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Category Archives: Music

To The Sea: Suntra’s Oblivion Summer Coast

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Over the past two years, a very specific set of sounds have come to define “tropical” music, popularized by producer Kyogo and absorbed by…almost every pop star to some degree or another. Summer 2017 marks the full arrival of this style to Japan, highlighted by popular tunes from the likes of w-inds to lol. Just like the rest of the globe, this boom has made music that conjures up the seaside without leaning on the same set of sounds all the more intriguing. Japanese producer Suntra’s Oblivion Summer Coast has been a long time in the making, but the wait is well worth it, as the end result is an album of ocean-adjacent dance equal parts chilled out and energetic, without ever once bringing to mind top-40 tropes.

Suntra opens things calmly with the scene-setting “Hot Sand,” but from there Oblivion hops all over, from reflective jams that would make Software proud (“Starry Beach”) to swift keyboard workout (“Starbase Rugby”). Suntra is at their best when finding a middle ground between grooveable and sweet, such as on the in-no-rush “Palm Avenue” or album-highlight skipper “Maboroshi Bayside” (video above). Save for the slow-burning floor-filled “Six Nights,” the songs never sneak above the six minute mark, packing in all their warm vibes in before running out of steam. Apt listening for the rest of the summer…and even later, when images of seaside living will be in demand. Get it here, or listen below.

New Metome: “Passage”

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Metome’s “Sathima” caught me off guard in how sad it sounded. Part further deconstruction of his style but also featuring more flourishes of his past work than other recent releases, “Sathima” bobbed along, but also struck me as wistful, looking back on something and coming off as a bit lonely (blame the vocal sample). “Passage” hits similar buttons, though maybe “Sathima” is still too close behind to allow this one to stand out completely on its own. “Passage” explores similar stripped-down territory, featuring a slight shuffling beat and dollops of vocal slices, with a piano line adding a melancholy to the proceedings. As is often the case, this is music that still sets out to move bodies…but you can dance and feel ennui at the same time. Listen above.

New Yahyel: “Rude”

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Visuals play a massive role in yahyel’s existence as a band, exemplified at this year’s Fuji Rock Festival. The video for forthcoming single “Rude” played during that set, and was easily the most unnerving part of the band’s set, and it remains just as creepy in an uncanny valley way on its own. It’s also the best representation of what the band’s sound would look like, capturing both the just-off-ness found in their electronic songs, while also doing the best to capture the vague cult imagery hovering around the band (it’s the eyes). As important as it is, the song is every bit as in line with what yahyel have been doing over the past year, full of warped vocals and electronics twisted. Yet for all of the weirder approaches to sound and pained lyrics (also, uhhh, the clip), it sounds quite upbeat for a band usually occupying the shadows. Expect the unexpected with them. Listen above.

New Kissmenerdygirl Featuring Situke And Gomibakoru: “Step Into The Light”

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This is familiar territory so I’ll just give the TLDR version — future funk on its own can often feel a bit lazy and forgettable, at least in the wrong hands. Yet as a base for something else — singing or rapping — the idea behind future funk can work quite well. “Step Into The Light” brings to mind Cool Japan’s “Rush Hour,” partially because both turn to Toshiki Kadomatsu jams as a foundation. But also because both construct something that ultimately sounds so radically different than the original. Kissmenerdygirl uses parts of Kadomatsu’s number as a swift backdrop for rappers Situke and Gomibakoru to glide over. Yet another example of what happens when, instead of minor tweaking, one aims for a new angle. Listen above.

New Lovely Summer Chan: “Fly Fly Fly”

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Lovely Summer Chan makes her major label debut today, with the song “Fly Fly Fly.” Moving to a bigger company comes with some tricky baggage — check the video above, which transforms into a commercial midway through, straight from the Hoshino Gen playbook — but her music sounds unchanged, built on driving guitars and her attention-getting voice. There are nifty touches too, such as the opening distorted guitars, or the way shoegaze influences sneak into the corners of the song. Listen above.