New k■nie (Kenie_T): “Papapa”

In which Tokyo producer Kenie_T…who on SoundCloud now goes by knie with a block symbol between the “k” and “n”…realizes Vocaloid doesn’t have to be just a replacement singer. The productions released by this artist over the past few months have been warm and dizzying, yet it’s on “Papapa” in which the digi-voice of Sekka Yuhu…potentially meaning Sekka Yufu, the computer-generated singer favored by friend mus.hiba…gets reduced to something purely sonic. Over synth plinks and plonks, that voice doesn’t sing anything concrete, but rather her speech gets reduced to single-syllable raindrops, a sweet detail amongst a flurry of lovely electronic touches. Not only is it a reassuring demonstration of what Vocaloid can be…an experimental instrument…it’s just plain gorgeous. Listen below.