Cuteness has become one of the more dominant traits of just-outside-of-mainstream Japanese music over the last few years, with producers piling on the bells, xylophones and assorted doo-dads to create playroom-ready compositions that feel like they are on cola number six. Many of those releases come alongside artwork done up in an anime style, full…
For the most part, Hiroshima’s CRZKNY has operated in a quick-hit, often aggressive style when it comes to juke. He either loads up on split-second samples or creates a thick sense of unease, one that lends itself well to his political leanings. Groove 2, a two-track release from Poland’s Outlines imprint that follows up compatriot…
A song very much worth your time is Laurel Halo’s song utilizing the voice of Vocaloid avatar Hatsune Miku, “Until I Make U Smile.” It’s a sparse, slowly building up number featuring the familiar digi-quiver, and it offers something you rarely hear in popular Vocaloid music — space, and a lot of it. It feels…
Omake Club seems poised for a big first half of the year, including a new album from Zombie-Chang in the spring. First, though, comes an album from producer UKR (aka Ukai Ryota), highlighted by “Edelweiss,” a song featuring the ever-versatile MCpero. The music itself is a skippy concoction, UKR needling guitar melodies alongside synths and…
The latest song in LLLL’s year-long “Chain” project is here, featuring Yeule on vocals once again, albeit this time coming through more clearly than in the very first installment of the series. On “Memories,” the song moves at a bounce, with Yeule’s voice coming through clearly, becoming the central element of the song. It’s the…