Monico has had a busy 2017, most recently teaming up with Kindan No Tasuketsu for the fantastic “Goodbye My Cinderella.” She’s back on her own for “New World,” a team featuring her singing over music created by Tomggg, described in the info box as a “pop maestro,” which seems about right. “Kawaii” as adjective gets a lot of folks heated nowadays, which is fair, but their is definitely a cute element to “New World” — this is after all Tomggg, who set a lot of this fluffy, chime-accented stuff in motion. Critically, this song works because it doesn’t crush, but rather builds a fittingly light and spacious backdrop for Monico to sing over. She’s the focus, and this highlights it. Listen above.
Category Archives: Music
Tomorrow Comes Today: Scintillate For A Moment Presented By STERN
Vocaloid technology sounds best when it is part of a digital maelstrom. Although it feels like the majority of producers fond of the software place it against rock, the best applications of the instrument have all come in electronic music, whether over start-stop patterns or sparser, icier fare. Although envisioned as a replacement for human singing, the real future potential of Vocaloid lies in how well it meshes with digital music. Scintillate For A Moment Presented By STERN is a compilation via Omoide Label merging Vocaloid with the ill-defined “future bass,” but better summed up as contemporary electronic forms — fest-ready EDM, whirlwind sample bops, very very swift numbers defined by hooks centered around sounds rather than voices. Let’s focus on the use of Vocaloid though, which ranges from sliced-up syllables on J4’s “Blue Hawaii” (surrounded by twinkles and, like, every sample you’ve ever heard on SoundCloud ever) to actual singing at least up until the drop (tekaulu’s “Fancy Girl,” gaburyu’s “Gelato Kiss”). Critical to all of them — how well synthesized voices work alongside the music. Get it here, or listen below.
New Pa’s Lam System X Parkgolf: “Fireworks”
Pa’s Lam System recently released their first major-label release, Whatever, and it’s a varied set of body movers. That’s something the outfit remains near flawless at — their high-energy numbers are designed to get people jumping around (sometimes on to other people as I’ve seen / felt at their shows), and the tracks here should do just that. They are roughly divided between roughneck cuts featuring big bass freakouts (“Space Coaster,” “3D Rex”) and zippier numbers that are on the pop side (“Don’t Give Up On My Love” featuring singer Mukai Taichi) and established bangers (their masterpiece “I’m Coming“). Somewhere between the two is “Fireworks,” a blood-pumping number featuring an assist from Sapporo-born producer Parkgolf. Part of its charm lies in a tempo that doesn’t immediately start breakneck, but rather wading in fizzy R&B territory, complete with pitched-up voices. It’s one of the sweetest stretches either artist has either put down, and it makes the big frantic passage in the middle all the better, loaded up with shouts and cascading electronic voices. If the bulk of Whatever is pure energy, “Fireworks” shows all involved can also slow things down ever so slightly without losing too much. Listen above.
New Lulu And Mikeneko Homeless: “Asago”
The pairing of Lulu and Mikeneko Homeless has proven to be especially successful, and here they are with a new summer-ready tune just as the hottest stretch of the year approaches. Released via Maltine Records, “Asago” highlights how well both artists work together. Lulu’s singing wraps around the bouncy beat just right, the lyrics touching on some sort of relationship but shining thanks to a focus on small, summer-centered details, ranging from the way a plastic bag sparkles in the sun to simply sweating a lot. Yet even these mundane elements become rich via her singing. The music hops along appropriately, featuring percussive elements apt for the season, but which don’t tip over into stereotypical “tropical house” territory. Rather, it stands as its own creation, and is accented by intricate piano melodies that help the song shuffle ahead. Get it here, or watch the video below.
Seimei Teams Up With Kent Alexander For Back On The Blue
The latest from Midnight Cult finds label director Kent Alexander and Trekkie Trax founder Seimei splitting space to share a batch of new juke songs. Back On The Blue finds the two Japan-based producers showing off their jittery beat-production skills, and it isn’t unknown territory for either. Still, differences emerge between the two, and make this work quite well as a diverse set of dance numbers showing off both artists’ range. Every song here moves at a quick clip, but in general Seimei’s cuts are more straightforward and energetic, usually finding a specific sound and finding the joy in it (see the horn blurt on “I Felt The Love” or the stuttered repetition of “you ain’t gettin” on “Young Vet,” a song showing that Prefuse 73 works wonder in a juke setting). Alexander’s, meanwhile, feature more twists and details — the dolphins on “Marine Rouge” being a highlight — and also features more tempo shifts (see “Monkey,” a mind melting enough number before you realize [I think] that the song is sampling from the theme to Monkey Magic). Ultimately, everything works wonderfully together. Get it here, or listen below.