This weekend is Fuji Rock Festival 2018, and I’m heading up to the mountains today! So this is more of a housekeeping post that updates might be sparse over the next few days. To tide you over, this new release from Maltine Records should hold you over, as it brings together two good producers (plus some solid remixes) for an energetic set. Get it here, or listen above.
In recent times, Seiho has been exploring space. Last year’s Collapse and March’s “Unreal” single allowed for stretches with plenty of room to stretch out, often for experimentation. On “Purple Smoke,” he shifts the other way, with exhilarating results. The single — rounded out by two other songs — opens with wisps of noise, but…
Vocaloid-loving producer mus.hiba has remiex other artists before, but for his latest trick, he turns the digital scalpel on himself. He’s reconstructed last year’s powdery (no, really, it sounded like being blanketed in the white stuff) “Slow Snow,” and he’s turned it into a pulsing, seven-minute-plus journey. The original clocked in at just over four…
“Winter Valentine”を説明するにはいくつかのアプローチ方法があります。ボーカロイド好きのアーティストmus.hibaとBrightonを拠点とするゲーム音楽プロデューサーCalum Bowenのコラボレーション作品なのですが、国内外でのコラボでは最先端と言えるのでは（例えばi-flsとmus.hibaとZoom LensだったりCokiyuとBathsだったり)。この曲ではmus.hibaによる雪歌ユフの声と、(おそらく)人間の歌声がデュエットしています。こういう事もボーカロイドの持つポテンシャルと言えるでしょう。が、そんなうんちくを抜きにしても”Winter Valentine”は素晴らしい。9-Bit Blizzardというコンピに収録されているのですが、mus.hibaの “Magical Fizzy Drink”と同様に、ゲームぽさを匂わせつつも、それはほんのディテールであって全てではない。始まりは愛らしい子供時代のような雰囲気で２人のボーカルが交互に歌います。まるで星のカービィのような世界観なのですが、ここからは素晴らしい展開が。mus.hibaとBowenの両者が多くのアイディアを出したというのが聴いていてわかる程アイディアに満ちていて、１つのネタに留まらず、様々な方向に移行していくメロディが圧巻です。コラボレーションとはこういう事でしょう？試聴は以下から。
Tofubeats’ major-label forays thus far have leaned heavy on guests, and they’ve mostly worked. The Kobe producer has teamed up with classic idols, E-Girls, rappers and more. With forthcoming album Fantasy Club, out in May, it looks like Tofubeats is focusing on himself. Based on the available tracklist, his third Warner-associated full-length is low on…
The march towards Yoshino Yoshikawa’s new album continues with the second single from Event Horizon “Opt-Out.” It highlights some of the themes running throughout the album, primarily one of trepidation about sweeping technological changes (“I don’t want to be part of the big data” being a highlight). As much as the words wrestle with one…
Japanese indie creators ongoing interest with throwback styles and genres associated with the Bubble era might have reached a logical end with Wai Wai Music Resort’s first collection of songs. Released via Local Visions, WWMR1 embraces the most chilled-out elements of retro music culture, creating something breezy but with an emotional aching still present (to…