By 2023, HIRAIDAI’s reputation within J-pop had changed drastically. The singer-songwriter came to attention in the early 2010s by channeling his longtime love of Hawaii and surfing culture into ukulele-powered numbers about taking it easy. He added more pop flair to his sound in the years following while also developing an interest in American country sounds. Then, in 2020, he released the hip-hop-infused declaration of devotion “Stand by me, Stand by you.” After the single achieved widespread acclaim, HIRAIDAI released a string of swelling love songs and became a go-to artist for wedding reception setlists. But on 2023’s SURF & TURF - EP, he took listeners back to his roots while digging deeper into country sounds.  “Lovely Day, Lovely Place.” finds HIRAIDAI adding fiddle to acoustic guitar in a song about embracing life. The title track melds those same instruments to create a sweet boogie. Still, the artist maintains the beachy sound and attitude that defined his earliest works. SURF & TURF - EP features HIRAIDAI busting out the ukulele on the sun-dappled “Wonderful Life.” He adds extra island flavor to the track by using a light reggae-inspired beat to propel the song’s good vibes forward. Closer “Endless Summer”—about looking back fondly on a romance playing out during the warmest months of the year—unfolds at a slower tempo. HIRAIDAI expresses no melancholy over it, but in true fashion for the singer-songwriter, he finds positivity in the precious memories.