New HiRO.JP: “Last Month”

While finding new angles to old sounds is always going to be great, sometimes capturing the vibe of a time now lost can be just as impressive when done on a Colonial-Williamsburg level. HiRO.JP’s “Last Month” offers up a sleek, sax-accented city pop slinker that isn’t far removed from the synth-glazed peaks of Soichi Noriki. It can never truly touch the real deal — it’s always an echo — but this is a particularly good effort, pushed over the top thanks to vocals courtesy of someone named Ise, who adds the emotional tension to really make life in the big city — at anytime — pop. Listen above.