs for rising J-pop singers, and is currently on a mini-tour in the country, set to finish with a show at Akihabara club Mogra on April 11.

To some Western listeners, however, his J-pop-inspired body of work sounds problematic.

"It has been a little later after releasing a song that I've been accused of cultural appropriation," Bowen says. "At the time of doing the song, my main focus was a Japanese crowd."