Busy week? Busy week! But also sorta a slow week, as not much new music really stood out. This Friday night is in need of some pep, and thankfully Tokyo’s Easel Easel deliver with new song “Sunny Day Nervous.” This one is straightforward indie-pop, a driving number with a sunny (hey, it’s in the title) hook and pretty basic production. But hey, that’s the charm of this sort of music. Listen above.
Super VHS seem to be focusing on the inevitable endings hurled at one throughout life. They recently came to grips with the passing of the best season, and on new song “I’ll Still Love You” they hopelessly croon “I’ll still love you anyway.” Though it might not be the best prescription, they should probably keep…
This blog is currently so young (and I’m still so new to life in Japan) that trying to carve out an identity proves to be tougher than originally imagined. Should I strictly write about contemporary artists, or should I take a broader look at Japanese music, including older acts? And how does mainstream Japanese music…
Despite the Internet’s love of the form, the list brings with it a few unpleasant side effects. Being completely cliche, for one. More subtly unnerving, though, is the implication of expertise one takes on by making a “best” list. Plenty of comment-box philosophers have shed light on this – “what makes YOU entitled to tell…
Producer MPEG-7 operates in many modes, sometimes slicing up anime samples and other times creating hip-hop beats. Latest release ing might be them operating in their best mode, however. It’s a four-song set focused primarily on drama. It is loaded up with strings and piano notes, the latter making up the chilly into of “Bleaking”…
リニューアル後のタワーレコード渋谷店に遊びに行ってきました。２階がカフェで埋め尽くされていたりして、とても面白いですね。いろいろ試聴してて、新しいCDが欲しいなと思ったものの…一番安いのでも４曲入りのシングルで1000円だし…アルバムは2500円だし…この高価な価格設定がCDが売れなくなっている一番の原因ではないでしょうか。Head On The SofaのEPなんかは素晴らしい上にBandcampからタダでダウンロード可能ですし、今の時代多くのEPがMediaFireで無料で落とせます。 Head On The Sofaの新作Memai EPはギターが中心なものの、キャッチーなメロディーが好印象。一曲目の“Stay With Me”はシューゲイザー風の空間ギターにけだるそうなボーカルがフィーチャーされ、退屈になりがちなスタイルなものの、一直線な飽きのこない仕上がりになっています。一番注目すべきトラックは“Through Your Ways”なのですが、これはしゃっくりしてるかのような面白いリズムパターンが特徴的です。最初は不快に感じるかもしれませんが、慣れてくるとやみつきになりますよ。Dinosaur Jrのようなギターが印象的なインストの“Veranda”はギター少年にオススメ。すごく完成度の高いEPですし、Head On The Sofaは他にも作品を出しています。試聴（もちろん無料で）はこちらから。
A handful of artists dabbling in future funk are hitting their stride. The internet micro-genre started as “take funk or city pop song, speed up, add kick,” resulting in some catchy moments but mostly a lot of tracks that make you want to listen to the original. But plenty have played around with this format,…