“Mamono,” the latest from wonky pop duo Kamisama Club, does something all of their previous work has done, but in a much clearer way. All the ingredients of this songs feel slightly off if not downright cartoonish — electronics squiggle off in the background, random percussion bangs off back here too, and even the moment right before the chorus is interrupted by a sudden guitar riff. Kamisama Club’s vocal shave always been on the more creative side than the polished, and here’s no exception, with both members coming together for a delirious sing-a-long on the bridge. Then the second half finds everything move from animated to slightly more uneasy, with slightly harsher noises creeping in. But as off-beat as it gets, “Mamono” remains catchy, with even the weirder flourishes, accessible and fun. Listen above.
Category Archives: Music
New (Kinda) Parupunte: Best Of Parupunte 2013~2015
Our year-end list starts posting soon, but in a nice bit of “ahhhh remember that?,” pop project Parupunte released Best Of Parupunte 2013~2015 over the weekend. The group, which creates (created?) simple but affecting pop, landed in the top ten of our 2015 list with the still-striking Primitive. Large chunks of that album appear on this compilation, along with loosies they released via SoundClound, and it’s as comprehensive a collection of music from Parupunte as you’ll find today. More importantly, it’s a fantastic way to get a listen to what makes (made???) this project so interesting, whether from the simple-but-endearing harmonies of “Nyan Toka Nyarusa” to the dance-thump of “White Sucide” to the drum ‘n’ bass fireworks of “Yume Miteru.” And re-listening to their work, it feels like they were ahead of the curve when it came to how genre borders would collapse completely in the late 2010s…which, well, wait for this year’s countdown. Get it here, or listen below.
New Koutei Camera Actress: “Mataitsuka”
We (lolz it’s just me, you get it by now) are currently trying to put together Make Believe Melodies’ year-end list, and that has involved a lot of revisits to releases from across the last 12 months. Koutei Camera Girl Drei’s New Way Of Lovin’ stands out as one of the year’s very best — you’ll have to wait to see just where it lands for the site personally — in how it uses rap and raved-out electronic styles to push idol music (and, frankly, pop in general) forward. Associated project Koutei Camera Actress’ “Mataitsuka” isn’t quite as fireworks-ready as anything on New Way, but across its playtime they do hit on things that make everything associated with this project work. Mainly, how they use a rap delivery to really make those verses pop, and how they deploy it in a way that isn’t imitation of American styles done worse, but comes off more like them trying to find the vocal style just right for them. Watch above.
New Amunoa: Rusty Door
Not everything has to be in a rush. Producer Amunoa’s Rusty Door finds the Trekkie Trax affiliate taking things a little bit easier — or at least just turning the tempo down — with their sliced-up-vocal approach to dance music. Opener “Laser Lips” features a steady trickle of stuttering syllables, but Amunoa chooses to let them float around a more relaxed backdrop, leading up to the ultimate sign of chilling out, some saxophone playing. The title song disrupts this read a bit, as it plays as a bit of sonic texture experimentation, with big lurching details making this one a bit unnerving — though it still features horns and a pretty easy-going run too. All of Amunoa’s usual tools are on display, but used in a different way that still results in a good release. Get it here, or listen below.
New DJ Fulltono, CRZKNY And Skip Club Orchestra: Draping 5
The Draping series, which finds three of the most influential juke makers in Japan offering up new tracks every month, continues on in December with the fifth installment. What makes this time stand out is an emphasis on simplicity and seeing just how far it can be stretched out. CRZKNY leads the way with his opening salvo, an eight-minute-long number emphasizing just a few clanking beats and ominous churn in the background with slight variation. The length ramps up the unease significantly. DJ Fulltono and Skip ClubOrchestra don’t go as long, but they mostly play with a similar set of stripped-down sounds (though Skip Club lets everything get a little noisier on their number). Get it here, or listen below.