Yuma Abe Plays a Dreamlike Set at the Sultan Room in Bushwick

On Sunday, June 22, 2025, Yuma Abe delivered a transportive performance at the Sultan Room in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Originally from Tokyo, Yuma Abe is a Japanese artist who began his solo career in 2021 after performing as the vocalist and guitarist for the Japanese indie-rock band Never Young Beach. His current North American tour marks his second time through the region, and Sunday’s show was a clear sign of his growing popularity among American audiences.

Abe played a smooth, west coast-inspired set supported by his band, infused with Japanese city pop and jazzy slow jams. The audience, many of whom were longtime fans, sang along to tracks from his latest album, Hotel New Yuma, while others swayed gently to the rhythm. Whether you were familiar with his music or not, it was hard not to be swept up in the world of Yuma Abe.

Abe and his band all wore matching red shirts, white pants, and sunglasses; a coordinated look that oddly but perfectly complemented the venue. The Sultan Room, with its 250-person capacity and psychedelic light projections, brought a totally otherworldly feel to the night. Between the blasting A/C on a near-100-degree day and the eclectic crowd in attendance, it felt like stepping into another dimension. At one point, I half-expected frozen tropical drinks to be passed around. I felt like we were on a cruise ship drifting through some dreamlike realm. More than anything, this speaks to Abe’s gift for setting a mood. His sound is intentional, atmospheric, and distinct from anything else happening right now.

The set began mellow, but as the show progressed, Abe loosened up on stage. By the halfway point, he was dancing and smiling like he was performing alone in his bedroom. His energy was sweet and vulnerable. Every few songs, he paused to thank the crowd in Japanese, radiating gratitude. You could feel how much it meant to him to be performing for an engaged audience.

As someone who’s never performed on stage, it’s easy to forget how vulnerable it must be to share your art with strangers. Abe’s show was a beautiful reminder of that vulnerability and how passion and connection can cut through it.

Yuma Abe is a gem. I hope to see his international audience continue to grow and to hear much more from him in the coming years. He’s defining his genre, and we should all be listening as he paves his own path.