The current increase in interest around older Japanese music — especially from the individual members of Yellow Magic Orchestra — has been a neat development, and makes the music electronic outfit Crystal has been making this decade look all the more ahead of the curve (errrr, by looking back). Crystal Station 64 found the group channeling the playful, at times jagged sound of YMO. Like a lot of folks I imagine parked out on Discogs, they know their YMO family tree well. Unlike a lot of people who came after, they are also funny. “Kimi Wa Monster,” their latest single, features glassy vocal burps and a techno-pop groove that would make Haruomi Hosono nod. Even better — the incorporation of somewhat jagged elements, which adds some unease to the track. And that comes from guest vocalist Matias Aguayo, who sings in Japanese, lending this a strange element (again, to say his name, a little bit like Hosono singing in Portuguese). Listen above, or get it here.
