In its original form, Lulu’s “Aventure?” is a bare-bones stroll of a song the artist created primarily on an iPhone — but makes feel intensely human via her singing, full of longing. Producer Nanashika’s take on “Aventure?” adds a welcome thump — and some shimmering, Kosmo-Kat-ish synths — but maintains the emotion that made the original a memorable number in Lulu’s large song catalog. Listen above.
The sweltering heart of summer has arrived in Japan, unless you live up in Hokkaido, where the temperatures are far more manageable and the next two months probably feel wonderful. Sapporo producer Buddhahouse’s new release via Sabacan Records, Summer Breeze, captures the more relaxed feeling of the season on the northern-most island. The title track…
No label does compilations quite like Ano(t)raks. This decade, their stuffed-tight collections have highlighted artists who have gone on too much bigger things in the Japanese market…and also highlighted some of the more interesting artists to stay in the indie world, too. Die In Pop is the label’s latest, and like previous efforts offers a…
By Daisuke Kikuchi Fashion has always worked together with music to create distinctive styles. Punks in studded leather jacket have proudly claimed that it’s anti-fashion, (though they chose to be dressed in certain ways…) but here comes a band who’s dressed to impress, and even label their music as fashion; I think that’s pretty punk….
Boys Age’s proper debut album STILL hasn’t arrived in stores (that’s next week), yet the duo just keep on pumping out music. It remains their most intriguing aspect and the one that makes them so very hard to really sum up (though when they put out a best-of comp, it is vital). Well, that and…
関西のPost Modern Teamによる初のリリース曲は“Never Let You Down”でした。2012年にリリースされた最も優れた曲のうちの１つと言えるでしょう。爽やかで甘いメロディーは日本のインディー・ポップ・シーンに衝撃をもたらしたのでは。彼らは“never let you down”と恋人に囁くように歌います。センチメンタルに始まるこの曲はその後の展開をより切なく響かせています。まさに“Heartbreak”や“She Does Something To Me”といった言葉が語るように。最近ではEP、Nite Life LoungeがAno(t)raksから発表されました！彼らがギターとドラムというシンプルな構成だけで美しい世界観を持つ優れた楽曲を奏でています。収録されている全３曲はPost Modern Teamが今までやってきた事と変わりはないのですが、シンプルな繰り返しの多い曲がいかに感情を強く表現出来るか証明してくれました。タイトル・トラックでは主人公がディスコで“good times”を過ごしているのですが、曲中で決断の時があったり。このドラマチックさはグループ史上でも異例なのでは。他の２曲はもっとストレートに感情を表現しています。“Fade Away”はシューゲイザー調の曲。“thinking about those high school days”や”before you fade away”といった文脈からは良い思い出を振り返っているのだなと感じさせられます。 “Betterdays”はタイトル通りの内容なのですが、曲の積み重なって行くような展開はPost Modern Teamの新しい一面と言えるのでは。（ボーカルがBuilt To Spillに似ているのも印象的でした。) ダウンロードはこちらから。視聴は以下から。 NITE LIFE LOUNGE. EP by Post Modern Team
The artists who benefit the most from best-of compilations tend to be on extreme ends of the output spectrum. Those who create very little over a career benefit from said collections because they act as one-stop listens basically serving as a whole archive. And then there are the prolific acts, such as Boys Age…this pair…