Same Thing (EP)

Same Thing (Japanese pronunciation: [seꜜːmɯ ɕiꜜŋgɯ]) is the debut extended play (EP) by Japanese singer-songwriter and musician Gen Hoshino, released by Speedstar Records on October 14, 2019. Hoshino's first collaborative work, it includes features from British indie pop band Superorganism, Japanese rapper Punpee, and English musician Tom Misch. The EP was developed after the commercial success of his fifth album Pop Virus (2018), which had left him unsure about how to proceed forward. He befriended the EP's collaborators during the album's touring effort and was inspired by the new ideas that came with co-writing music.

Hoshino wanted to focus on music in a pure sense, disconnected from sales, and found the recording process reminiscent of when he began writing music in middle school. It was initially envisioned as a mixtape release, but this plan was changed due to Hoshino believing the mixtape culture would be difficult to promote in Japan. He shares writing and production credits with Superorganism, Punpee, German producer Rascal, and Misch. Same Thing covers themes of solidarity and features bass-focused arrangement similar to the Western music scene. The track listing includes the indie pop title track with Superorganism featuring English lyrics, the Japanese rap song "Sarashi-mono" sung by Hoshino in conversation-like verses with Punpee, and "Ain't Nobody Know" featuring Misch, where Misch composed the beat and Hoshino wrote the melody to create a track that puts distance between their styles. Hoshino wrote the fourth and final track "Watashi" alone, featuring only his vocals and acoustic guitar.

The title track was released ahead as a promotional single on October 4, 2019. Music videos were produced for all tracks, and "Sarashi-mono" and "Ain't Nobody Know" also received lyric videos. Critics regarded Same Thing as a new style for Hoshino and praised its musical and lyrical themes. Upon release, it reached first place on the digital albums charts of both Oricon and Billboard Japan, and took numbers three and four on the Billboard Hot Albums and Oricon Combined Albums Charts, respectively. In its release week, all four songs appeared on the Billboard Japan Streaming Songs chart and all but "Watashi" made the Japan Hot 100. At the end of 2019, Same Thing ranked at numbers 48 and seven on Billboard Japan's year-end Hot Albums and Download Albums charts, respectively.